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

Showy, fragrant orange flowers open in early summer of this beautiful Japanese azalea. In its native Japan and China, this low-growing shrub forms dense thickets in the mountains, and is therefore an ideal plant for growing in grass or even a shady woodland garden. ... Learn More

Enormous trusses of up to 30 sizeable bell-shaped flowers, spotted with bright crimson blotches inside, open canary-yellow before slowly fading to creamy-white. Worth growing for its architectural foliage alone, young silvery gray shoots, with bright red bud scales, slowly open and expand into the largest-leaves of any rhododendron on Earth, sometimes reaching 20 in. or 50 cm. long, and these have a wonderful thick woolly fawn indumentum on the underside. Along with R. Macabeanum this is probably the most impressive variety of the large leaf forms obtainable. Deservedly awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit, it is native to alpine regions at 2,100–3,600 m (6,900–11,800 ft) in southeastern Xizang and western Yunnan in China and in northeastern Myanmar. ... Learn More

Sweetly-scented blooms, in a range of shades through pink to white, appear on this beautiful miniature rose, which is perfect for growing in pots, although if grown in the ground it will become a low growing shrub. The unique Fairy Rose is a Polyantha, with many clusters of blooms, and they are valued for their profuse clumps of everblooming double, or occasionally single flowers, which are produced in waves from late spring until autumn. Finally, they are compact, disease-resistant and will flower surprisingly quickly from seed, maybe in four months! Yes, all this from seed! ... Learn More

A gorgeous colour-break in roses gives us this superb specimen with long graceful branches wreathed in fern-like foliage, and dainty, soft fragrant lemon yellow petals alighting on thorny, ferny branches like butterflies. Blooming from May-June, it is not only stunning in spring, its foliage turns bright reddish orange in autumn and bears red-maroon round hips. It was originally found in the wild in Northern China. It is one of the most beautiful of the wild roses, both in and out of flower. Few seeds collected. ... Learn More

Clusters of white flowers later become sweet blackberries. But during the growing season, the arching canes look just like any other member of this family, but the real show starts when the leaves fall and the cranberry coloured stems become covered in white powder and glow with a ghostly silver (with the slightest hint of pink from the red stems underneath). This display is truly dramatic with a dark backdrop! They do well if cut to the ground each spring to keep them to a manageable size, and will grow in almost any position. But do plant them where they can be admired in the winter! In England this plant was crossed with Rubus occidentalis to produce vigorous hybrids with more flowers, greater fruit production,and resistance to viruses! ... Learn More

Fiery red flowers are displayed along the length of long mid-green stems with an interesting square cross-section, and emerge from a profusion of attractive, smallish, almost triangular, deeply veined, perfumed foliage. This attractive perennial will make a fine display shining out from the mid- to rear sections of your border, or as a fine specimen plant in a large container. In a hot dry spot, once established it is almost indestructible, flowering away when most others have shrivelled. And even if it is cut back by a hard winter it invariably re-shoots the following spring. ... Learn More

Delicate white or pale lavender flowers appear in late spring and early summer, making a sophisticated contrast against the rosettes of shiny, dark red leaves whose colour intensifies in autumn. This fabulous ornamental sage will easily hold its own near the front of your border, as a specimen plant in a cottage garden or dotted about an informal gravel garden. ... Learn More

Drooping flower spikes, at first closed and green then breaking into feathery white flowers, somewhat like overblown catkins, are suspended from July to October on tall wiry stems emerging from clumps of grassy foliage. A good choice to dot about in your herbaceous border where it will display well through neighbouring planting. Very few good seeds collected. ... Learn More

Clusters of bright-pink pom-pom flowers, between 1-2 cm across, are dotted with yellow from the prominent anthers on this trailing vine, and are quite remarkable. The spiny pink or green stems and touch-sensitive foliage that folds up, (rather like the "Sensitive Plant" Mimosa pudica), make this a quite intriguing plant to display in a conservatory in cooler climates, or trained along an outside wall in warmer and more temperate zones. It is native to the central USA and is named for Thomas Nuttall, an English botanist who resided in the US for many years. ... Learn More

An absolutely mind-blowing selection of dark-foliaged plant for sunny, dry locations. Numerous strong, shortish semi-upright stems produce masses of flowers from pink to deepest crimson, from late summer through to autumn. But the foliage demonstrates its most crowning glory, and it varies from mahogany to almost jet black, and none of the seedlings should disappoint you. The flowers attract honey bees and butterflies, and like other sedums, it is invaluable in rock and dry gardens because, once established, it thrives without irrigation. And if you are curious about the cultivar name..... The original parent plant was discovered by a Belgian postal carrier as he delivered the mail! ... Learn More

The giant of the forest - these mighty trees grow spectacularly huge in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, and are believed to be among the oldest living organisms on the planet, and certainly the tallest! An interesting challenge for any keen horticulturalist to see how a seedling could be nurtured - consider planting one for your grandchildren (or possibly great-grandchildren!). ... Learn More

Native to the high rocky mountain slopes of Russia, Georgia and Turkey, (its name means 'of the rocks') this tough and most attractive hardy plant opens its sizeable, pure white inflorescences, atop thick, rubbery, greyish basal foliage which is most attractively lobed and divided. Rare and possibly not in cultivation, but should be. ... Learn More

Bright rosy-pink flowers appear in compact whorled spikes from May to August on this easy-to-grow perennial. The common name alludes to the fact that the plant has sticky stems that really are capable of catching small flies! An uncommon British native, it is usually found on sheer cliffs near the coast ... Learn More

Rare in cultivation, this black-stemmed relative of the aubergine produces edible fruit which can be consumed when completely ripe, although they are usually prepared green. Easy to grow, it can produce high fruit yields. The leaves of Solanum aethiopicum are often eaten as a leaf vegetable and are said to be more nutritious than the fruit. Fruits of this variety are about two inches in diameter and turn bright orange-red when ripe, although they are usually eaten when still green. When fully ripe the sweet taste is often used in Thai curry. It can produce fruit within just 75 days after planting. PLEASE NOTE! We sell this seed only for use as an ornamental plant. ... Learn More