Collected on our 1994 Chile Expedition (RB94142) and new to cultivation is this dwarf South American equivalent to a New Zealand olearia. A compact evergreen shrublet bearing neat, diminutive, toothed leathery leaves. In July countless small 'shaving-brush' flowers smother its dome, before they become 'snowballs', turning the entire plant white. No-one will guess what this is! ... Learn More

Native to southern Africa, this lovely relative of "Autumn Crocuses" is commonly called "Beetle Lily" due to the dark markings on the tepals. Strangely, the epithet actually means "single flowered" which is contradicted by the fact that the stem generally bears at least two yellow flowers. It is best grown in a warm scree or even in a pot indoors. ... Learn More

Little known in cultivation or in books is this very rare geranium relative from the Andes. Sprays of bright yellow flowers over finely cut leaves. Sharp drainage and a protected spot, or pot culture are essential for this gem. ... Learn More

One of the tallest grasses in the world, this true giant has numerous branches at the nodes with one or two being exceptionally large with many stems tufted onto a stout root stock. Although it thrives in tropical to subtropical climates and is best grown in warm humid temperate areas, it can be easily grown as a pot plant or for impressive summer bedding. Its young shoots are consumed as food in some parts of China and India and new shoots start growing slowly, but soon grow approximately 30 cm per day, indeed 75 cm in one day has been recorded in Sri Lanka. Its hard wood is also used by Chin ... Learn More

The legendary 'Upside-Down-Tree' (Adamsonia digitata) makes an intriguing, long-lived bonsai or conservatory plant and is easily grown from seed. In the wild this tree is a valuable food commodity, the huge sausage fruits being the source of cream of tartar. ... Learn More

Flowering from June to August, this is one of the most beautiful early-summer perennials, with trifoliate leaves and erect, lupin-like racemes of rich violet-blue pea-like flowers, followed by conspicuous inflated pods. They do best in deep, well-drained, preferably neutral to acidic soil abd are soundly hardy and perennial. ... Learn More

Handsome evergreen winter rosettes of shiny green leaves marbled with cream blotches. Branching sprays of bright yellow flowers in spring. A lovely old cottage garden favourite. ... Learn More

This relatively compact but quite fast-growing oriental-looking tree bears extremely beautiful, fragrant, pink, five petalled orchid-like flowers. The branches are clad with large, deeply two-lobed leaves. Native to South China and south east Asia, it thrives outdoors in such places as Hawaii, coastal California, southern Texas, and Florida. Although the tree can stand a small amount of frost it will also do well in a conservatory. Very easy to grow from seed, in traditional medicine systems it is often used to treat various disease. ... Learn More

A most valuable and exceptionally beautiful, evergreen twining plant for the cool greenhouse or conservatory, with rich green leaves that are hairy beneath, and bearing on well-ripened wood an abundance of beautiful, large, white, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers from spring until late summer. A strong and heavy climber, this plant will need a strong structure, as without support it will form a large mound, rather like a wisteria. Although Beaumontia is a tropical vine, it can tolerate a light frost for short periods. ... Learn More

This rare and fabulous shade garden perennial, only recently introduced from China, has evergreen heart-shaped leaves, each with a deeply-polished lustrous shine. In early summer thin, delicate stems arise bearing white starry flowers. This plant prefers moist, humus-rich, well drained soil in part shade to perform of its spectacular best, when it will perplex and thrill all who are privileged enough to see it. ... Learn More

Sizeable, golden-eyed, ivory-white flowers open on tall stems above fleshy leaves. Resembling an anemone rather than a typical begonia, this extremely rare plant is endemic to the high tropical or subtropical montane forests of Equador, where it is threatened by habitat loss and classified as vulnerable by IUCN. (The International Union for Conservation of Nature). In colder areas the plant may be cut to the ground, but the tuber invariably sprouts again the following spring. ... Learn More

Large stunning clusters of bright red flowers are displayed on this scrambling shrub which is rare in cultivation, and will make a magnificent and easily grown ornamental for warm temperate climates. One of the world's largest begonias, it can grow up to 3 m tall in its native haunts in the cloud and montane rainforests in Colombia and northwestern Venezuela, where it is happy at between 1700 and 4000 m. ... Learn More

This is the pure white version of this rare and fabulous begonia hardy down to zone 6 or more! Most attractive, fleshy, olive green foliage with deep red veins beneath, displays beneath dividing red stems of bunches of fragrant white flowers 3cm wide. It blooms from summer right into very late autumn! Planted in moisture-retentive but freely draining soil, and mulched well with bark this hardy begonia can be grown outside all the year around. It has top growth hardy to minus 2 degrees C, but the tuberous roots have always survived every winter, even frozen at minus 10C here! And in very late ... Learn More

Yes! A rare and fabulous begonia hardy down to zone 6 or more! Most attractive, fleshy, olive green foliage with deep red veins beneath, displays dividing red stems of fragrant light pink flowers 3cm wide. It blooms from summer right into very late autumn! Planted in moisture-retentive but freely draining soil, and mulched well with bark this hardy begonia can be grown outside all the year around. It has top growth hardy to minus 2 degrees C, but the tuberous roots have always survived every winter, even frozen at minus 10C here! And in very late autumn it produces numerous bulbils between ... Learn More

Begonias are usually prized for their unusually attractive leaves and this one is at the top of the league! Its leaves resemble those of a maple tree, however, they are enormous, up to 30cm across, and much more spectacular, with serrated edging and bright green centres that contrast dramatically with the deep purple of the rest of the leaf. The solid rhizomatous clump is composed of giant leaves surrounded by a contrasting wide black-green border, all being held at the end of red-speckled leaf petioles. Growers have reported that this variety has proved reliably hardy to 15 degrees F making i ... Learn More