A guide to what’s on and which plants to look out for as the year progresses. This list will be updated with new events and shows as dates are published. If you would like an event added, please email us at
| Season | Plant | Type | Shows/events |
| Winter (Dec – Feb) | Acer palmatum (winter bark colour) | Tree |
RHS Plant and Design show, London, 14-15 Feb 2012
Tropical Extravaganza, Kew Gardens, 5 Feb – 6 March (Festival of Tropical Flowers) Chelsea Physic Garden snowdrop days, 4-12 Feb 2012
|
| Chimonanthus praecox | Shrub | ||
| Clematis cirrhosa | Climber | ||
| Cornus alba (winter stem colour) | Shrub | ||
| Cornus mas | Shrub | ||
| Cyclamen coum | Perennial | ||
| Daphne mezereum, D. odora | Shrub | ||
| Galanthus | Bulb | ||
| Hamamelis | Shrub | ||
| Helleborus | Perennial | ||
| Jasminum nudiflorum | Climber | ||
| Mahonia | Shrub | ||
| Ribes laurifolium | Shrub | ||
| Sarcococca | Shrub | ||
| Skimmia | Shrub | ||
| Viburnum bodnantense, V, farreri, V.tinus | Shrub | ||
| Early spring (March – mid-April) | Anemone blanda, A. nemorosa | Bulb |
RHS Orchid and Botanical Art Show, London, 16-17 March
Great London Plant Fair, 10-11 April 2012 RHS Show Cardiff, 20-22 April 2012 |
| Bergenia | Perennial | ||
| Brunnera | Perennial | ||
| Camellia | Shrub | ||
| Chaenomeles | Wall shrub/climber | ||
| Chionodoxa | Bulb | ||
| Clematis | Climber | ||
| Crocus | Bulb | ||
| Daphne | Shrub | ||
| Erica | Shrub | ||
| Erysimum | Perennial | ||
| Euphorbia | Perennial | ||
| Forsythia | Shrub | ||
| Helleborus | Perennial | ||
| Hyacinthus | Bulb | ||
| Iris reticulata | Bulb | ||
| Leucojum | Bulb | ||
| Magnolia | Tree | ||
| Muscari | Bulb | ||
| Narcissus | Bulb | ||
| Photinia | Shrub | ||
| Primula | Perennial | ||
| Prunus | Tree | ||
| Pulmonaria | Perennial | ||
| Rhododendron | Shrub | ||
| Ribes sanguinuem | Shrub | ||
| Scilla | Bulb | ||
| Tulipa | Bulb | ||
| Late spring (Mid-April – May) | Acer | Tree |
RHS Malvern Spring Gardening Show, 10-13 May 2012 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, 22 -26 May 2012 |
| Allium | Bulb | ||
| Aquilegia | Perennial | ||
| Berberis | Shrub | ||
| Camassia | Bulb | ||
| Cassiope | Shrub | ||
| Choisya | Shrub | ||
| Convallaria | Perennial | ||
| Crataegus | Tree | ||
| Cytisus | Shrub | ||
| Dicentra spectabilis | Perennial | ||
| Epimedium | Perennial | ||
| Erica | Shrub | ||
| Erythronium | Perennial | ||
| Euphorbia | Perennial | ||
| Fritillaria | Bulb | ||
| Geranium | Perennial | ||
| Hyacinthoides non-scripta | Bulb | ||
| Iris | Bulb | ||
| Kerria japonica | Shrub | ||
| Laburnum | Climber | ||
| Lunaria annua | Biennial | ||
| Magnolia | Tree | ||
| Malus | Tree | ||
| Narcissus | Bulb | ||
| Osmanthus | Tree | ||
| Paeonia | Perennial | ||
| Primula | Perennial | ||
| Prunus | Tree | ||
| Pyrus | Tree | ||
| Rhododendron | Shrub | ||
| Rosmarinus | Shrub | ||
| Syringa | Shrub | ||
| Trillium | Perennial | ||
| Wisteria | Climber | ||
| Early summer (June – mid-July) | Acanthus | Perennial |
BBC Gardeners’ World Live, Birmingham 13-17 June 2012
RHS Hampton Court Show, 3-8 July 2012 |
| Achillea | Perennial | ||
| Alchemilla | Perennial | ||
| Allium | Bulb | ||
| Anthemis | Perennial | ||
| Astilbe | Perennial | ||
| Astrantia | Perennial | ||
| Buddleja | Shrub | ||
| Campanula | Perennial | ||
| Ceanothus | Shrub | ||
| Centaurea | Annual | ||
| Centranthus | Perennial | ||
| Cistus | Shrub | ||
| Clematis | Climber | ||
| Coreopsis | Perennial | ||
| Cosmos | Perennial | ||
| Crambe cordifolia | Perennial | ||
| Delphinium | Perennial | ||
| Deutzia | Shrub | ||
| Dianthus | Perennial | ||
| Digitalis | Perennial | ||
| Echinops | Perennial | ||
| Eremurus | Perennial | ||
| Eryngium | Perennial | ||
| Escallonia | Shrub | ||
| Gaillardia | Perennial | ||
| Geranium | Perennial | ||
| Gladiolus | Perennial | ||
| Hebe | Shrub | ||
| Helianthemum | Perennial | ||
| Hemerocallis | Perennial | ||
| Heuchera | Perennial | ||
| Hosta | Perennial | ||
| Impatiens | Perennial | ||
| Iris | Bulb | ||
| Jasminum officinalis | Climber | ||
| Kniphofia | Perennial | ||
| Lavatera | Shrub | ||
| Leptospermum | Perennial | ||
| Leucanthemum | Perennial | ||
| Leucojum | Bulb | ||
| Lilium | Bulb | ||
| Liriodendron tulipifera | Shrub | ||
| Lonicera | Climber | ||
| Matthiola | Annual | ||
| Monarda | Perennial | ||
| Osteospermum | Perennial | ||
| Papaver orientale | Perennial | ||
| Persicaria | Perennial | ||
| Petunia | Annual | ||
| Philadelphus | Shrub | ||
| Potentilla | Shrub | ||
| Pyracantha | Shrub | ||
| Rodgersia | Perennial | ||
| Rosa | Shrub | ||
| Salvia | Perennial | ||
| Sisyrinchium | Perennial | ||
| Verbascum | Perennial | ||
| Late summer (Mid-July – Aug) | Abelia grandiflora | Shrub | RHS Flower Show, Tatton Park, 18-22 July 2012 |
| Aconitum | Perennial | ||
| Agapanthus | Perennial | ||
| Alcea rosea | Perennial | ||
| Anemone hupehensis | Perennial | ||
| Anemone x hybrida | Perennial | ||
| Antirrhinum | Perennial | ||
| Aster | Perennial | ||
| Begonia | Perennial | ||
| Calendula | Perennial | ||
| Calluna | Shrub | ||
| Campanula | Perennial | ||
| Canna | Perennial | ||
| Catananche | Annual | ||
| Ceanothus | Shrub | ||
| Chrysanthemum | Perennial | ||
| Clematis | Climber | ||
| Cosmos | Annual | ||
| Crocosmia | Perennial | ||
| Dahlia | Perennial | ||
| Deschampsia | Perennial | ||
| Diascia | Perennial | ||
| Echinacea | Perennial | ||
| Epilobium | Perennial | ||
| Erica | Shrub | ||
| Eupatorium | Perennial | ||
| Fuchsia | Shrub | ||
| Gaura | Perennial | ||
| Hebe | Shrub | ||
| Helenium | Perennial | ||
| Helianthus | Perennial | ||
| Helichrysum | Shrub | ||
| Hibiscus | Shrub | ||
| Hydrangea | Shrub | ||
| Hypericum | Shrub | ||
| Kniphofia | Perennial | ||
| Lathyrus odoratus | Annual | ||
| Lavandula | Shrub | ||
| Ligularia | Perennial | ||
| Lilium | Perennial | ||
| Lobelia | Perennial | ||
| Lychnis coronaria | Perennial | ||
| Macleaya microcarpa | Perennial | ||
| Magnolia grandiflora | Tree | ||
| Nepeta | Perennial | ||
| Nicotiana | Perennial | ||
| Origanum | Perennial | ||
| Osteospermum | Perennial | ||
| Pelargonium | Perennial | ||
| Pennisetum | Perennial | ||
| Penstemon | Perennial | ||
| Perovskia | Perennial | ||
| Phygelius | Shrub | ||
| Rudbeckia | Perennial | ||
| Salvia | Perennial | ||
| Schizostylus | Perennial | ||
| Sedum | Perennial | ||
| Solidago | Perennial | ||
| Spiraea japonica | Shrub | ||
| Stachys officinalis | Perennial | ||
| Thalictrum | Perennial | ||
| Tradescantia | Perennial | ||
| Tulbaghia | Bulb | ||
| Verbena bonariensis | Perennial | ||
| Viola | Perennial | ||
| Yucca | Perennial | ||
| Zinnia | Perennial | ||
| Autumn (Sept- Nov) | Acer (autumn leaf colour) | Tree | Malvern Autumn Show, 29-30 Sept 2012 |
| Amaryllis | Perennial | ||
| Amelanchier (leaf colour) | Tree | ||
| Arbutus | Tree | ||
| Aster | Perennial | ||
| Berberis (leaf colour) | Shrub | ||
| Ceratostigma | Shrub | ||
| Clerodendron | Shrub | ||
| Colchicum | Bulb | ||
| Cortaderia | Perennial | ||
| Cotinus (leaf colour) | Shrub | ||
| Cyclamen hederifolium | Perennial | ||
| Hebe | Shrub | ||
| Imperata cylindrical | Perennial | ||
| Liriope muscari | Perennial | ||
| Miscanthus | Perennial | ||
| Nerine | Bulb | ||
| Nyssa sylvatica (leaf colour) | Tree | ||
| Pennisetum | Perennial | ||
| Prunus (leaf colour) | Tree | ||
| Schizostylus | Bulb | ||
| Sedum | Perennial | ||
| Sorbus (berries+ leaf colour) | Tree | ||
| Stipa | Perennial |