This bright, wine-red form of the Pasque Flower produces a beautiful cluster of flowers in the spring, large furry buds opening into goblet shaped flowers. This plant gets better & better with each passing season, making good sized clumps in any sunny position on a well drained soil. The foliage is fern-like, imparting a delicate and graceful feel, and an added beauty is that when the flowers are finished, they are followed by fuzzy seed heads, so don't cut them back! Few seeds. ... Learn More

This vigorous form of pulsatilla has strong clumps of finely-divided leaves supporting a spring-long succession of silky lavender-purple goblets, all with prominent yellow anthers. ... Learn More

This dwarf bulbous perennial has erect narrowly strap-shaped basal leaves, with racemes of star-shaped, pale blue flowers, each petal (or more correctly, tepal) with a darker blue central stripe. These are excellent for naturalising in moist but well-drained soil. ... Learn More

This lovely frost-hardy plant from the Andes produces a clump of gray-green, spike-edged leaves and finally shoots up a tall inflorescence containing numerous flowers which are an stunning metallic blue-green colour. ... Learn More

One of the most astonishingly beautiful plants to grace our planet, this absolutely exquisite hardy pineapple relative produces rosettes of jagged, pineapple-shaped, silvery-green leaves, from which erupt, when the plant is large enough, stout spikes of exotic,It makes a superb rock garden plant in well drained soil, where it is remarkably hardy and even does well in a container. After flowering that spike dies, but many more basal rosettes are formed for future years. These plants were grown from high altitude seed collected on our 1994 Andean seed-collecting expedition. ... Learn More

Another superb hardy pineapple relative with rosettes of jagged, grey-green leaves. Stout spikes of exotic yellow-green flowers. An excellent container or rockery plant ... Learn More

Puyas are perhaps the hardiest member of the pineapple family, making sensational rosettes of serrated leaves. Spikes of exotic blue-green flowers when mature. Plant in a wall or bank. "Worth the cost and effort to grow this rare plant." (G.S.T.) ... Learn More

Possibly the most ornamental of all puyas, its agave-like leaves, formed in clusters of neat rosettes, are attractively dusted with white powder. This king of ornamental puyas originates from high altitudes in the Andes in north western Argentina. When fully mature, magnificent spires of deep blue, orchid-like flowers appear. ... Learn More

Exotic, flaring, lime-green bells, loved by butterflies and bees, open on stiff upright stems which erupt in early spring from relatively small rosettes of thick, spiny foliage. This Bolivian plant is probably the quickest to bloom of all puyas, often in only a year after planting, whereas some puyas can take several years to blossom. In addition it is completely drought tolerant and is quite incredibly frost hardy if kept well-drained and dry. ... Learn More

Spires of almost wax-like, deep reddish-violet flowers arise from a large rosette of saw-toothed leaves when mature. Plant in a wall, bank or well-drained position. ... Learn More

The 'Firethorn' is possibly the most versatile shrub in the garden making an ideal climbing, specimen or screening plant, and it can be pruned robustly to any manageable size as required. This lovely golden-berried variant has evergreen foliage and fragrant white flowers in late spring, and is attractive to bees, butterflies and birds. Pyracantha seed requires at least three months of cold stratification in order to germinate. ... Learn More

Deepest blood-red petunia-like flowers bloom continuously throughout the summer months, set off against the most finely incised bright green foliage of this very rarely offered climber. An absolute show-stopper on any trellis or pergola, this most graceful climbing vine is a true head-turner, or if you want to admire it for longer, make it a fabulous centre-piece in the conservatory. Few seeds. ... Learn More

Although all quince species have flowers, gardeners often refer to this species as the "flowering quince". The fruits, (or more correctly pomes) which resemble small to medium-sized apples, soften and become less astringent after frost (when they are said to be "bletted")and are suitable for making liqueurs, as well as marmalade and preserves, as they contain more pectin than apples and cydonia quinces, and are indeed often used as a substitute for these. The fruit of flowering quinces also contains more vitamin C than lemons (up to 150 mg/100 g). Closely related to Cydonia oblonga and the Chinese quince, Pseudocydonia sinensis, they differ in having serrated leaves and attractive flowers which are borne in clusters and are usually bright orange-red, but can be white or pink, opening in late winter or early spring. ... Learn More

Bright sprays of fragrant cruciform flowers open in early spring on this rare, miniscule and very unusual member of the cruciferae, which deserves a place in a pot in an alpine house, or in a well-drained scree or rockery. Primuloides means 'like a primula', making this another one to baffle the experts! ... Learn More

These completely hardy members of the "African Violet" family make dark green rosettes of hairy succulent leaves from which arise round-faced, yellow-eyed, purple flowers. They are very, very long-lived in walls where they will slowly get bigger year after year, and can stand an unbelievable amount of cold, heat and drought. ... Learn More