It's been a little while. Thank you for your patience.

Alan and Thordis wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2026.

PLANT LIST

Anemone pavonina

Agave montana

Daphne bholua ‘Spring Beauty‘

Punica granatum var. Nana

Cordyline australis 'Charlie Boy'

Galanthus plicatus 'Three Ships'

Galanthus 'S. Arnott'

Arum pictum

Arum maculatum

Arum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Monksilver'

Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger'

Lagerstroemia indica

Weigela ‘Wings of Fire'

Euphorbia mellifera

Iris unguicularis

Iris unguicularis 'Peloponnese Snow'

Iris unguicularis 'Walter Butt'

Fascicularia bicolor

Dicksonia Antarctica

Viola hederacea

Begonia luxurians

Ilex aquilifolium ‘Nellie R Stevens’

Cyclamen persicum 'Dragon Deep Blue'

Plumbago auriculata

Bomarea caldasii

September already and East Ruston Old Vicarage is as bursting with colour as you might expect! Alan Gray brings just a few favourites for Show and Tell, while Thordis is FLOMO*ing over a very 'Alan' container she spotted on holiday!

*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Brugmansia 'Shredded White Fantasy'

Brugmansia × candida 'Grand Marnier'

Tagetes ex 'Cinnabar' Great Dixter form

Ageratum petiolatum

Tropaeolum majus 'Empress of India'

Lobelia tupa

Salvia regla

Salvia involucrata 'Bethellii'

Salvia involucrata 'Mulberry Jam'

Salvia involucrata 'Joan'

Salvia 'Tropicolor Sunrise'

Solanum laxum 'Crech ar Pape'

Catalpa fargesii

Begonia sutherlandii

Begonia sutherlandii 'Saunders' Legacy'

Cuphea 'David Verity'

Cuphea llavea

Lotus berthelotii

Salvia oxyphora

Chrysanthemum 'Julia Peterson'

This month Alan Gray has come along with an arm full of Show and Tell, from his container-planting stalwarts to an eye-catching Crinum! I bet you'll be ooh-ing and aah-ing as much as his Talking Dirty co-presenter Thordis.

PLANT LIST

Phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Sugar Stars'

Phlox drummondii grandiflora 'Crème Brûlée'

Dahlia coccinea var. palmeri

Tagetes 'Cinnabar'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'

Ageratum petiolatum

Eutrochium maculatum syn. Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum

Clerodendrum bungei

Cleome spinosa

Crinum moorei

Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight'

Tradescantia 'Maiden's Blush'

Oxalis vulcanicola 'Plum Crazy'

Iresine herbstii

Iresine herbstii 'Aureoreticulata'

Tithonia rotundifolia

Clematis addisonii

Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides

Bomarea multiflora syn. Bomarea caldasii

From gap-fillers to planting for climate change, here's a meander through Alan Gray's latest escapades at East Ruston Old Vicarage, alongside his Talking Dirty co-presenter Thordis.

PLANT LIST

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Madame Emile Mouillère' 

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Ayesha'

Hydrangea 'Runaway Bride'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Hot Biscuits'

Amaranthus cruentus 'Foxtail'

Lantana camara

Ficus carica 'White Ischia'

Plumbago auriculata

Leonotis leonurus

Fuchsia 'Delta's Sara'

Fuchsia procumbens

Tagetes patula 'Konstance'

Erythrina crista-galli

Punica granatum

Malus transitoria

Salvia darcyi

Nearly the end of June already, past the Summer solstice and plenty to talk about at East Ruston Old Vicarage, particularly Alan Gray's latest planty purchases from their summer plant fair! Get ready to have some FLOMO*!

*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Eucomis pole-evansii

Eucomis pole-evansii 'Dark Desire'

Rosa x beanii

Verbascum roripifolium

Iris tectorum

Berkheya radula

Berkheya purpurea

Puya × berteroniana

Beschorneria yuccoides

Agave montana

Phoenix canariensis

Podophyllum versipelle 'Spotty Dotty'

Abutilon 'Red Tiger'

Desmodium yunnanense

No rain, but lots of other things to put smiles on our faces at East Ruston Old Vicarage, from the last of the Daffodils to punchy Pelargoniums and fab Foxglove trees!

PLANT LIST

Tulipa 'Yellow Crown'

Narcissus 'Painted Desert'

Narcissus 'Irish Linen'

Tropaeolum smithii

Piptanthus laburnifolius syn. Piptanthus nepalensis

Bupleurum fruticosum

Pelargonium 'Dark Secret'

Malus hupehensis

Paulownia tomentosa

Paulownia fortunei 'Fast Blue' ('Minfast')

Smyrnium perfoliatum

Melanoselinum decipiens

Echium pininana

Echium 'Candyfloss'

Nemophila menziesii

Primula auricula ‘Swanton Cuckoo’

What weather we've had! As you can imagine there's plenty to talk about at East Ruston Old Vicarage, including an exciting new planting project for Alan Gray...

PLANT LIST

Magnolia 'Vulcan'

Magnolia sieboldii

Delosperma

Cyrtanthus elatus syn. Vallota speciosa

Watsonia

Sparaxis tricolor

Hippeastrum

Tigridia pavonia

Podranea ricasoliana

Abutilon 'Fool's Gold'

Clianthus puniceus

Helichrysum petiolare

Fremontodendron californicum

Tithonia rotundifolia

Coleus scutellarioides 'Burgundy Wedding Train'

Coleus scutellarioides 'Pink Chaos'

Mirabilis jalapa

Anagallis monellii 'Skylover'

Quercus suber

Lobelia 'Kathleen Mallard'

Primula allionii ‘Broadwell Oliver’

Chionodoxa luciliae syn. Scilla luciliae

Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii

Ixia

Moraea huttonii

After an impromptu lurgy-induced break, Talking Dirty returns to explore the wonders at East Ruston Old Vicarage this March. Alan Gray - owner of the 32-acre garden on the Norfolk coast - shares new purchases and old 'friends' which are heightening the joys of spring. Meanwhile Thordis has some very seasonal FLOMO*!

*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Abeliophyllum distichum Roseum Group

Hedera helix f. poetarum

Ilex 'East Ruston Gold'

Magnolia 'Caerhays Belle'

Pyrus communis 'Robin'

Cichorium intybus

Echium vulgare

Borago officinalis

Oak leaf Polyanthus

Erysimum 'Winter Passion'

Erysimum 'Winter Orchid'

Narcissus cyclamineus

Narcissus 'Rataplan'

Narcissus 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation'

Narcissus 'Firebrand'

Iris 'Benton Dierdre'

Iris 'Benton Olive'

Narcissus 'Bath's Flame'

Daphne bholua 'Mary Rose'

It's been quite a brutal start to the year, but that hasn't stopped East Ruston Old Vicarage from turning out some showstoppers this winter! From bulbs in the garden to shrubs under glass, Alan Gray shares some of the plants bringing him joy in the garden. Plus updates from behind the scenes. And, of course, some FLOMO*!

*FLOMO = FLoral/plant-based fear Of Missing Out

PLANT LIST

Fuchsia 'Lottie Hobby'

Narcissus cyclamineus 'Englander'

Crocus sieberi 'Ronald Ginns'

Solanum laxum 'Crèche du Pape'

Griselinia littoralis

Lathyrus grandiflorus

Dianthus 'Mrs Sinkins'

Pittosporum tobira 'Variegatum'

Pittosporum tobira 'West Acre Gold'

Reinwardtia indica

Scilla bithynica

Primula meadia

Alan Gray and Thordis are feeling festive and they're celebrating with some seasonal Show and Tell from Alan's 32 acre garden on the Norfolk coast, from the plants you'd expect to be dazzling in December, to some unseasonal surprises.

PLANT LIST

Galanthus 'Santa Claus'

Galanthus plicatus 'Three Ships'

Galanthus elwesii 'Peter Gatehouse'

Narcissus 'Cedric Morris'

Narcissus 'Tête-à-tête'

Jasminum nudiflorum

Arum italicum subsp. neglectum 'Miss Janay Hall'

Iris unguicularis

Lonicera fragrantissima

Daphne bholua 'Darjeeling'

Viburnum × bodnantense

Sarcococca ruscifolia var. chinensis ‘Dragon Gate’

Camellia sasanqua 'Rainbow'

Camellia hiemalis

Camellia 'Sparkling Burgundy'

Camellia 'Sugar Dream'

Paeonia lactiflora 'Bowl of Beauty'

Viburnum tinus 'Israel'

Taxus baccata 'Standishii'

Griselinia littoralis 'Dixon's Cream'

Griselinia littoralis 'Bantry Bay'

Forsythia suspensa

Erysimum 'Parish's'

Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve'

Salvia curviflora

Tradescantia 'Maiden's Blush

Fuchsia 'Lottie Hobby'

Amarine belladiva 'Anastasia'

Helleborus niger

Skimmia japonica 'Rubella'

Euonymus

Ruscus aculeatus 'John Redmond'

Hebe 'Simon Delaux'

Abutilon 'Gerdmann'S Red'

Abutilon 'Estella's Little Bird'

Solanum laxum 'Album' syn. Solanum jasminoides Album

Solanum laxum 'Crèche du Pape'

Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca

Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca 'Citrina'

Hedera colchica 'Sulphur Heart'

Ilex 'East Ruston Gold'

Arum pictum 'Primrose Warburg'