Bulb ranges available will vary at the different Coolings Garden Centre sites. For our full range, please visit us at Coolings The Gardeners Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt.
Category: Plants
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A Spring Rainbow
These are some of our favourite bulbs to add splashes of strategic colour next spring.
Blue is the perfect colour to create a calm and serene garden environment. Mix with white for a carpet of relaxing garden borders or pots. These are our favourite four this season: Iris Reticulata, Iris Fabiola, Muscari Armeniacum (Grape Hyacinth) and Ipheion uniflorum ‘Wisley Blue’.
For splashes of hot pink (which will clash brilliantly with oranges and purples), try Tulip ‘Van Eijk’ (a Darwin hybrid which can flower for several years), Tulip ‘Pretty Princess’ (a gorgeous pink bloom cupped in purple, which makes an excellent cut flower), Tulip ‘Toronto’ or Tulip ‘Yosemite’.
For blush pinks, which will create a softer container or border addition, try Tulip ‘Angelique’ (a peony-like variety with soft pink double flowers), or Tulip ‘Finola’, a new variety of pink and white. ‘Chinatown’ is a vivid pink variety of tulip, edged in green, pairing perfectly with blue muscaris or lime-green plants such as Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’. Tulip ‘Eyelash’ is a fantastic new introduction, with large blooms and pink fringed edges.
Heat things up with our selection of red tulips for spring! Perfect for pots, Tulip ‘Rococo’ is an early parrot variety with facinating blooms. Tulip ‘Lizzy’ is an open star variety with dark centres, providing something more moody. Tulip ‘Red Riding Hood’ provides a dash of clearest red, with ‘Pinocchio’ as a fantastic bi-colour variety!
Go for bright yellow to add some sunshine to the spring garden! We love Tulip ‘Golden Apeldoorn’, Narcissus ‘Jumblie’ and Crocus ‘Dorothy’. We also love Narcissus ‘Quail’ a bright variety with attractive clusters of nodding flowers – a variety which will naturalise well.
You may prefer softer yellows, such as the beautiful two-toned Narcissus ‘Spring Dawn’ which is an early variety, ideal for the early days of spring. Tulip ‘Akebono’ is a fabulous yellow variety, edged in pink, perfect for something a little different. We also like Crocus ‘Romance’ and Tulip ‘Muscadet’.
Create a firey scene with orange bulbs, matching well with yellow or white and clashing brilliantly with purples and blues. Opt for standout variety ‘Showgun’ for an eye-catching display. Our other favourites are ‘Daydream’, ‘Orange Emperor’ and the softer ‘Dordogne’.
White spring bulbs are extremely versatile, pairing well with all other colours. Try Muscari ‘Siberian Tiger’ paired with colourful tulips for an impressive display. We also like classic snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis), as well as the stunning Allium ‘Mount Everest’ and the beautiful open tulip ‘Mount Tacoma’.
We love these beautiful spring varieties which are white but edged with bold colour! Try these to spice up your white combinations. our favourites are Tulip ‘Flaming Flag’, Tulip ‘Danceline’, Crocus ‘Prins Claus’ and Tulip ‘Shirley Double’.
If you’re feeling brave, try these spectacular dark varieties of tulip, sure to prove a talking point! Tulip ‘Queen of Night’ is a dark maroon variety (appearaing almost black) whilst Tulip ‘Black Hero’ is a fantastic double version of ‘Queen of Night’. Tulip ‘Black Parrot’ is a gorgeous dark purple variety with a fantastic frilled shape. Finally, Tulip ‘Paul Scherer’ is the darkest tulip there is, appearing almost black!
Growing beautiful tulips and narcissi produces a classic spring garden, but you may wish to try something a little more special this year! If you want to add something extra special, try these spectacular varieties.
- Tulip ‘Amazing Parrot’ – A stunning variety with a blend of pink and orange tones and frilled edges. Plant alongside other pinks or oranges to add some real impact to a border or container.
- Narcissus ‘Rip Van Winkle’ – This unusual variety bears multi-petalled, yellow flowers which make it distinctive from other daffodils! A shorter variety, ideal for border fronts and containers.
- Tulip ‘Prinses Irene’ – A sunset variety, ablaze with orange and pink tones. A strong grower with attractive foliage.
- Tulip ‘Dream Touch’ – A purple double late variety with striking colour, fringed with white edges. It has a peony like appearance.
- Allium ‘Ambassador’ – Holding an RHS Award of Garden Merit, this impressive variety produces vibrant balls of purple flowers atop tall stems.
- Colchicum ‘The Giant’ – An Autumn blooming variety, with large lavender flowers and white throats.
- Tulip ‘Tarda’ – A pretty variety producing a mass of star shaped flowers in yellow and white.
- Allium ‘Schubertii’ – A showstopper of an allium, which produces vast flowers of pink.
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Wise Watering!
Water at the right time
Watering later in the evening when it is cooler means that the sun won’t be drying your water up! Less evaporation means more water for your plants. You may also want to consider watering early in the morning before the sun’s heat has set in.
Check if the plants need water
Some plants are very thirsty, but many plants will only need to be watered a few times a week, rather than everyday. Check the requirements of the plants in your garden to ensure that you aren’t overwatering them. Plants in pots are likely to dry out faster, so check their soil to see how dry it is.
Recycle your water
Install a water butt (or use a more homemade method such as a trug or bucket) to collect rainwater! You can use this water for your plants, preventing wastage. We do this at Coolings, Rushmore Hill, where we have two reservoirs which harvest rainwater which we reuse. Shop Decco Strata 100lt Slim Water Butt on our website.
Water at the roots
When you water your plants, try to water as close to the roots as possible. Watering from the top could lead to leaf damage and may prevent the water from reaching the bottom of the plant where it needs to go!
Weather dependent
If it’s been recently raining then your plants are likely to have received enough water to keep them healthy! If rain has been sparse then it may be time to give them a drink.
Having the right watering tools at your disposal will keep your garden looking lush, make watering more efficient and even save you money. Shop watering on our website or visit us in store today.
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Eat Out to Help Out
Arthurs at Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre
Opening times:
Monday to Sunday: 9am – 4pm*
*Breakfast is served from 9am-11.30am, Lunch from 11.30am-3.30pm – kitchen closes at 3.30pm
When dining with us at Arthurs, please be aware that there are social distancing measures in place. These are to keep our customers and staff safe. Please click here to read more.
The Hybrid Tea Room at Coolings Wych Cross Garden Centre
Opening times:
Monday to Sunday: 10am – 4pm
When dining with us at The Hybrid Tea Room, please be aware that there are social distancing measures in place. These are to keep our customers and staff safe. Please click here to read more.
Blueberry Café at Coolings Green & Pleasant
Opening times:
Monday to Sunday: 10am-3pm
There are social distancing measures in place at Blueberry Cafe.
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Hybrid Tea Room Reopening
From Monday 27th July 2020, the Hybrid Tea Room at Coolings Wych Cross Garden Centre will be reopening their doors to customers. We know that many of you have missed sitting on our beautiful terrace, enjoying the view and we are delighted to be able to see our customers again!
The cafe will be open from 10.00am – 4.00pm, with a range of hot and cold drinks, delicious cakes and a selection of sandwiches.
Due to the restrictions currently in place, indoor seating is limited to ensure social distancing measures are observed. Our outdoor seating area remains open and we would encourage our customers to use this where possible. We are also offering a takeaway service.
We understand that many of our customers may be apprehensive about visiting us. There are restrictions in place to ensure the safety of our customers and staff and we ask that all visitors adhere to these rules. Please be aware of the following safety precautions which are in place:
- You will be met by a member of staff at our sanitising station, who will direct you into the Tea Room and make you aware of our new designated exit and entry points, and one way system.
- You will not be able to book and tables will become available on a first come first serve basis. This means that you may have to wait for a table. A member of staff will allocate a table to you on arrival.
- Tables are laid out to a maximum of 6 people. Please do not move tables or chairs as they have been laid out for social distancing.
- We have full sanitising procedures in place – please be mindful of this before you are seated.
- Only one person should order at the counter (where possible). The rest of your party can be seated to allow us to manage any queue.
- Card payments only – we are not accepting cash at the moment.
- We are running a limited menu for the time being. Please click below to read more.
Hybrid Tea Room – Menu (July 2020)
We can’t wait to see you back!
The Hybrid Tea Room x
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Arthurs Reopening
Arthurs restaurant (at Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill), will be reopening their indoor seating area from Saturday 4th July. Breakfast will be served from 9am-11.30am, with Lunch from 11.30am-4pm. The outdoor seating area in the garden remains open and we would encourage people to use this where possible. Our takeaway service is still operating too and we will be running our full counter and homemade cake selection. Please scroll down to see images of our seating layout.
We understand that many of our customers may be apprehensive about visiting us. There are restrictions in place to ensure the safety of our customers and staff and we ask that all visitors adhere to these rules.
- You will be met by our host at our sanitizing station, who will direct you into Arthurs and make you aware of our new designated exit and entry points.
- We will be running a reduced hot food menu, starting with breakfast from 9am-11.30am and then lunch from 11.30am-4pm.
- You will not be able to book and tables will become available on a first come first serve basis. This means that you may have to wait for a table.
- If you are dining with us you will be allocated a table by our host on arrival.
- Tables are laid out to a maximum of 4 people. These cannot be moved under any circumstances due to being laid out for social distancing.
- We have full sanitizing procedures in place – please be mindful of this before you are seated.
- Only one person should order at the counter (where possible). The rest of your party can be seated to allow us to manage any queue.
- The toilets are currently only accessible from the garden centre. Therefore the toilets cannot be accessed from inside the restaurant, so please ensure you visit them before coming into the restaurant if necessary.
- Card payments only – we are not accepting cash at the moment.
We are running a reduced menu for the time being.
We can’t wait to see you back!
Arthurs x
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Buddy Up | Top Rose Companions
‘Azure Rush’ is a vibrant type of hardy geranium, which produces large blue-lilac flowers with white centres. It is a low growing perennial and will add beautiful ground cover around the base of your roses.
A low maintenance plant, ideal for adding late season colour and attracting bees to your border. Their foliage is fascinating and they provide and eye-catching contrast when planted alongside roses in a mixed border.
This soft yet impressive hardy geranium produces pale lilac flowers all summer long. It is a pretty choice to add colour and foliage around the bottom of your roses.
A low growing Nepeta with dark blue flowers produced from May onwards. It’s ideal for growing along the edges of rose beds and creates a nice cottage garden feel.
This dark purple variety of hardy Osteospermum is the perfect partner for a rose bed where it will add splashes of vibrant colour. These daisy like flowers grow on tall stems and will bloom for months.
Digitalis purpurea F1 ‘Dalmatian White’
This tall Digitalis creates climbs of white flowers with plum-spotted throats, which peak in midsummer along with many roses. It looks impressive and adds a beautiful contrast when soaring up next to roses.
Salvia nemorosa Sensation ‘Deep Rose’
Ideal to create a cottage garden atmosphere, this compact Salvia produces swathes of rose pink blooms. It’s easy to grow and will look fantastic around the base of roses. Available in store at Rushmore Hill while stocks last.
Lavandula angustifolia ‘Rosea’
This pale pink, fragrant lavender is a perfect partner for your roses. It adds softness and looks fantastic along the front of a rose border.
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Rose Festival Competition – Terms and Conditions
Terms and Conditions
- This prize promotion is open to UK residents ages 18 or over, excluding employees and their immediate family members.
- The promotional period will end at 23.59 on 30th June 2020. Any entries made after this time will not be counted.
- Entry instructions are as detailed on the social media posts and other entry forms will not be accepted.
- The prize will be delivered to any winner who lives within our delivery area postcodes. Anyone who wins outside of this area will have to collect the prize themselves from our main site at Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre, Rushmore Hill, Knockholt, TN14 7NN.
- Only one entry per person unless stated otherwise. Additional entries will not be counted.
- The prize is fixed at the discretion of Coolings Nurseries Ltd and cannot be requested to change by the prize winner. There is no cash or alternative prizes, in whole or part. The prizes are not transferable and cannot be resold.
- The winner will be randomly selected using a computerised random generator from all the entries.
- The winner will be notified within 7 days and will have 7 days from notification to claim their prize. If a winner does not claim their prize within this timeframe, Coolings Nurseries Ltd reserves the right to withdraw prize entitlement and will award the prize to a reserve drawn at the same time as the original.
- It is the responsibility of the participant to provide correct delivery information upon claim of a prize. Coolings Nurseries Ltd will not take responsibility for incorrect information causing delivery to an incorrect address.
- Coolings Nurseries Ltd’s decision is final and binding. No correspondence will be entered into. Entry implies acceptance of these terms and conditions.
- We reserve the right to verify winners and ask for proof of identity, age and address and to withdraw prize entitlement where there are reasonable grounds to believe there has been a breach of these terms and conditions.
- You agree that if you are a winner, you will take part in and co-operate fully with reasonable publicity and to the use of your name, photograph and any comments in such publicity without any fee being payable.
- Coolings Nurseries Ltd reserves the right to eliminate or disqualify any entries which we regard as being in breach of our terms and conditions or the spirit of the competition.
- Any personal information that entrants share with us will be kept secure and only used in line with these terms and conditions unless the entrant has opted in to future marketing from us.
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Coolings Climbers
EVERGREEN CLIMBERS FOR SUNNY SPOTS
Trachelospermum jasminoides
An evergreen climber with glossy green leaves which bronze in winter. This climber produces fragrant white flowers in July and August, which will turn to cream. It likes a sunny, sheltered site and will grow well in most soils. Growing up to 3m in 10 years.
Available in-store
Clematis armandii group
Clematis armandii are an evergreen group of clematis with exotic looking foliage, which like sunshine and produce flowers in spring. We would recommend ‘Snowdrift’, a vigorous evergreen climber with mid-green, lance shaped leaves and masses of fragrant, pure white star-shaped flowers in spring. This particular variety is toxic to dogs.
Available in-store and online
Lonicera henryi Copper Beauty
Usually known by its common name of Honeysuckle. This evergreen climber has dark green leaves which are copper when young. It produces yellowy-orange flowers in June and July, followed by black berries. Grows in most soils and likes a sunny spot in the garden.
Available in-store and online
ROSES FOR A NORTH FACING WALL
Rosa ‘Albéric Barbier’ (AGM)
A magnificent variety, with good fragrance, ‘Alberic Barbier’ flowers with fully double, quartered, creamy white flowers, held in small clusters. It is shade tolerant and flowers in early Summer, potentially repeat flowering later in the season. The strong stems and can be trained up an arch. Height and span of 5m x 3m.
Available in-store and online
Hydrangea anomala sub. Petiolaris (AGM)
This spectacular climbing hydrangea is a large self-clinging climber, ideal for north facing walls. It produces pretty white lace cap flowers in the summer. It has deciduous foliage, with the broadly oval leaves turn yellow in Autumn. Height of up to 5m.
Available in-Store
Jasminum nudiflorum (AGM)
Commonly known as Winter Jasmine, this deciduous climber produces beautiful winter colour, with yellow flowers produced between November and February. With a height and span of 4m x 4m, Jasminium nudiflorum is good in shade and ideal for covering a fence or wall.
Buy: In store and online
CLIMBERS FOR GROWING THROUGH TREES
Clematis montana group
The Montana group are the most vigorous deciduous climbers, with masses of small flowers, which produce spectacular displays. They are strong growers which will happily scramble along many garden structures, including trees. We recommend Clematis montana ‘Fragrant Spring’, which has masses of single, clear pink, fragrant flowers in late spring.
Available in-store and online
Rosa Rambling Rector (AGM)
A vigorous rambler rose with arching stems and a powerful musky clove fragrance. Pretty clusters of semi-double creamy white flowers are produced in mid-summer, followed by red hips in the autumn. Ideal for growing through trees.
Available in-store and online
Clematis tangutica group
Celmatis Tanguitca are a group of primarily yellow clematis which have nodding flowers. This one is a vigorous perennial climber with bright green leaves. Cheerful yellow, lantern shaped flowers are produced in late summer, followed by large, fluffy white seed-heads through autumn and winter. It prefers moist but well drained, non-acidic soil in sun.
Available in-store and online
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Cool off with Coolings Cocktails!
1. Grenadine Margarita – from The Margarita Mum
- 45ml Tequila
- 15ml Cointreau
- 30ml lime juice
- Grenadine
Shake all ingredients together with some ice. Serve and garnish with fresh figs and thyme.
2. Mint Margarita – from Bocca Social
- Ice
- 50ml Tequila
- 25ml lime juice
- 20ml triple sec
- Salt
- Lime wedges
- Mint
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and then dip it in salt. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add the tequila, lime juice and triple sec. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels cold. Strain and garnish. Add two sprigs of mint for a twist on the classic !
3. French 75 Lavender Cocktail – from Jann Evrk
- 20ml Lapsang Souchong smoked tea gin
- 30ml Lavender cordial
- Champagne
- Lavender
Add the smoked tea gin to the lavender cordial and stir together. Top up with champagne and serve over ice. Garnish with lavender.
4. Strawberry Mint Smash – from Sarah Gualtieri
- 2 strawberries, chopped
- 3 mint leaves
- 60ml gin
- 30ml fresh lemon juice
- 15ml simple syrup
- 30ml club soda
Muddle strawberries and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker. Add gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and ice. Shake all ingredients in shaker and strain over ice. Top with club soda.
5. Rosemary Greyhound – from Moody Mixologist
- 45ml oz gin
- 15ml rosemary simple syrup
- 60ml fresh pink grapefruit juice
Fill a glass with ice. Add the gin, syrup, and grapefruit juice and stir gently. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
