Dark-eyed mauve dahlia-like flowers arise from clumps of prickly thistle leaves. An intriguing introduction from high in the South African mountains. This newcomer demands a hot sunny spot to give of its best. We have included seed from a few pure white-flowered seedlings. ... Learn More

From a yucca-like, but softer leaved rosette of sword-like leaves, arise huge arching spikes of red and green flowers, much resembling a dragon's head. One of the world's most magnificent hardy plants, very long-lived in a well-drained sheltered spot. Very few good seeds are ever collected. ... Learn More

This attractive, medium-sized tree of low to medium elevations in the Mountains and adjacent areas in the Piedmont of North Carolina, can sometimes be misidentified as a Cherry tree. In some older tree specimens the bark can develop vertical cracks into irregular scaly plates revealing rough darkish brown bark patterns (unlike most birches). This, however, does not occur in all specimens. The twigs, when scraped, have a strong scent of oil of wintergreen. The trees can also be tapped for syrup in a similar fashion to maples. ... Learn More

A striking new double form with a compact, lax habit, and an exceptionally long flowering period. The golden, daisy-like, double blooms smother the ferny foliage from early summer onwards. Brighten up your hanging baskets and containers, or let their trailing stems spread through gravel gardens and the front of borders. Likes a sunny position. ... Learn More

In early summer dense sprays of bright yellow trumpet flowers erupt from amidst bright green glossy leaves on a slowly spreading woody vine. Bizarre cat's-claw-like tentacles are used by the plant to fix itself to almost any vertical surface. ... Learn More

A choice Tasmanian climber grown outside for twenty years here. Thin twining stems produce creamy-yellow purple-tipped waxy flowers in spring. In autumn, outstandingly lovely clusters of deepest violet grape-sized berries appear. ... Learn More

A serious contender for the world's most attractive palm, the impressive blue-silver fan-shaped leaves can reach up to 2m in width and are divided into 20 segments each. When mature it produces strong, star-shaped stems carrying just a small number of enormous seeds. A staggeringly attractive plant, when I first encountered one in the Canary Islands I simply stood in awe for two or three minutes. A monotypic palm (ie the only one of its genus) it was named for the first chancellor of the German Empire, Prince Otto von Bismarck. The plant is as statuesque and impressive as the man was himself, ... Learn More

This lovely tropical and sub-tropical shrub or bushy tree has glossy, ovate, evergreen leaves on twigs which are covered with rust-coloured scales when young and are bare when older. Sprays of attractive pink and white flowers open, producing striking, bright red, two-valved fruits, covered with dense soft bristles. When ripe, they split open revealing masses of small, inedible, fleshy seeds, covered with red-orange pulp. The inedible fruit is harvested for its seeds which produce the reddish orange dye annatto, which is one of the most important food grade natural colourants widely used in t ... Learn More

This relatively easy-to-grow, deciduous orchid produces broad, pleated, aspidistra-like leaves. In late spring, arching stems of superb pink orchid flowers appear, with the very occasional white form appearing. Once established, this plant is a valuable garden treasure as it is quite hardy, but it may be grown in a pot to overwinter inside where winters are extremely cold. It prefers a cool, organic soil if possible in a shaded or woodland situation where the rhizomes can slowly spread over the years. Fresh seeds are collected from our gardens each year. ... Learn More

Drifts of fragrant, nodding "Common Blue Bells" are one of the most enduring sights of spring in English woods. These seeds were collected from the wild plants on Devon banks surrounding our gardens. These are Scilla non-scripta seeds. ... Learn More

From China and Korea comes this giant feature plant, which makes a clump of tall stems with dangling panicles of tan flowers, loved by butterflies and other pollinating insects. Although it is in the same family as the horrid stinging nettles, it has no stinging abilities whatsoever, just 'stunning' abilities. With its intricately-veined, shiny, green leaves, it makes a great bold feature in any garden, living happily in sun or shade as long as the soil is evenly moist but well-drained. This venom-less pussycat can even gently self seeds if happy. ... Learn More

An absolute beauty from the edges of the cold Chilean jungle. Ascending, twining stems bearing glossy leaves end in multi-headed clusters of exotic, stunningly marked and speckled, alstroemeria-like, orange, yellow and red flowers. Huge seed pods slowly form, and then from October until Christmas these slowly split open, revealing the bright red seeds inside. This incredible plant makes very deep, long-lived tubers and is completely hardy here having withstood minus 15 Centigrade. ... Learn More

Gorgeous, closely-packed trusses of tubular flowers open in early summer, each flower being of a deepest burgundy, clasped at the base with a violet calyx and stem! What a fantastic colour combination on this form of this rare plant from Colombia and Venezuela! Like most bomareas, (which are basically "climbing alstroemerias") it will prefer a warm sunny spot in deep, well-drained soil, when it will scramble up any available support or shrub before festooning itself with flower buds. Alternatively, it will also make an impressive specimen in a sizeable deep pot or a greenhouse border. ... Learn More

Bunches of magnificent, delicately marked, flared, dark pink trumpets hang from twining vines decked with fleshy green leaves. Fabulous either climbing another shrub or on a support and it weaves through a conifer here. Plant out when still small. ... Learn More

This exceptionally dainty rock plant has thin, dark-coloured stems, bearing clouds of gypsophila-like, red-eyed white stars, possessing an unusual peppery perfume. Very rare in the wild in the USA this unusual plant makes a choice specimen for a moist shady bed in the garden. ... Learn More