A rare and seldom-seen plant, native to the Albanian Alps, forming a stunning low evergreen rosette of long shiny leaves, with crinkled or scalloped edges. Taller stems arise, bearing spikes of sizeable, deep-blue tubular flowers during the summer. To thrive it is imperative that it has a rich and gritty soil that stays evenly moist. This unique and protected plant is endemic to the Gartnerkofel mountain of the Carnic Alps on the Austrian-Italian border where it was discovered in 1779 by Franz Xaver von Wulfen, after whom it is named. ... Learn More

A rarely-seen or offered scarcity, clusters of star-shaped purple flowers top a reed-like stem in the spring. Does best in full sun but thrives in a damp environment and will tolerate up to 5mm of water above the soil. A good pond marginal, it can tolerate some frost but prefers protection from severe conditions. ... Learn More

A rare and extremely beautiful plant bearing disproportionately large flowers which vary in the wild from pink to rose-purple. The leaves are long, spathulate, coarsely-toothed, and densely hairy, whilst the short stems are covered with an attractive grey-white downy pubescence. In the wild it is strictly protected and occurs in small populations in Colorado (western counties) and Wyoming (south-central counties) where the plant's existence is threatened, and where it grows in sub-alpine and alpine meadows. These very few fertile seeds were collected from un-hybridised, alpine-house and garde ... Learn More

A fast growing, wiry stemmed annual with crisp petalled, papery flower heads in shades of purple, rose and white. Extremely pretty, they are simply charming in borders, as a cut flower or dried for floral arrangements later in the year. ... Learn More

Towering spikes of fragrant, white, bell-shaped flowers appear in July and August above clumps of stiff, dark green, lance-shaped leaves. Adam's needle makes an excellent focal point for a sunny, well-drained Mediterranean-style garden. A gravel mulch accentuates the architectural foliage and helps to protect the crown of the plant from frost damage. The leaves have sharp tips and serrated edges, so it's best not planted where you are going to brush past it. Though all Yuccas appreciate a good amount of sun and well drained soil, they are fairly low maintenance and as such need fairly little w ... Learn More

A truly divine plant, midsized and similar to Yucca rostrata but with wider, rigid, bright blue-grey leaves, complemented by clusters of pure white flowers in late-spring. It is native to northeastern Mexico and will withstand heat, drought and moderate to quite severe freezes. It’s perfect for adding a touch of drama to the garden and does well in exotic and tropical planting schemes. Grow in a very free-draining soil in a sunny, sheltered spot. Although hardier than most yuccas, it may need protection in winter, particularly from wet conditions. Alternatively, grow in a pot, which you can ... Learn More

This striking architectural plant produces an abundance of thin glaucus, silver grey leaves which continue to form from the centre eventually forming a trunk which can reach up to four metres in height. They can also produce a large flowering spike from the centre every few years. The species is native to Texas, Chihuahua and Coahuila. A very popular plant in a tropical or exotic themed garden due to being quite tolerant of the average UK winter. ... Learn More

Yucca thompsoniana, commonly known as Thompson's Yucca or Beaked Yucca, is aN evergreen succulent native to the arid regions of Texas, Chihuahua, and Coahuila. It features a single or sparsely branched trunk up to 1 meter (3 feet) tall, crowned with dense rosettes of narrow, dagger-like leaves. The greenish-blue leaves, up to 35 cm (14 inches) long and 1 cm (0.4 inches) wide, have finely toothed margins and terminate in sharp points. In late spring to early summer, it produces tall flower stalks bearing clusters of creamy-white, bell-shaped flowers, each about 4 cm (1.6 inches) long, attractin ... Learn More

From architectural clumps of thick, bright green, arrow-shaped leaves arise serene white flowers (actually spathes). As well as being a superb garden plant this can be a wonderful architectural plant for pond margins. It is native to southern and east Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Madeira. The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded it the prestigious Award of Garden Merit. (AGM.) ... Learn More

A curious, rarely seen and attractive shrub in the rue family. Sprays of greenish-yellow flowers in spring later produce attractive bunches of bright red berries amidst shiny aromatic leaves. Enormous thorns are produced on the old wood. ... Learn More

Another member of the lovely Rain Lily clan, this variety produces slightly smaller than usual, gloriously bright yellow, star-shaped, upward-looking flowers, above grass-like foliage that will not crowd out neighbouring plants. It performs best in full sun and will tolerate poor soil. ... Learn More

White flowers, varyingly marked with thin red lines, open on tiny stems over unobtrusive, thin, thread-like foliage. Despite its small scale and size this vigorous plant grows well in almost any well-drained, fertile soil with a dry summer rest. Re-wetting in autumn will also produce new flowers. The miniature scale of this uncommon species from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay is amazing, and it might do best in a trough or small pot where you are able to appreciate its beauty. ... Learn More

This quite exquisite plant has broad, overlapping, soft pink, upwards facing, starry flowers with yellow stamens and a tiny white throat. Native to Cuba, Mexico, Colombia and Guatemala, in the wild these flowers appear several times a year, especially after rain. The main display, in August-September, when the density of flowers almost makes its narrow foliage invisible, is quite fantastic. ... Learn More

This bizarre but lovely plant has white lily-like flowers, and two-pronged, greenish-yellow glands on each petal. Although it bears grass-like leaves, it is not a true grass, but surprisingly belongs to the trillium family, Melanthiaceae and has a wide distribution throughout North America ... Learn More

Absolutely stunning, creamy-white orchid-like flowers have a showy, patterned lip, heavily pencilled in deepest red. These open on strong stems bearing attractive, banana-like leaves, in mid to late summer, and later appear the attractive bright red seed capsules which persist for a long time before the stem finally dies away in winter leaving a rhizome deep underground. ... Learn More