One of the world's most fabulously fragrant trees, frilly yellow flowers pour out sweet perfume all summer long. Best grown in the tropics and sub tropics, this gorgeous, fast-growing plant can be successfully grown and flowered in a conservatory in cooler climates. The essential oil derived from the flowers, which last a long time after being cut, is used in aromatherapy and perfumes. When we made a visit, just one specimen of this incredible tree perfumed the whole of the Miami Botanical Gardens at Palm Beach. ... Learn More

Purple shoots extend and grow into branching stems covered with toothy lance shaped leaves which will scramble along the ground or through other plants, or even can be tied to a fence or trellis. Huge and quite tremendous three inch long, gorgeously-marked orange-red bells then open, which are followed by walnut-sized orange fruits! This awesome and very rarely offered campanula relative, is endemic to the cloud forests of the Canary Islands. It needs a hot, well-drained, frost-free position in the garden, or even better, a large container indoors in colder countries. ... Learn More

This multi-purpose fruit and also herbal medicinal tree is native to Southeast Asia where it has a variety of uses. For fruit production, because it is a dioecious species, both male and female forms need to be grown, the large, fleshy, rather olive-like fruits being eaten fresh, salted or in syrup. In addition, a black dye obtained from the fruits is used for making ink. Finally, the wood is soft and light in weight, and is often used for making lightweight furniture and plywood. Very few enormous seeds are ever available. ... Learn More

This is a very rarely offered seed. Clusters of cream-coloured, three-petalled flowers form at the ends of the branches before developing into really large fruits holding almond-shaped seeds which are very rarely available in other countries. The kernels are often consumed locally, either raw or cooked, having a rich, pleasant flavour, when it is highly favoured as a snack, and are commonly used as a far better substitute for common almond. It is somewhat sweeter in flavour, and can even be ground into a powder and used to make tasty bread. Indeed, the seeds are used in a wide variety of dishe ... Learn More

A rare plant and one of the very few cannas which is both attractive and can be easily grown from seed. An almost endless procession of delicate red-tipped yellow flowers is produced, each of which forms a most intriguing inflated seed pod. This grows numerous hairy appendages which finally fall off to signify that the large, rock-hard, black seeds are ripe. ... Learn More

This native of the Caribbean and tropical Americas has attractive, bright scarlet flowers on stout stems above broad, handsome leaves. The seeds are small, globular, black pellets, hard and heavy enough to sink in water, and which resemble shotgun pellets giving rise to the plant's common name of Indian Shot. They are reputedly hard enough to shoot through wood and still survive and later germinate and according to the BBC, during the Indian Mutiny of the 19th century soldiers used these seeds when they ran out of bullets. Although not carrying the largest flowers of this group, this one is pr ... Learn More

This large Canna species is a striking plant with large ovate leaves resembling a banana plant, a native to forests in South America and the Caribbean, found at moderate altitudes up to 2000m. In late summer terminal inflorescence with small orange-red flowers followed by round, fuzzy, light-yellow fruits appear. ... Learn More

Almost certainly the largest and most impressive of the canna family, this absolutely spectacular plant produces dazzling heads of large orange, or sometimes reddish-pink flowers, rising above very large bright green leaves. It is easy to grow from seed, and, like most Cannas, if sown early and given generous treatment, it can flower the first year, when it will make an imposing focal point and give any patio, or very large pot a taste of the tropics. In colder regions the rhizomes should be protected if left in the ground, or dug up and stored over winter. Native to southern Belize and other ... Learn More

Too seldom seen, this scrambling, slightly spiny shrub, which can also be trained to climb, bears sizeable, attractive white flowers, some 2-3 inches across, with delicate, most attractive, pale purple stamens, which are continuously replaced in profusion, making a constant dazzling display from May onwards. And to further intrigue you, and we never knew this until now.......the unopened flower buds picked when tight and preserved in brine or vinegar are culinary capers! ... Learn More

Fragrant trumpet flowers, ivory-white with a slight greenish cast, open on stems up to five or six feet tall making it easy to enjoy their excellent fragrance. This is one of the dwarfer form of the giant Yunnan Lily, with basal rosettes of shiny leaves that in early spring resemble those of a glossy Hosta. ... Learn More

(Cardiocrinum cordatum var. glehnii). The much rarer and slightly dwarfer form of the "Giant Yunnan Lily" has been collected for us on the Russian island of Sakhalin. Massive, fragrant, creamy white trumpets hang from strong tall stems, which rise above large, thick, dark green, leathery leaves. ... Learn More

The "Giant Yunnan Lily" or "Giant Himalayan Lily" is a stately giant, producing two inch thick stems, with dinner plate sized leaves above which open numerous eight inch green and white waxy, very fragrant trumpets, followed by enormous "everlasting", toothed seed-pods when dried. A fantastic plant in all respects which blooms in late spring to early summer. Adaptable to partial shade or full sun, this plant thrives in well-drained, fertile soil. It's hardy in zones 6-9 and requires moderate watering. If you're seeking to cultivate your own outdoor haven, these seeds provide an opportunity ... Learn More

Dense, erect tussocks of copper-bronze make this one of the most sought after and grown architectural plants. When grown as a solitary specimen it makes a stunning effect with contrasting flowers or silver foliage plants. ... Learn More

A delightful tufted plant producing an evergreen clump of whippy, bronzed, reddish leaves, which make an impressive statement in an exposed spot. This is one of the desirable, often expensive grasses but is easily grown from seed. ... Learn More

From New Zealand comes another lovely form of Carex comans, which forms a compact and most attractive yellow "haystack", perhaps "weeping willow" would be more accurate, from which protrude long, whip-like stems studded with terminal brown seed heads. ... Learn More