One of the fabulous Madeiran giants, this new and quite magnificent umbellifer is certainly one of the finds of recent times. In its second year a strong stem with bronzed leaves sprouts a broad crown of several branches carrying finely divided leaves beneath several absolutely enormous umbels of bright pink flowers, making an unforgettable picture. ... Learn More

In late autumn, fans of soft, lance shaped leaves similar to those of the freesias and irises arise, seldom more than 3 to 4 inches in height. In Spring, they flaunt their "fairy bells", each sending up a thin, wiry stem with alternate branches carrying a waterfall of dwarfish blossoms, that tremble in the slightest breath of wind. Every pale yellow or cream flower is less than a centimetre wide, and is etched finely along the centre of the pointed tepals with a fine, darker line. A choice and lovely South African plant, but just a very few viable seeds collected. ... Learn More

Native to Australia and South East Asia, this attractive tree opens its clusters of purple and white flowers in early summer before forming the inedible, fleshy yellow fruits in autumn. Birds though can eat them and spread the seeds around in their droppings. It prefers open sun and can do well in partial shade too. It is hardy to most frosts and can withstand extended dry periods and can also adapt to a wide range of soil conditions. ... Learn More

The giant of the family carrying massive, deeply-cut grey leaves. Bizarre, brownish flowers produce inflated seedpods in late summer. Often cut down by frost but sprouts again from the base. "Melianthus has probably the most beautiful large foliage of any plant that can be grown out of doors in these islands". (G.S.T.) ... Learn More

Curious maroon-brown flowers, with chocolate bracts and green stamens, produce unusual inflated fruits above attractive, musky-perfumed deeply-fingered foliage on this very rare plant. In addition, this South African native provides many odd details in its life cycle. Compared with the more well known and widely available Melianthus major, this seldom-seen beauty is more reasonably sized for the smaller garden, and has lovely fuzzy apple green leaves as opposed to the glaucous grey-green of the major. The nectar-filled flowers are intricately veined bizarre beauties of green, brown, and deep purple, which are followed by large cubical green seed pods that are puffed up, and pop like a balloon when pressed. The black nectar bulges out of the mouth of the flower, spilling out as the lower flowers on the spikes slowly rotate from right side up to upside down over the course of a day. Melianthus are apparently the only genus in the plant world that have this mysterious rotation, which would make a perfect subject for time lapse photography. ... Learn More

From low clumps of bright green grass sprout tall, erect stems carrying solid bunny-tail seed heads which persist right into winter. This lovely hardy plant from the cold reaches of the Crimea is a new, attractive, and most desirable introduction to cultivation. ... Learn More

"Porcupine Bush" This rare relic plant exists in the wild only in the South Island and a few loci of the North Island of New Zealand. Bone hardy and long-lived, it produces, amongst small, weather-resistant leathery leaves masses of tiny, pendulous cream flowers in Spring followed by relatively sizeable , blue-splashed white berries. People have remarked that it resembles a dwarf cotoneaster at first sight! ... Learn More

"New Zealand Shrubby Violet". Yes, a member of the violet family! A dwarf evergreen shrub, with small oval leaves, resembling a box bush. Tiny clusters of perfumed yellow-green flowers slowly turn to white and purple berries. A slow growing treasure. ... Learn More

The stature and dividing branches of this lovely plant qualify it as the biggest clover plant in the world, a veritable tree clover! It opens its heavy load of white flowers in July and August when it is a major source of nectar for bees in apiaries, and indeed, its botanical name means "honey-scented white lotus". Its characteristic sweet odour, intensified by drying, is derived from the coumarins it produces. ... Learn More

This pretty mint relative is also called "Lemon Balm". Aromatic, spikes of small white flowers, loved by bees, arise above lemon scented foliage. Plant it where you can brush against it and enjoy the perfume, or pick it to make lemon tea or add to soups, sauces or salad-dressings. The large, lemon scented green leaves are also excellent for flavouring salads, summer drinks, stuffings, poultry and fish. Well known for its medicinal value, the leaves can be infused with honey and water to energise, revive and calm the nerves. It really is quite a useful plant overall! ... Learn More

This tough and long-lived plant is better used as an ornamental herb rather than a culinary one. Grown for its long, fragrant, nectar-rich purple flowers, it is also very attractive to butterflies and bees, whilst its long green-grey leaves have a delicious minty scent. ... Learn More

M. spicata is a vigorous rhizomatous perennial forming an extensive colony of erect stems bearing spearmint-scented, lance-shaped leaves, and small light purple flowers in interrupted terminal spikes. Aka herb spearmint. ... Learn More

In late winter and earliest spring the curious corms of these little beauties send up crowds of inch-wide, pale-pink star-flowers, making them ideal candidates for an alpine trough or sand bed, where they will self-seed readily and spread by underground runners. They are found in the wild from eastern Europe through Russia into Iran where they grow in grasslands in moist, sandy soil, often up to an altitude of 1400 meters. ... Learn More

An easy to grow dwarf annual bedding flower which produces bright, colourful, daisy-like blooms throughout the summer. 'Harlequin' can tolerate dry conditions and sandy soil and its free flowering habit makes it an ideal plant for ground cover or to brighten up rock gardens, walls and paths. ... Learn More

Numerous curious, lantern-like buds open into a huge candelabra of branching stems holding fantastic, pure white, passion-flower-like blooms, beginning in early summer and continuing until August if dead-headed. One of the world's most astonishing and spectacular flowers, this arrestingly beautiful plant is actually easy to grow either as a biennial or as a short-lived perennial. An unusual member of the Campanula family, it is native to Lebanon and Israel, the genus Michauxia beings named after King Louis XVI of France’s royal botanist, Andreas Michaux, who travelled to America during the late 1700’s in search of ornamental plants in the New World. ... Learn More