Millais Nurseries
Choice Plants
Throughout the year, we stock an extensive and diverse range of choice plants that complement rhododendrons beautifully. Our aim is to maintain a collection that is not only interesting but also unique to us.
Our collection includes a variety of shrubs and trees. We carefully select each plant for its ability to thrive in similar growing conditions, providing a harmonious and eye-catching display.
Calycanthus Aphrodite
12 litre plant shown in second photo
(H5) Deep red fragrant flowers tipped with cream, are borne from late spring and into summer. Glossy leaves, turn yellow with good autumn colour. A multi-stemmed shrub with upright arching branches. Height 150-175cm in 10 years. Best in sheltered sun or shade.
Aphrodite' is a multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with Magnolia like flowers up to 10cm in diameter.
Calycanthus...
Calycanthus Hartlage Wine AGM
(H5) Wine red flowers with cream in the centre, resembling a magnolia flower. Scented and long flowering through summer A multi-stemmed shrub with upright to arching branches. Height 200-400cm in 10 years. Best in sheltered sun/shade.
Calycanthus are deciduous shrubs with simple, aromatic leaves and solitary, fragrant flowers in summer
'Hartlage Wine' is a multi-stemmed shrub with upright to arching...
Calycanthus Venus
(H5) Large scented creamy-white Magnolia type flowers with yellow and purple central markings from late Spring to early summer. Deciduous multi-stemmed shrub with glossy green leaves that turn yellow-brown in autumn. Height 200-400cm in 10 years.
Calycanthus are deciduous shrubs with simple, aromatic leaves and solitary, fragrant flowers in summer.
Also known as × Sinocalycalycanthus 'Venus'
Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice' AGM
white alder 'Ruby spice'
(H5) Numerous short spikes of rich pink, sweetly clove-scented flowers, (which unlike some cultivars notably retain their colour without fading), appearing in late summer and early autumn. A robust shrub, reaching up to 1.5 meters in height in approx. 10 years, characterised by its glossy dark green foliage that transitions to yellow in autumn. Prefers a sheltered position...
Cornus alba Nightfall
(H6) Cornus alba 'Nightfall' offers dark green spring leaves that turn rich purple by autumn. Its velvety grey leaf undersides contrast with darker foliage, and red winter branches add visual interest year-round. This hardy, low-maintenance deciduous shrub is not only beautiful but also practical. It is hardy and more upright than others in its collection. It works well as a hedge, screen, or background...
Cornus florida
(H5) Small tree or elegant shrub. Spectacular white bracts on erect stalks cover the spreading branches in the summer. These are followed by strawberry like edible fruit in the autumn. The leaves have beautiful artistic autumn colours of bronze and crimson. Height 200-400cm in 10 years. Requires moist well drained acid soil.
Cornus kousa 'Big Apple'
Large white flowering bracts in June, followed by extremely large red edible fruits in the autumn. Dark green leathery and heavily textured leaves on a large spreading tree. Height 2-4m in 10 years. Best in full sun or partial shade.
Cornus kousa Milky Way
The 12 litre plants sit at approximaltey 160-175cm not including the pot. They will come via Parcel Force on a 48 hour delivery due to their height or they can be collected directly from the nursery.
(H5) Large star shaped creamy white flowers in early June, followed by raspberry like fruits which will attract birds. Dark green leaves with a blue-green underside and a purple-red autum colour. Height...
Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'
(H5) A choice 'dogwood', forming a large spreading shrub. Orange-red & yellow young shoots with white flowers in the Summer. Bright coloured stems in the Winter. Height 200-400cm in 10 years. Moist acid or neutral soils.
Drimys winteri var. chilensis
(H4) A large evergreen shrub or tree with long, leathery dark green leaves and silvery undersides. The aromatic bark and leaves enhance its appeal. From spring to early summer, it produces fragrant, creamy white flowers about 2.5 cm across. Ultimate height: Higher than 12 meters, Ultimate Spread: Wider than 8 meters. Time to ultimate height 20-50 years. Prefers a sheltered position (avoid north-facing)...
Eucryphia intermedia Rostrevor AGM
(H4) An abundance of white cup shaped fragrant flowers in late summer early autumn. A compact but fast growing evergreen tree with broad upright habit. Needs a warm and sheltered position, Prefers shaded roots with the canopy in full sun. Height 2-4m in 10 years. Plant in moist acid or neutral soils.
Kalmia latifolia 'Kaleidoscope'
Red buds opening to pink, red octagonal flowers with a cinnamon-red Band opening in late May early June. This plant has new reddish shoots which turn a lustrous green colour. This kalmia has a dense upright habit and grows to be approximately 125-150cm in 10 years.
Kalmias are a medium sized evergreen shrub from south-eastern USA and Asian mountains where they typically grow under the canopy of tall...
Kalmia latifolia 'Olympic Fire'
Rich red buds opening to soft pink almost white octagonal flowers in late May early June. This variety has a slightly more upright habit than some. The new foliage is a glossy green with a slight wave to the edge of the leaves.
Kalmias are a medium sized evergreen shrub from south-eastern USA and Asian mountains where they typically grow under the canopy of tall trees. They are an under used shrub...
Liquidamber styraciflua Thea
A Dutch selection of 'Sweet Gum' with shining green leaves with long central lobes in summer, followed by very deep autumn foliage. Forms a beautiful large tree, which looks good all year. Height 2-4 metres in 10 years. Best on acid or neutral soils.
Paeonia ludlowii (Ludlow's tree peony)
Common Names:Ludlow's tree peonyTibetan peony
(H6) Bright golden-yellow, cupped, flowers in late spring , reaching up to 12 cm in width, coinciding with the emergence of the leaves. This plant is an open, upright, medium-sized deciduous shrub featuring large, divided leaves. 150-200cm in 10 years. Prefers a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil.
Toona sinensis 'Flamingo'
Wonderful foliage tree with brilliant pink large pinnate young leaves turning cream, and then to green. Fragrant white flowers in drooping panicles in late summer. Height 4-6 metres in 10 years. Best in a sheltered spot.
Please note these can be difficult to establish/root and are a tree, so not suitable for pots.
Often looks best when grown as a multi-stemmed tree, such as the specimen on Battleston...