| Here at Cowell's quality of plants is our number one priority and this prime objective has enabled us to build a fine reputation from both customers and suppliers alike."
Whatever aspect of gardening you're interested in, you're certain to find it here at Cowell's. Our indoor and outdoor plant collection includes varieties from all over the world. Whether it's for the rockery, to climb over a trellis, or even for the pond, Cowell's have plants to suit every garden or patio. Give your home the tropical touch with an Orchid, cactus or lemon tree, or add style to your back yard with a beautiful Topiary or specimen plant. |
 | "Cowell's Garden Centre guarantee the free replacement or credit of any container-grown hardy plant which dies, providing it has received good care, bears the garden centre label and is presented for examination, with proof of purchase, within two years." We of course cannot be held accountable for plants that die due to unseasonal weather conditions. |
 Martin Cowell Plantarea Manager Shrubs, Bamboo's & Grasses Specialist |
"I have gained a National Diploma In Garden Centre Sales and Organisation / Horticulture and have worked within the family business all my life. I am always available to listen to any of your problems or comments regarding the services we provide here at Cowell's Garden Centre." Alternatively, you can email me at martin@cowellsgc.co.uk | |
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 Dylan Assistant Plantarea Manager Hardy Perennial Specialist. | "I have City & Guilds Level I, II & III in Horticulture and over 16 years experience working within a garden centre. I would be delighted to help you with any of your plant or gardening queries." Alternatively, you can email me at dylan@cowellsgc.co.uk | |
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 Sandra Houseplant Manager Bedding, House & Conservatory Plants | "Please feel free to speak to me if you have any queries, with regards to Bedding, House or Conservatory Plants" Alternatively, you can email me at sandra@cowellsgc.co.uk | |
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At Cowell's we hold a vast array of popular and unusual varieties of shrubs, which are all relatively easy to grow. Many types of shrubs can provide ideal screening for walls & fences and some varieties can bring colour into the garden all year round. We also stock and can recommend varieties which will thrive in not only sunny but shady positions not to mention the type of garden as well as the soil types they require.
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Within our tree department we stock a vast selection of trees from fruit bearing to specimen, in-fact everything a well-landscaped garden would compliment, not to mention numerous attractively compact trees ideally suited to smaller gardens.
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There are many handsome varieties of Acer. Some are large, specimen trees; others are smaller and suitable for the less well-proportioned garden, or even containers. Acers are notable for their shape, form and autumn colour. They can boast colours ranging from the popular Acer Palmatum Atropurpureum, with its purple foliage, and the yellow-leaved Sangu Kaku, to the multi-coloured Acer Saccharum 'grandidentatum', whose leaves turn red, orange and yellow in early autumn. Acer Negundo has variegated leaves that are green and white with a tinge of pink. Other Acers have attractive bark or fruit, for example, Acer Griseum (The Paper Bark Maple) has, as its name suggests, beautiful peeling bark in cinnamon brown, revealing orange beneath. Most Acers are fully hardy, with a few that require winter protection. Soil can be either neutral or ericaceous, in full sun, or partial shade. Windy sites should be avoided for the most part. When choosing a tree, consider its position, eventual height, and surrounding colours. Ideal sites include raised borders, pond edges, rockeries and borders of ornamental grasses, not forgetting of course Japanese themes. |
| The family name of conifer includes plants from all the corners of the globe, ranging from frozen wasteland to tropical rainforest. Coniferous plants are amongst the oldest living groups of plant on the planet, and can fill a vast array of sites from ground cover, from a gorgeous selection of Junipers (with a scent reminiscent of gin!), to hedging, Leyland's Cypress being particularly popular, to specimens in their own right, such as the Nootka Cypress (Chamaecyparis Nootkatensis 'Pendula'). Forms take in prostrate, columnular, and contorted shapes. Many are suitable for topiary, and still others have a naturally topiaric form, from Juniperus Chinensis, with its conical shape, to Cham. Lawsoniana Minima Glauca, which forms a natural orb.
The longest lived of all life, Taxus, or Yew is another popular and well-known conifer; a plant that really can live forever! Cryptomeria Cristata is a beautifully contorted dwarf Japanese cedar, whose foliage takes on a lovely bronze in hard winters. |
| Tiny alpine plants, mostly native to high altitudes, require very little room to grow.
A small alpine trough can be fitted into virtually any garden or yard (of course, an alpine does not need to be restricted to a trough, and could be incorporated into a much larger scheme, or entire garden, depending on how much of an enthusiast you may be).
A sunny airy site is preferred, and most alpines can resist winds. At Cowell's, we carry an extensive range of alpines, along with troughs (some lightweight), grit, gravel and compost ideal for the novice or expert alike. Planters can be made to order. |
| There is no better way to achieve height in a garden than with climbers, and no easier way to disguise sheds or fences. Climbers can be bought at anytime of year and provide dense, colourful foliage, flowers and fruit. Most climbers use tendrils, curling leaf stalks, or aerial roots to cling, but many other plants can be trained to climb a wall by tying in, for example: Roses, Cotoneaster, Berberis and Pyracantha. Climbers for acid soils include Wisteria and Ivy, for sandy soil, choose a rampant Honeysuckle such as Lonicera Japonica, or Jasminum Officinale. Clematis are particularly suited to chalky, alkaline soils, and come in a staggering range of form and colour. For vigour choose C. Alpina or Montana, for giant blooms, Dr. Ruppel or Barbara Jackman. In the vegetable garden, beans and peas can be trained up frames or wig-wams, and also cucumbers or melons (although you may find this difficult in the North East). Fruit trees may also be trained against a wall, fence or frame, in fan, espalier or cordon form. |
| Herbs are one of the oldest cultivated types of plant, with many reaching our shores during Roman times. They range in use from ornamental and culinary to medicinal and beyond, including Nepeta, or catmint (which cats really can't leave alone). Being largely Mediterranean in origin, most prefer well-drained soil in full sun. In form they can vary from shrub (Bay), to short lived annuals (basil), and can often be planted in the border, especially if they have attractive flowers (Lavender). Smaller growing herbs look fantastic when planted in a hanging basket or trough. Particularly suitable herbs would be Thyme and Oregano, or any low-growing plant. |
| Camellias are elegant shrubs and small trees requiring humus rich, acidic soil.
They grow best in sheltered conditions, such as a woodland garden.
The flowers are single, paired or borne in trusses. Some are delicately fragrant.
Size ranges from miniature (6cm) to very large (13cm across). They make excellent specimen plants, in pots or the border, although not all are frost hardy. Popular for their bold foliage and abundance of showy white, pink, red or yellow flowers, they are suitable for cutting or exhibition. Frost hardy Camellia include Black Lace (double black-red flowers), Dream girl (semi-double salmon pink), and Cornish Snow (miniature white flowers). With their thick, waxy leaves, Camellias add an exotic touch to any sheltered garden. |
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Roses are widely admired for the beauty of their blooms; the tempting choice of colour is endless and opens the door for limitless imagination. The blended colours begin with cool tones of pastel and delicate shades of blush, passing through a wonderful range flushed and growing with tints and finished with a lively selection of strong, hot colours.
Hybrids Tea's are perhaps the most popular of all. They have a long flowering period from early summer until the first frosts of autumn. Amongst our personal favourites are 'Alpine Sunset' which forms a neat and compact bush of creamy-yellow blushed with pink. The flowers are very large and the fragrance is outstanding. Others include 'Silver Anniversary' for which the flowers are both pure white and fragrant. 'Warm Wishes' is another rose we would recommend a prolific flowering rose, coral pink in colour, it has large blooms that stand up well to wind and rain and it is also highly scented.
Floribundas produce whole sprays of blooms per stem; many with blooms comparable in size to hybrid tea's. Floribundas are also a dramatic sight in flower with some varieties flowering almost continuously. It's difficult to better a good floribunda in any situation requiring a mass of roses in-groups.
Climbing roses make an enormous contribution to the character of any garden with a scent of perfume released from top to bottom. One climbing rose worth mentioning is 'Penny Lane' which is the only climbing rose to be given the coveted Rose of The Year Award. Blooms of charm and beauty, enjoyably scented in warm weather and honey-champagne flowers blush to pearly white in late season.
Patio and ground cover roses are popular for tubs and containers and with regular feeding and de-heading will flourish throughout the summer. A one to watch out for is another edition to the flower carpet family, the new 'Flower Carpet Twilight', soft pink in colour that flowers continuously. It has superb disease resistance. It can either be grown in containers, hanging baskets, or in a mass planting scheme.
No other woody plants can match shrub roses for summer colour fragrance, these roses make imposing bushes repeatedly cover themselves in large, fragrant blooms. Planting a shrub rose is sure to add a touch of magic to your garden. Another popular rose named after the popular much-loved gardener is Rosa 'Geoff Hamilton', which has large double soft pick blooms coupled with a strong perfume and good disease resistance makes it a rose for any garden enthusiast.
We have a huge range of roses at Cowell's, and we could not of course name or talk about them all, but we've mentioned some of our favourites. If there is a rose you want, we are sure we'll have it stock, but if not we will obviously do our utmost to meet your requirements.
Click here for the Rose of the Year 2003 - 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
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Bamboos are members of the grass family (Graminae) and occur naturally in Asia and both South and North America. They have been grown and used in the Far East for centuries, becoming an important part of those countries' economy.
Sadly, they have been neglected as a garden plant in the western world possibly because of the many myths which surround them; they are not hardy, they are invasive, they are boring. All of these Cowell's can prove to be untrue. Whilst most are tall growing thicket forming plants ideal for screening, windbreaks and softening the head corners of buildings, others are low growing, very useful for the front of the border or for adding a touch of eastern promise. Planting: The growth of bamboos is governed by the quality of its root system. In the early years the stems are short, but as the rootstock increases in strength it produces larger culms. The shorter culms produced in the early years will remain but can be removed during pruning in late winter before new shoots appear. To give their best, bamboos are best planted in good well drained soil, to which a little well rotted manure or compost has been added to retain moisture. Fertiliser should be applied during the spring. Do not feed after June to allow the culms to harden up in readiness for the winter.
Postion: Bamboos are hardy evergreens, and will withstand quite severe weather conditions. In common with most of the other plants that retain their leaves through the winter months they are best protected from cold winds, which dry out the leaves giving the plant a tired and scraggy look. If this occurs do not worry as the plant will soon recover during the following season. After Care: Once planted keep weeds away from the base for the first few years and remove any weak or dead material by cutting to the ground in the early spring. The removal of any lower branches will allow extra light to reach the base and encourage early shooting and straight elegant culms. Bamboos are not affected by any major pest or disease which is another reason why you should try growing these fascinating, ancient plants in your garden.
Choice Bamboo's
DWARF BAMBOOS: NEVER REACHING MORE THAN 1.5M (3FT)
SMALL-SIZED BAMBOOS: RANGING FROM 1.5 TO 3M (10FT)
GIANT BAMBOOS: 9M HIGH AND ABOVE
COLLECTORS' BAMBOOS: FOR THE BAMBOO CONNOISSEUR
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The code of practice for poisonous and irritant plants has been introduced to inform gardeners of the hazards associated with a small number of the plants available in Garden Centres.
Some of the plants can pose a significant health risk, such as Laburnums and Foxgloves. All however only cause a problem when parts of the plant are eaten, if there is excessive handling, or the gardener is particularly allergic. Most of the hazardous plants in this country are found in our hedgerows, not in our back gardens. However we are not about to start destroying hedgerows because of this. Follow these simple precautions and there will be no need for concern when handling poisonous plants.
Plants marked with (P) are likely to cause serious harm if eaten. For those plants that are not marked with (P), an appreciable amount must be consumed before any serious poisoning takes place.
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Shade can be cast by buildings or dividing partitions, such as walls or fences, or by trees and shrubs, which usually means additional growth restrictions such as dry soil around tree roots and lack of air movement caused by overhanging branches. To grow healthy plants in shady areas, it is important to identify the degree of shade that a plant needs or will tolerate. Few shrubs will thrive where shade is very dense, particularly when coupled with a dry soil. The adding of organic matter and a general fertiliser will provide more suitable conditions for plants to grow. Definitions:
E = Evergreen
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Herbaceous perennials are broadly divided into three types - half-hardy garden perennials, hardy perennials, and half-hardy exotic perennials.
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Within our 'Plants for the home' department we stock everything from the common foliage and flowering houseplants to the more exotic cacti, orchids and citrus, in-fact a plant for every taste and room whether it be the Kitchen, Conservatory or dining room. With every plant purchased we provide helpful knowledgeable assistance in selection and a care leaflet to help you nurture your chosen plant and keep it looking as good as the day you purchased it.
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