Basal clumps of shiny grayish blue, linear to oval leaves arise in early spring above which are displayed attractive racemes of pinkish purple flowers with dark purple tips which bloom freely all summer. Closely allied to Corydalis, Rupicapnos is a genus of seven species of plants that occur in southern Spain and north-western Africa and can be perfectly grown as long as they get hot overhead sun as they do in their native countries. ... Learn More

This is the extremely attractive variegated form of the fragrant herb "rue". Although it is a favourite for flavouring dishes, it is also an excellent evergreen dwarf shrub for a hot spot. When cut back hard every third spring it makes a superb foliage specimen. ... Learn More

A lovely plant discovered on the Alpine Garden Society M.E.S.E. 1999 Expedition. Whorls of violet bracts and flowers on branching stems which carry fragrant leaves. ... Learn More

Spikes of pinkish white flowers stand above rosettes of soft grey foliage at the base, which can spread to form good ground cover and also make an excellent foil for neighbouring plants. This elegant clary will do best in dappled shade. Flower spikes are displayed from July to August and are best removed after flowering to prolong the display and to keep the plant strong. Does best in warm well-drained soil! ... Learn More

Several small stems grow almost horizontally from the roots before bearing upright inflorescences which carry apple-green, hairy leaves and creamy white flowers which are sometimes tipped with a yellow lip. It grows in western Greece, parts of Turkey and Iraq, and Iran, usually between 2000-6500 feet elevation and is frost hardy but desires a dryish sheltered spot in winter. ... Learn More

Multiple, strong dividing stems, with a self-supporting growth habit, carry simple, fragrant, broad leaves, with candelabra-fashion arrays of protruding, snow-white flowers opening along their lengths. One of the sources of the essential oil, Linalool, this plant, one of the aromatic medicinal plants, grows in the E. Mediterranean to Afghanistan, and on the mountains of Israel. It is used in Jordanian folk medicine for the treatment of microbial infections, malaria, inflammation and even to disinfect homes after sickness. ... 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

This superb perennial shrub, native to Iran and Turkey, was introduced to horticulture in 1959. It is an excellent plant, both for the foliage and for the flowers, which can handle heat, drought, winds, and a fair amount of cold down to -15C. From large velvety-white leaves in loose rosettes, arise thin branched spikes, bearing celestial violet-blue flowers that seem very much too large for the plant! This is a fabulous salvia for warm and dry spots, small, slow growing, but also long-lived and tough. Whether in garden or container it will please enormously. ... Learn More

A compact, upright, half-hardy perennial to 50cm tall that is usually grown as an annual with lance-shaped leaves and spikes of deep blue flowers with white eyes borne from summer into early autumn ... Learn More

Enormous hairy basal leaves form a base for an immense display of white-tongued vivid purple-blue flowers on long, strong branching stems. This spectacular plant is bone hardy, long-lived and makes a stupendous display all summer long! ... Learn More

This reliable, robust, fragrant Himalayan plant has strong square stems holding large spreading panicles of purple-splashed, yellow hooded flowers, an unusual colour for salvias. Both the leaves and the flowers have a distinct minty-lavender perfume and are slightly sticky, hence the name. ... Learn More

Another hardy, but tender-looking salvia. Large deep purple and white flowers on stout sticky stems held well above the foliage in spring and summer. "One of the best border salvias." (William Robinson) Sorry, few seeds collected. ... Learn More

The bright green foliage of this famous Central American plant, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala, compliments the mauve spikes of flowers that appear in July and August. The seeds are a highly nutritious food source and contain high amounts of omega-3,6 and 9, and are harvested for use in health recipes and drinks, and were in fact once the third most produced staple food there, until it was condemned by the European invaders in the 1500s and was almost wiped out altogether. The leaves and stems are also popular in sandwiches, soups, salads and stews. The local name Chia comes from the Nahuatl language and means oily. Aztec warriors used Chia as a very high energy source on their conquests and in fact it is still a traditional food of both the Tarahumara and Chumash peoples of Chiuahua, in the south western part of Mexico. ... Learn More

Violet-pink flowers bloom out of violet bracts from April until June on almost black stems. This lovely perennial is native to Mediterranean woodlands and shrub lands, and can be found growing in the mountains of Israel where it produces a normally seven-flowered flower stalk that the traditional candle stick was supposedly fashioned after. Biblical scholars claim that Salvia judaica was the model for the temple lamp stand described in Exodus! ... Learn More

'Royal Purple Autumn Sage' is one of the smaller leaved salvias that are often referred to as "Autumn Sages", blooming from mid summer until frost with thin dividing stems producing an almost endless succession of bright blue flowers, amongst very strongly-perfumed leaves. Although it superficially appears to be one of the tender salvias, this plant seems to be completely hardy, dying down safely underground each winter, and has stood minus 10 C (14 F) here. Most plants in this group have red, orange or yellow flowers which makes the striking purple flowers of S. muelleri a treasure. This plant is completely new to us, and it produces very, very few viable seeds indeed. ... Learn More