Greenshutters Garden Centre | Greenshutters Garden Centre Newsletter April 2025

Greenshutters Garden Centre Newsletter April 2025

Posted on April 2, 2025

March has been wonderful month with a welcome dose of sunshine and April is continuing the trend. It’s a real treat to be out in the garden to enjoy it.

The garden centre is looking at its best. The magnolia are in full bloom and the early flowering cherries are starting to blossom with more varieties due to flower later in the month.

We have a range of stunning summer pot and basket plants arriving – including Fuchsias, Geraniums, Verbena and Nemesia but be sure to cover them with fleece on chilly nights if you are putting them out this early.

Additionally, our selection of herbaceous perennials is steadily expanding. We now have a variety of these summer flowering plants, providing options for those looking to establish colour in their borders over the summer months.

All our lawns are starting to grow and if yours is like mine, it is in need of a little attention. Now is the perfect time to apply Westlands Aftercut All in One – Weed, Feed and Moss Killer to give the grass a boost and knock back the weeds and moss.

We’ve got new stock arriving daily, and the team is on hand to offer advice and answer your questions. So, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, pop in and see us. Let’s get those gardens blooming.

Roger and all the team at Greenshutters Garden Centre.

Aubrieta growing down a wall

Amelanchier

Amelanchier are the perfect small garden trees. They are easy to grow, they offer all-year round interest and are well-suited to many situations. They are known by many common names: Juneberries, Saskatoon, Snowy Mespilus and Serviceberries. Most are compact in habit and so will not become large and overbearing. They are excellent for wildlife, and they barely require any maintenance. They really have it all.

Amelanchier lamarckii

In April, when an Amelanchier tree is in full flower, the masses of delicate, starry white flowers look dazzling on the bare stems, and make the tree look like it’s covered in snow. This fabulous display also offers a rich source of nectar for wildlife, and so are a magnet for beneficial insects and pollinators. The flowers are followed, later in summer, by masses of little purplish-red berries that will attract birds.

When at full blossom the young copper-green leaves begin to emerge. The foliage then matures to mid-green during summer before finally blazing into fiery orange red in autumn.

Amelanchiers perform best in full sun or part shade. The sunnier the location the more flowers and berries they produce. When looking for the best spot for your Amelanchier, maybe consider positioning it against a dark backdrop, like an evergreen hedge, which will make the white blossoms stand out even more.

Amelanchier lamarckii flowers

Amelanchier lamarckii can be grown as a multi-stem tree or single stem tree. A multi-stem tree, as its name suggests, has a number of stems from the base and is more like a large shrub-like tree. They have a naturally wild look to them, and when they blossom the neat flowers contrast beautifully with the twiggy mass. Single stem trees usually have a single, straight stem up to approximately 1.2m tall with branches above the stem.

Amelanchier ‘Obelisk’ has a very different habit. It grows upright and narrow and so appears as a fluffy white column when in full flower. ‘Glenform Rainbow Pillar’ has a similar neat appearance. Both are excellent for small gardens.

Amelanchier ‘Robin Hill’ and ‘R J Hilton’ are unusual in that the flowers emerge pink before turning white, whereas Amelanchier ‘Autumn Brilliance’ is selected for it fiery autumn leaf colour.

Amelanchier can be used as specimen trees, in mixed borders, or even as hedging. A great addition to any garden.