Structural Planting

Topiary pieces have been used to add formal structure and interest in gardens across the world for thousands of years. Some of the earliest examples are noted in 23-79 AD, with topiary Cypress trees being particularly popular in ancient Rome. Buxus Sempervirens and Taxus Baccata has been the most common choice for topiary, used extensively at the historical Levens Hall Gardens in Kendal, but now other species are used such as Ilex Crenata, Lonicera and even deciduous options such as Carpinus and Fagus. At Ladybrook we can offer many shapes and sizes, from the ubiqitous balls & cubes, through to cones, spirals, multistem umbrellas, and large columns, beehives and domes.

Pleached trees are a time proven way to add shade and privacy to a garden They are a fantastic way to offer instant screening, and are available in a variety of stem heights and frame sizes. Ladybrook stock a variety of both evergreen & deciduous pleached trees including pleached Carpinus, pleached Fagus, pleached Prunus Lusitanica and pleached Camelias.

The introduction of a Bonsai to an outdoor space, particularly a large specimen can add a sense of space and timelessness. Pinus Sylvestrus, Ilex Crenata and Juniperus Blue Alps are all popular choices.

From the deep reds of and Acer Bloodgood through to the bright yellow stems of an Acer Bijou, Japanese Maples can add an explosion of colour and texture. Ladybrook stock both Acer Palmatum and the more feathery leaved Acer Dissectum varieties in many sizes up to 3 + metre.

Decorative & Textural Planting

Grasses, both evergreen and deciduous are a beautiful textural planting element in any scheme. Best planted in clumps or swathes to create the biggest visual impact, volume planted ornamental grasses with the wind running through them is a sight like no other. They can also be used to offer height contrast in a perennial garden. Ladybrook offers many varieties of large ornamental grasses including Stipa Tenuissima, Hakanachloe Macra, Pennisetum Hameln and Miscanthus Gracillimus amongst others.

Climbers such as Trachelospermum Jasminoides are an attractive addition to sensory gardens, and can be supplied in many forms including panels.

Our range of large perennials is extensive. From bee-friendly Salvias to colourful Erymurus and many herbaceous in between, our summer beds are a riot of colour. We focus all our energy on our 5L herbaceous collection as we believe in adding instant impact to a scheme. Drawing inspiration from our own growing experience, and the incredible selection of plants used by well renowned designers such as Dan Pearson and Tom Stuart-Smith, we curate our growing collection to include timeless choices, and plants of the moment.

Blechinum Spicant, Dryopteris Felix Mas, Polystichum Setiferum; there are so many great ferns to include in your scheme to provide both ground cover and texture. We grow both evergreen & deciduous ferns in 2 sizes; 5L & 15L.

Functional Planting

Conifers can be a low cost functional way to create instant boundary screening. Some of our developer clients install these at the beginning of a project sometimes even prior to planning to allow them to grow over the course of the scheme. We offer several varieties of large conifers, including Thuja Brabant, Thuja Smaragd and the ubiquitous Leylandii.

We also offer many options for more traditional planting schemes including time-treasured Rhododendrons, Camellias, Azaleas and other evergreen shrubs such as Pittosporum, Euonymus and Ealagnus in up to 70L pots. These are also useful in amenity planting scenarios, and can provide year round interest.

Both standard and multistem trees are a popular way to add maturity to a scheme. Multistems are popular, often with clipped bases to create a parasol shape. We offer many varieties of tree including Carpinus, Fagus, Betula Jacquemontii, Ligustrum Japonicum and Prunus Serrula.

We offer offer several hedging options throughout the year, including rootball stock throughout the winter and our own high grade container grown stock year round. Evergreen hedging options such as Prunus Lusitanica, Prunus Rotundifolia are popular as both individual plants and preformed hedging elements.