Enormous, up to one metre long, elegant terminal sprays of starry, white flowers, like litle exploding fireworks, ripen to huge clusters of globose, purple-black fruits by late summer, after which the foliage take on bronze to purple tints. This statuesque clump-forming perennial with large, bright green, tri-pinnate leaves,is capable of strong growth in rich conditions, where it can form upright stems to 3m tall. ... Learn More

This tall, bushy plant, a member of the ginseng family from the United States and Canada, has large compound leaves, the leaflets being large and round with long, pointed tips. The white to pale green flowers open from June to August at the joints of the stems before the dark purple berries ripen in large clusters. The large roots are an ingredient of root beer, giving it a liquorice flavour. ... Learn More

Leathery, spine-tipped leaves clad long spidery branches, which are geometrically arrayed around the trunk like spokes of a cartwheel. One level is produced each year enabling the age of the tree to be easily calculated. When mature this is one of the most handsome, graceful and noble of all the world's trees. Freshly-collected, refrigerated seed is offered, which must be sown on receipt. Very few good solid seeds available after poor weather affected the production of viable seed this year. ... Learn More

This stately palm has large, arching feather-like leaves, the newly emerging foliage having a coppery hue. Producing violet flowers in midsummer, the subsequent red fruits are most attractive to birds. It is tolerant of light frosts so can be also grown in an atrium or conservatory. In the wild it grows in the wet subtropics on the sides of Mt Warning Volcano in northern NSW and over the border in Queensland's Lamington National Park. In the United States, the palm is a popular plant in California from San Luis Obispo south to the Mexican border and in much of central and southern Florida. ... Learn More

In the first year, this rewarding, but sadly becoming-rarer British native flower, makes a large striking rosette of floppy dark green leaves, its strong roots soon dying safely away underground for the winter. The following spring, strong stems bear clusters of large, attractive purple "thistle" flowers, which open from mid summer to autumn. They then produce branches decorated with attractive, cherry-sized hooked burrs, or seed capsules, which are often used by children to throw onto coats and woolly jumpers causing much distress to their parents! The roots are black on the outside, and usua ... Learn More

Bold daisy-like flowers in a bright colour range, are held on tall stems over cut grey-green foliage. In dull weather and late in the day, they will close, but open again with the reappearance of the sun. Actually a tender perennial in its native south Africa, Arctotis is grown most commonly as an annual in cooler climates. ... Learn More

This compact shrub has leaves that are dark green, thick, glossy, with tightly waved edges The flowers are small, white or reddish in colour, forming clusters beneath the leaves. They are fragrant, so attract many pollinators. The fruit is a glossy, bright red and popular with birds and other wildlife such as small mammals. ... Learn More

The "Himalayan Coralberry" is a cool growing compact bush from the eastern Himalayas bearing dark green leaves with undulate margins. Profuse, star-shaped, white to pale pink flowers in early summer produce many berries in autumn and throughout winter and early spring, which remain on the plant giving it a very decorative look, making it ideal for growing as a pot plant for indoors, although it can stand mild frosts. Though not usually grown as a fruit crop, the berries, which have have a mild sweet taste, are edible and children are very fond of them. ... Learn More

This rarely grown, dwarf, clustering Thai palm really does make a nice potted plant or smaller plant, where it will do well in a shady spot in the tropical or warm subtropical garden. Native to Thailand and other parts of South-East Asia, it is an understorey palm, with densely clustering, thin, canelike stems and small leaves that are dark green above and silvery white below. The attractive leaflets are roughly fishtail-shaped and have jaggedly toothed margins. ... Learn More

Leafy stems grow most attractively variegated, prickly lobed leaves. The large, showy flowers can vary from pale peach to yellow, and have a dark red 3 to 6 lobed stigma. Coming from Mexico, this lovely annual flower can survive, and indeed thrive, in the hottest conditions. ... Learn More

This Chilean plant is quite new to cultivation and is a most imposing annual plant. It very easy to grow, and spectacular to watch with its big yellow flowers and thorny, silvery leaves, buds and fruits. Once established, it will resow automatically each year only growing in spots it chooses and where it is happy, but never being a nuisance! ... Learn More

This superb species from Manchuria has triple-divided, crisped edge leaves and a purple-ended, emerald green spathe broadly lined with white. It is easily grown in almost any garden soil, although best in humus enriched loam in light shade. One of the most northerly species, this variety is very hardy. ... Learn More

Strikingly attractive, long-tailed, neatly pin-striped spathes, open in May and June on mottled, 10 to 15 inch stems with the spoked leaves piercing like parasols above the flowers. It appears rather later than many other species but is an exquisite garden plant being excellent outside in the garden in a half-shaded spot in a humus-rich soil, well drained but moisture retentive. Once established this valuable plant will increase quickly by tuber-bearing stolons and seed. ... Learn More

This truly spectacular plant rears its glossy spathe hood, which is startlingly striped in purple-brown to maroon and vanilla-cream. From the Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces in China this magnificent plant has an equally attractive leaf made up of many narrow leaflets that radiate out from a central axis, the effect being much like the spokes of an umbrella! ... Learn More

A long-lived attractive tuberous plant with striking, cobra head-like flowers amidst long-stemmed deeply divided leaves. Later appear the large heads of bright red berries which persist throughout the winter being especially attractive when it snows. ... Learn More