Native to the Turkish mountains, this small plant is similar to Cyclamen coum, but has longer petals. The spring-blooming flowers have five reflexed, up-swept petals, and are fragrant and magenta-purple or pink, and have a darker blotch and a white zone at the end of the nose and is hardy to -15 C. In the UK it is usually grown in pots but will grow in sheltered spots outside. It has been given the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. ... Learn More

Late spring-blooming, showy, fragrant rose-pink flowers, deeper coloured at the base of the petals, open above wide, heart-shaped leaves, which are often coarsely toothed or lobed. They live in the wild in woods and shaded banks in Mediterranean countries, from southern France to Greece, and also in Algeria. Very few seeds collected. ... Learn More

A very rare and beautiful cyclamen with low, gorgeously marbled and patterned marbled heart-shaped foliage. Pink-nosed white flowers add even more to this sought-after and much valued plant, the first ever registered hybrid made in 1955!. ... Learn More

Rarely offered, this naturally occurring enormous variant of the Globe artichoke is native to the Mediterranean, where it was domesticated in ancient times. This giant is a true hardy perennial with silvery, thistle-like foliage, and tall flower stems, which are topped by fat thistle-like buds which resemble small globe artichokes in summer. Whilst the flower buds can be eaten in the same way as the artichoke, the stems which resemble large celery stalks, are usually eaten after being braised or steamed. With an artichoke-like flavour, they are also used as a vegetarian source of enzymes for cheese production. ... Learn More

This perennial, mat forming grass makes a solid sward of low green leaves above which arise heads consisting of five radially aranged purple stems, rather resembling birds a foot. In the wild it occurs down the east coast of Africa from the Red Sea to the Transvaal, and most densely at the Uganda-Zaire border. ... Learn More

This superb, easy-to-grow, rapid-growing plant will produce beautiful drifts of dazzling, bright blue flowers that will flower constantly from June until October. And if you'd like to help the world's dwindling bee population, bees absolutely adore these flowers. ... Learn More

Trusses of tubular red flowers open above long, thick, hairy rough leaves. This unusual plant from Southern Europe makes a delightful specimen for a stony spot where it will slowly naturalise if it is happy. ... Learn More

This local form of Cynoglossum montanum has strong stems carrying rough, hairy, pointed leaves, which are tipped with clusters of rose pink flowers in spring and midsummer. These vigorous plants are superb for making a quick-growing statement in the garden. ... Learn More

Dazzling, bright blue flowers, similar to forget-me-nots, are carried in small clusters on dividing stems over strong clumps of rough, narrow, mid green leaves in summer. This plant thrives best in bright, full-sun conditions in well-drained soil. ... Learn More

Strong stems carrying rough, hairy, pointed leaves are tipped with clusters of burgundy flowers in spring and midsummer. These vigorous plants are superb for making a quick-growing statement in the garden. ... Learn More

This exotic-looking beautiful flower opens in a quite unusual shade of french mustard! The individual flowers open for just a day or so, and then another flower opens on the same stem, making a long display as long as buds are produced. These plants will perform well in dryish warm screes but excel themselves in a container when they can multiply up. In the wild they are found from S. Brazil to N.E. Argentina. Few seeds collected. ... Learn More

The "Umbrella Plant" makes an attractive feature in a bright window or sun lounge where it produces strong stems topped with striking umbrella-like spokes. On mature plants, sprays of white flowers appear. It may also be used as an impressive marginal plant in a pond or bog garden. If planted deeply it will survive the average winter although is best given winter protection. It is a native of the swamps of Madagascar and a relative of the famous Papyrus of the Nile river and is also sometimes called Umbrella Papyrus, Umbrella Sedge or Umbrella Palm. ... Learn More

This new and extremely lovely plant was discovered on the baking hot dry slopes surrounding Lake Chira, high on the island of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. Spreading stems sport numerous large spurred and spiked seedheads. Unlike many members of this family this plant obviously thrives in the dry! ... Learn More

A delightful new-on-the-scene grass, bearing attractive, one-and-a-half inch diameter heads of spiky green and brown sea-urchin-like inflorescences. Will grow bigger in damp soil, but does perfectly well in the dry. ... Learn More

Like its closely-related cousins the ordinary common tomatoes, the egg-size fruit makes good eating, and is typically made into jams or conserve, although it is recommended that the skin and seeds are removed before cooking. It is easily grown from seed and makes an attractive contrast to the more typical foliage of cannas, gingers and bananas. The roots of this plant are quite tough surviving moderate frosts, and in relatively mild areas usually re-grow from the base. It therefore makes either a fruiting shrub, or even a perennial tree, with a trunk, producing a crop of fruit yearly in warmer countries! Otherwise grow in a large container and overwinter frost free. ... Learn More