Top Designers' Favorite Plant Sources Revealed: Explore the Influential Display Garden and Nursery Adored by Britain's Leading Urban Landscapers
In the heart of Wiltshire, a county renowned for its picturesque rural landscapes, lies Arvensis Perennials - a thriving nursery specialising in naturalistic perennial plants. This nursery, which is about to celebrate its tenth anniversary next year, has made a significant mark in the world of gardening, focusing on wildlife-friendly, sustainable planting schemes typical of natural or meadow-style gardens.
The four-and-a-half-acre site north of Bradford-on-Avon, where Arvensis Perennials operates, was transformed by Gussy and Rob Macdougall. They took over the nursery from Tom Mitchell, the former owner of Evolution Plants, in October 2015.
At Arvensis Perennials, the garden primarily features sun-loving plants, with the "Med bed" being a notable exception. This bed showcases a diverse array of species and cultivars, including various Stipa species, Asphodeline, papery Catananche, pale-yellow Oenothera stricta 'Sulphurea', and many other drought-tolerant perennials.
The nursery is maintained by Duncan Armstrong, who spends two to three days a week tending to the plants. They are always on the lookout for innovative cultivars, such as Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' and Verbena x baileyana 'Purple Haze'.
The new display beds at Arvensis Perennials showcase the diversity of their plant assortment, offering a palette of naturalistic plants, with a focus on grasses, suitable for the "meadowy aesthetic" of contemporary designers.
Good plant health and hygiene are prioritised at Arvensis Perennials, as the first and most effective control against pests and disease. The groundcover fabric in the tunnels is cleaned and sterilised every time plants are moved.
Arvensis Perennials is committed to sustainability, using a peat-free potting mix and exclusively recyclable, taupe pots. This helps to lighten the environmental burden of large planting projects.
Gussy and Rob Macdougall, the owners of Arvensis Perennials, have also created decorative bowls for sale as ready-made planters. They propagate a growing amount of plants themselves, buying in bare-root plants or rooted cuttings.
Arvensis Perennials offers only small pot sizes (9cm or 2L), which helps to keep prices low and plants moving. The nursery operates on a model similar to Orchard Dene Nurseries, working closely with designers and bridging the gap between wholesale and specialist nurseries.
For precise information about Arvensis Perennials’ history (founding date, founder, development) and their unique nursery features (plant selection, cultivation methods, ecological approach), we recommend visiting their official website or contacting them directly. If you need assistance in drafting questions or guidance on what to look for in a naturalistic nursery’s history and features, we're here to help!
- The Arvensis Perennials nursery, located in Wiltshire, has made significant strides in the gardening world, focusing on sustainable planting schemes that encourage wildlife and are typical of natural or meadow-style gardens.
- The nursery's plant selection is diverse, featuring sun-loving plants as well as species suitable for the "meadowy aesthetic" popular in contemporary design, such as Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' and Verbena x baileyana 'Purple Haze'.
- Sustainability is a key priority at Arvensis Perennials, with the nursery using a peat-free potting mix and recyclable, taupe pots to minimize its environmental impact.
- Arvensis Perennials operates on a model similar to Orchard Dene Nurseries, working closely with designers and bridging the gap between wholesale and specialist nurseries, offering only small pot sizes to keep prices low and plants moving.
