Plants

All our perennial plants are produced on site in our nursery in Brittany, France and are bred to be hardy, resistant and beautiful plants that will do well in your garden. We specialize in spring flowering plants with our National Collections of historic Barnhaven primroses and Primula auricula at the heart of what we do. We also have a large collection of species Primula which we have been growing and hand-pollinating for many years.

 Our own breeding programme of hellebores has been taking over more and more space in the greenhouse and we have recently added a collection of species Cyclamen to complement our range.  

Subcategories

  • Primula

    What are Primula?

    With one of the largest collections of Primula in the world, you could say that we are definitely fans of this botanical genus of flowering plants that belongs to the family Primulacae. So why do we love them so? As their name suggests, they are some of the first flowers to appear in spring, with some plants flowering from January onwards, and they always bring such joy when the first flowers appear.

    With over 480 species alone of Primula and thousands of hybrids there is such a wide range of different kinds of plants and flowers. Not only is there such a wide variety, they also come from different types of habitats in the wild so there are primula for all kinds of different conditions in the garden.

    Mainly native to the cooler Northern hemisphere, more than 70% of species come from the Himalayan mountainous regions. They have a wide range of habitats from alpine slopes to boggy meadows and woodland. As a general rule Primula like cool and damp conditions in semi-shade but is  important to try and replicate their different origins in the garden setting. Obviously, not all of the species are suited to be cultivated in our gardens, which is why we have chosen only those plants which will grow well in cultivation.

    There are also Primula for all types of gardener, from the happy-go-lucky wild flower gardener, to the serious botanical collector to the amateur breeder or auricula competitor there is something for everyone.

    So welcome to the wonderful world of Primula and come and tread the ‘Primrose path of dalliance’ with us. (William Shakespeare, Hamlet.)

  • Hellebores

    Our Barnhaven strains of hellebores are hybrid crosses of Helleborus x hybridus, (formally known as Helleborus x orientalis) and often named the Lenten rose.  We have been breeding hellebores here since 2004. Our collection originated when we were given a box of seeds by Jan Kay, a passionate hellebore lover from England and we have been working on them ever since to create stable strains as we have done with our primroses.  Tough as old boots and perfect companion plants to our primroses, Barnhaven hellebores are known for their glorious harmonising colours of pinks, whites, purples, greens and yellow and are available in an ever growing range of shades and forms. 

    Barnhaven hellebores are all unique plants and have been sown here in the nursery using hand-pollinated seed from our carefully selected excellent breeding stock. None of our plants have been micro-propagated. They have been grown on here in non-heated shade tunnels and will be ready to be planted out directly in the garden.

    Barnhaven's hellebores are dispatched as well-rooted plants in 9 cm pots or 1-2L pots

    Young plants in 9cm pots will establish well in the garden. They are one to two years old and have not yet flowered. They will usually flower the year after planting. This is a cheaper way of buying plants, but please keep in mind that we cannot give a 100% guarantee that the colours or forms will come true and though our lines are fairly stable now there are always a few surprises. The photos are only given as an indication of the form and colour of the plant. 

    Mature plants in 1-2L pots. These are plants that are three or four years old and have already flowered and have been selected as true to form.

    Flowering period: Mid-winter – early spring. 

    Height: 30 - 40cm

    Culture: Best in dappled shade, well drained humus rich soil.  Hellebores will form quite large clumps after two or three years (up to a metre across) and will need regular feeding or mulching with well-rotted manure to give a good display. They will self-seed freely. Cut all the old leaves back in early winter to avoid harbouring any diseases.  

    For more information on growing hellebores see our Growing hellebore pages.

  • Companion plants

    There are many plants that will grow wonderfully with primroses and hellebores to give a beautiful spring display. We will be offering a very small selection here of perennials and bulbs, but keep in mind other plants such as: ferns, hostas, spring flowering bulbs and many others. 

  • Plant collections

    Each collection contains a selection of 3 or 6 plants. These are mature plants with established rooting systems ready to be planted. They have been grown in open tunnels, exposed to wind and frost and therefore will not fear the open garden. This is a good choice, if you are not sure what to buy or are looking for a nice gift for someone.

    Please note while this is a cheaper way of buying of plants in larger quantities, the choice of plants will be left up to us. We will choose the best looking plants at the time of ordering, while ensuring that you get a range of different plants and colours. The photos are only an indication of the type of plants you will receive.

    Each collection will be sent with complete growing instructions and a guide on what to do with your plants when you receive them. 

  • Special offers

    We regularly publish special offers on our plants throughout the season. To be informed of our latest offers please sign up to our Newsletter. 

  • New additions 2024-25

    We add new plants to our catalogue every year. and throughout the season. Keep an eye on this page.  

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