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  • Summer Trailers

    Gardeners are fortunate to have such a wide palette of colours to choose from when it comes to trailers. Whether you like big and bold or dainty and restrained, there will be something for you at Coolings!

    Blue Scaevola
    Also known as the fan flower, this beautiful blue trailer has a profusion of blooms and its cascading habit makes it a perfect choice for hanging baskets or containers.

    Pink Diascia
    A pretty pink variety which works well with other coloured diacias as well as verbenas and petunias. If you’re looking for something to give your baskets and containers a softer look then this one is a winner.

    Trailing Begonia ‘Illumination Apricot’
    This blazing variety will produce large cascading flowers, which will bring colour to even dark corners. Begonias are popular choice year after year and once you’ve grown this impressive variety, you’ll see why.

    Trailing Fuchsia ‘Dark Eyes’
    Fuchsias are an outstanding plant, which bring some real drama to pots and baskets. This beautiful variety is a strong flowerer and with it’s vibrant pink and purple tones, it’s sure to be a favourite.

    Trailing Geranium Lilac
    A real favourite and well suited to UK summers, this pretty geranium produces masses of lilac flowers from May onwards. Plant it with pinks and whites for a soft and pretty basket.

    Trailing Lobelia ‘Waterfall Blue’
    Purple-blue and impressive, this Lobelia produces mountains of flowers. It lives up to it’s name, with it’s flowers producing a real cascading waterfall of summer colour.

    Trailing Red Petunia
    A classic choice which you can’t go wrong with. Red petunias produce a lovely show throughout summer, bringing vibrant colour to baskets and really catching the eye.

    Verbena ‘Sissinghurst’
    Verbena are beautiful plants for containers, with their pretty form and habit. This bright pink variety, ‘Sissinghurst’ is a lovely choice for producing vibrant baskets and pots. 

    White Bacopa
    This Bacopa sports masses of clean white flowers, sharpening up the look of your bedding mixtures and making it the ideal companion for other plants in baskets and containers.

    Yellow Bidens
    This yellow variety is bright and sunny, a cheery choice which really packs a punch. An underrated plant which works well with many other bedding plants, making it ideal for hanging baskets.

    Foliage

    We would also recommend adding texture and interest to your baskets and containers with a few well chosen trailing foliage plants. Our three favourites for the season ahead are:

    • Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’
    • Helichrysum Silver
    • Variegated Nepeta (Trailing)

  • A Birds Eye View

    For a real birds-eye view of our flagship 14 acre site, watch this video! It shows our gardens, production nursery, reservoirs and more.

  • Spring Glamour

    With their glossy evergreen foliage and exuberant Spring blooms, Camellias are desirable and attractive plants to enhance your garden. In Spring, they make a really special addition to the garden, with their soft colours and shapes. They require acidic (ericaceous) soil, but if you do not have this, they will live happily in a large pot if grown in ericaceous compost. These are our top 6 choices this season.

    Camellia x williamsii ‘Ruby Wedding’

    A dense, evergreen shrub which grows well in part shade; this impressive Camellia produces striking medium sized red flowers from February to May.

    Camellia japonica ‘Brushfield’s Yellow’

    With elegant creamy-white flowers and an eye-catching yellow centre, ‘Brushfield’s Yellow’ is a popular choice of Camellia.

    Camellia x williamsii ‘Donation’

    This RHS award-winning hybrid is a reliable Camellia which exhibits large semi-double pink flowers in early spring.

    Camellia japonica ‘Silver Anniversary’

    With irregular petals, these large flowers produce interest from mid-winter to early spring, with distinctive golden stamen.

    Camellia japonica ‘Desire’

    This detailed Camellia has beautiful white and pink flowers which produce a lovely focal point in the garden.

    Camellia japonica ‘Bonomiana’

    ‘Bonomiana’ produces beautiful white and pink flowers in early spring and likes a sheltered spot in the garden.

    To give your Camellias the best start, we recommend planting with Coolings 60L Ericaceous Compost. Make sure plants are well fed – our pick would be Miracle-Gro Azalea, Camellia & Rhododendron Liquid Plant Food 1L.

     

  • Wildflowers for Wildlife

    Cowslip

    One of the best known Spring flowers, these yellow beauties tend to be found in open woods and meadows. Cowslip likes sun or partial shade.

    Oxeye Daisy

    This robust daisy thrives from June to August and produces flowers that can be 6cm across. The yellow centre of the flowerhead attracts many nectar-loving insects.

    Greater Knapweed

    This upright perennial is a favourite of butterflies. Growing up to 75cm, it produces eye-catching pinkish purple heads made up of many small florets.

    Wild Foxglove

    This beautiful and bold wildflower grows up to 120cm in height and brings a wonderful dash of colour. An excellent source of nectar and pollen, this is loved by bees.

    Wild Marjoram

    More frequently known as Oregano, this plant produces delightful clusters of pink flowers and attracts butterflies and bees galore.

    Field Scabious

    Pom-pom like lilac blooms are produced atop long stalks, flowering between July and September. They bring a delicate and pretty feel to the garden.

  • Gardening for Wellbeing

    Gardening is also good for our mental health. Even something as simple as having a plant on your windowsill or desk can reduce stress, make you feel more energized and able to think clearly. People suffering from anxiety or depression have found gardening and caring for plants to be incredibly beneficial. So good in fact that some GPs have even started writing prescriptions for gardening! The benefits can be as varied as reduced stress to increased fitness and improved vitamin D levels.

    Gardening health benefits can include heart health, better sleep, improved hand strength and the financial benefits of gardening include growing your own vegetables and cut flowers, getting creative with plants to decorate and dress your home and a nice garden can increase the value of your home by up to 20%.

    If you need any more encouragement to get out in the garden this spring, gardening is also good for the planet. Think of the environmental impact of homegrown fruit, vegetables and flowers versus those flown halfway round the world. As well as the reduction in plastic consumption, grown at home you can be certain of just how many (or how few) pesticides and herbicides have been used in their production.

    Some excellent varieties of fruit cannot be grown for commercial use as they don’t, for example, travel or keep well, but all the better for home gardeners!

    How much nicer is a home-grown bunch of flowers than something picked up in a hurry from a supermarket? Or a pot of plants lovingly tended for months before being gifted? And they’re cheaper too…

    Choosing plants that are grown locally also help to reduce environmental impact. We grow most of our plants on-site and use other local nurseries for specimen or unusual plants.

    Gardening can be great for wildlife

    Our gardens are a vital home for wildlife and many species really need our help if they are to survive. But attracting wildlife to your garden is easy and enormously rewarding. A pond is a great place to start but even bird feeders, a bird bath or bird box will have a positive effect. Plant lots of colourful flowers and watch the bees and butterflies come flying in.

    Bring the Outdoors In with Houseplants

    You can still experience the benefits of nature when it’s too cold for a stroll around the garden by having houseplants.

    Shades of green are recognised as being restful, so introducing houseplants to your home can help ease stresses and boost mental wellbeing. As well as looking good, houseplants also improve air quality by trapping and capturing pollutants, allowing you to breathe in cleaner air.

    Visit our shop for gardening tools and sundries, seeds, houseplants, bird care and lawncare. We stock everything you need for your garden.

     

  • Moroccan Mood!

    Osteospermum ‘Blushing Beauty’

    If you’re looking for vibrant colour, look no further than this exuberant Osteospermum. With its yellow and pink flowers it brings an exotic touch to the garden and makes an impressive duo with Osteospermum ‘Blue Eyed Beauty’.

    Osteospermum ‘Blue Eyed Beauty’

    From early summer to mid-Autumn, this cheerful and hardy perennial will produce yellow daisy-like flowers. Sun loving ‘Blue Eyed Beauty’ is ideal for border fronts or containers, adding a spray of colour to the garden.

    Pelargonium zonale classic ‘Grand Prix’

    Beautiful rich red blooms are displayed on this vigorously performing, sun-loving geranium. It impresses in flowerbeds or containers, flowering prolifically throughout Summer.

    Verbena ‘Empress Flair Red’

    This perennial blooms energetically throughout summer with wonderful star-shaped red flowers. It makes for an excellent ground cover plant and also works well in baskets due to its trailing habit. Deadhead when necessary to help further flowering late into the season.

    Diascia ‘Breezee Plus Apricot’

    Ideal for borders or pots, this compact semi-evergreen perennial produces a profusion of apricot coloured flowers from May to October, which contrast beautifully against its dark-green leaves. An excellent choice for baskets and pots.

    Calibrachoa Can Can ‘Orange’

    Easy to grow and long-flowering, with beautiful marmalade colour petals. It makes particular impact in baskets or pots, where its bright trailing style gives an exuberant display. For more Moroccan tones, look out for Calibrachoa Can Can ‘Sunrise’ and Calibrachoa Double Can Can ‘Apricot’.

    New! Bidens ‘Blazing Fire’

    This bright and compact newcomer is a stunner with its paint dipped effect; eye-catching yellow flowers, tipped with orange. It flowers abundantly, making it an ideal choice for containers or borders where it will add a bright touch.

    Gazania ‘Sunbathers Totonaca’

    With wide luxurious red and yellow flowers, ‘Sunbathers Totonaca’ is an impressive addition to the garden and is a long bloomer, providing interest throughout the Summer. It makes an excellent cut flower and is also tolerant to coastal conditions.

    Helianthus Sunbelievable ‘Brown-Eyed-Girl’

    Chelsea Flower Show’s 2018 Bronze medal for Plant of the Year, this Sunflower is a prolific flowerer and can produce over a thousand flowers during growing season. Bright and cheerful, it will drench your garden in magnificent sunshine yellow.

    Mini Trailing Petunias

    Easy to grow and long-flowering, with beautiful marmalade colour petals. These make a particular impact in baskets or pots, where its bright trailing style gives an exuberant display.

  • Create Your Own Cottage Garden

    Geranium clarkei ‘Kashmir Purple’

    ‘Kashmir Purple’ is an ideal ground cover plant, as well as being a cottage garden classic. It flowers from June through to September and its pretty purple colour will complement neighbouring white and pink flowers. It is sure to attract a buzz as it is loved by bees.

    Nepeta ‘Six Hills Giant’

    This pretty perennial is perfect for cottage gardens. It’s grey-green foliage and profusions of violet-blue flowers make it an attractive choice. Loved by bees, ‘Six Hills Giant’ will flood the garden with vibrant colour.

    Lythrum virgatum ‘The Rocket’

    ‘The Rocket’ is a vigorous herbaceous perennial, which displays racemes of bright pink flowers from early Summer through to early Autumn. It likes to make its mark on the garden, so deadhead to prevent further seeding.

    Agastache foeniculum ‘Blackadder’

    With its spiky texture and bold colour, ‘Blackadder’ has a striking presence in the cottage garden. Its violet-blue flowers last from mid-Summer to Autumn and its height makes it a bold statement in any company.

    Salvia nemorosa ‘Blue Marvel’

    Winner of the HTA’s Best in Show 2016, this extraordinary Salvia is known for its rich blue blossoms, which are the largest of all the Salvia nemorosa species. It likes full sun and is a magnet for butterflies, bees and even hummingbirds!

    Verbascum ‘Cotswold Queen’

    Perfect for adding height and structure to a cottage garden, ‘Cotswold Queen’ is a robust Verbascum, flowering from early to mid-Summer. Its bright yellow flowers have a pinkish-purple eye and make it a noticeable presence in the garden.

    Digitalis x valinii ‘Firebird’

    This new Digitalis produces large spikes of copper pink, orangey flowers throughout Summer. Awarded second place by the RHS in its 2016 Plant of the Year competition, this is a distinctive and unusual choice for a cottage garden.

    Silene dioica ‘Rollie’s Favorite’

    ‘Rollie’s Favourite’ is an eye-catching and compact choice, which produces bundles of pink flowers in late Spring and early Summer. It works well as ground cover plant but also has a slight trailing habit, allowing it to work well along paths or steps.

     

     

  • Shabby Chic for Spring

    Allium ‘Mount Everest’

    These statuesque flowers (growing to 90-100cm) and are a firm favourite and look stunning soaring up the back of a border. Alliums are an ideal choice for adding the wow factor to the garden.

    Dicentra spectabilis ‘Alba’

    This Dicentra is a shade lover, making it ideal for a mixed border in a shady area. It has arching wands of pretty heart-shaped white flowers which will brighten up any dull corner.

    Brunnera macrophylla ‘Betty Bowring’

    ‘Betty Bowring’ produces sprays of pure white forget-me-not like flowers. These flowers are numerous in April and May and will add a clean, white touch to a shady garden space.

    Scabious ‘Kudos White’

    This large flowering Scabious is a great garden addition. It is ideal for attracting wildlife to the garden as it is loved by bees. With regular deadheading, the show will keep on going.

    Aquilegia ‘Dove’

    This iconic cottage garden plant is eye-catching when grown underneath shrubs and roses and as an added bonus, is fairly undemanding. Flowering from early Summer, it produces large and elegant flowers.

    Bergenia ‘Bressingham White’

    ‘Bressingham White’ produces masses of pretty and pristine white flowers, which bloom in early Spring. This easy-to-grow, evergreen perennial will be happy in sun or shade.

    Pulmonaria ‘Sissinghurst White’

    AGM winning with mottled leaves, this Pulmonaria is a reliable performer and has fantastic disease and pest resilience. Its pretty funnel-shaped white flowers are ideal for a Shabby Chic touch.

    Dianthus ‘Memories’

    This compact Dianthus has brilliant pure white double flowers, which are real eye-catchers. It has a interesting spicy scent, making it the perfect plant choice for entertaining areas and entrance ways.

     

  • Multisensory Gardening

    Choose scented plants to add smell to your garden. These are best placed in sheltered areas as this contains the fragrances better and will allow them to be enjoyed more.

    NEW Clematis ‘Sugar Sweet’
    The firstly truly scented large flowered clematis, with beautiful almond fragranced flowers. Available from Coolings for the first time this Spring.

    Lavender ‘Ashdown Forest’
    A superb variety with lovely scented flowers and foliage. Perfect for celebrating our new site at Wych Cross.

     

    Plants with interesting textures are ideal garden choices for those living with sight impairment. They also go down particularly well with little ones who like to investigate their surroundings.

    Senecio ‘Angels Wings’
    This stunning recent introduction has tactile silky silver foliage. Works well in containers and is impressive on a patio.

    Griselinia littoralis
    Silky soft glossy foliage makes this popular choice the perfect evergreen screening plant.

     

    Edible plants are useful to grow for kitchen use or enjoyment, as well as many of them bringing extra colour to the garden.

    Nasturtiums Jewel Mix
    Both ornamental and edible, the flowers have a peppery taste.

    Strawberries
    A fruity classic, we have a selection of delicious and easy to grow varieties available this Spring.

     

    Sound can produce an extra dimension to a sensory garden. Bamboo and grasses are ideal for creating some plant-based audio, along with adding water features or bird baths.

    Fargesia nitidia ‘Black Pearl’
    This is an amazing clump forming bamboo with attractive dark canes, ideal for containers and smaller gardens. The breeze moving through the foliage will create a relaxing rustling sound.

     

    You can find out more about Kent Association for the Blind and their work on their website at www.kab.org.uk

  • Early Risers

    Clematis armandii ‘Snowdrift’

    This vigorous evergreen climber is covered with clusters of perfumed star-shaped white flowers in March. Avoid exposed areas for best growth.

    Clematis montana ‘Fragrant Spring’

    With attractive light pink flowers and a lovely vanilla scent, this is an ideal climber to cloak a fence or scramble through a tree.

    Clematis ‘Early Sensation’

    Ideal for a sheltered location, this lovely climber has attractive evergreen foliage and beautiful white flowers. When grown alongside Clematis Avalanche for pollination it also produces the added bonus amazing ornamental seed heads!

    Clematis alpina ‘Willy’

    This late spring flowering Clematis is a cheeky climber with nodding pink bell shaped flowers. Ideal for growing up trellis or an archway.

    Clematis macropetala ‘Blue Lagoon’

    Semi-double blue flowers with silvery seed heads make this tough and slender climber an attractive choice. Idea for tumbling over a garden fence or wall.

    Clematis alpine ‘Constance’

    This medium-sized climber produces beautiful bright pink and white flowers in Spring and has a RHS Award of Garden Merit.

    Clematis ‘Korean Brunette’

    A deciduous climber producing dramatic purple-red bell shaped flowers. A versatile plant which is loved by bees and butterflies.

     

    Obelisks and arches are ideal homes for your climbing Clematises to flourish and can also add attractive structure to your garden. Here are a few choices to give you some garden inspiration.

    Tom Chambers Nostell Obelisk – prices beginning at £24.99

    This detailed contemporary obelisk comes in three sizes.

    Tom Chambers Priory Obelisk – £24.99

    The decorative Priory obelisk is a classic choice, standing at 1.7m tall.

    Panacea Arched Top Arch

    This pretty arch can add structure to your garden. This Arched Top Arch costs £69.99