Golden orange-yellow, ray-less flower heads with spiky anthers, radiate out in a narrow cluster atop stout stems growing from a clump of basal leaves which are hairy and woolly especially on the undersides. This is the only species in the genus Cacaliopsis, although it is sometimes included in Luina, a small genus of western North America. These shade-loving plants are often found in oak or pine forests or meadows. ... Learn More

Beautifully fringed, orange and red blooms cover this magnificent, West Indian shrub which has most attractive deeply divided foliage. In a warm country or very well-protected UK garden or a conservatory, it makes one of the most spectacular plants you can ever be lucky enough to grow. ... Learn More

This lovely dwarf catmint forms a low cushion of hairy fragrant leaves, above which, from July until September, arise short spikes carrying globular clusters of bright pink flowers, rather like a candelabra. This is possibly the last of the catmints to be in flower. Wild Basil has mauve coloured flowers unlike Garden Basil which has white flowers. ... Learn More

This very valuable, fragrant-leaved plant is equally at home in the front-of-border or herb garden, being smothered with comparatively large pink flowers all summer long. ... Learn More

Appropriately named plants!! Out of large blue-green rubbery rosettes spring many sprays holding exceptionally lovely silky purple-pink large flowers. They have a long flowering season and with luck will self-seed on a scree. These delightful flowers are related to the North American lewisias, but come from Chile in South America. ... Learn More

Growing amongst dry rocks and scree in the high Andes of Chile and Argentina at between 800-2700m, this lovely sub-shrubby alpine makes compact rosettes of leathery, hairy leaves and several thin, branching stems carrying delicate, deep yellow to orange pouches. ... Learn More

Native to Chile and Argentina, this lovely alpine forms low, compact rosettes of hairy leaves from which arise wiry stems each bearing a pair of inflated golden pouch flowers marked with tiny red spots. It performs well in moist but well-drained soil, especially a rock garden alpine trough, or gravel scree. ... Learn More

Inflated, pendent pouches, speckled red inside, hand from dividing thin stems, which arise from rosettes of pointed leaves, an unusual feature for this genus. Calceolaria falklandica is native not only to the Falklands but also to the Andes Mountains of Chile down to Patagonia. The genus name means "small shoe." ... Learn More

Probably new to cultivation, this lovely Chilean species will thrive best in a moist, shady corner, maybe in a deep pot or even a shady bed, as in the wild it inhabits wet stream edges and damp ravines. The broad leaves open into basal rosettes of emerald green, from which arise long thin stems topped with lemon-yellow balloon-like blooms. It blooms very quickly from seed and can even be grown as an annual. ... Learn More

Calceolaria integrifolia is a small, tender, bushy, evergreen sub-shrub with oblong, veiny, matt-green leaves with hairy undersides and with clusters of bright yellow, pouch-like flowers. This native of Argentina and Chile blooms from late spring through to early autumn. ... Learn More

Superb in a rock garden, this true-seeding, ground-hugging, hybrid plant (C. plantaginea x C. polyrrhiza) is highly sought by collectors of rock garden plants. The bright yellow flowers are large in size, with purple spots on the pouch. It has no woody stems and being a hybrid of two species that are native to very cold parts of South America, can thus take severe cold. ... Learn More

This very rapid-growing plant is ideal for a burst of colour when all else has failed. A sturdy mass of thin branches carries thousands of small, bright yellow pouches. It absolutely thrives in a hot Mexican-like spot! ... Learn More

This is the true wild form of this lovely, ancient cottage garden flower. A fast growing annual or biennial, it has aromatic leaves and heads of vivid-orange daisy-like flowers which are borne in long and seemingly everlasting succession in the summer and autumn until the first hard frosts. The daisy-like flowers are excellent for cutting and can also be added to salads as an edible flower. They can even be used as a substitute for saffron when colouring rice dishes, and also can be made into tea. Finally, they are very bee-friendly! ... Learn More

Inside the delicately unfurling cup of gorgeous violet flowers are rich purple anthers on dazzling red filaments, surrounded by a mass of snow-white hairs. It is native to the foothills of coastal, central and southern California and Baja California. Excellent drainage is a prerequisite. ... Learn More

Caltha palustris "Kingcup" or "Marsh Marigold", is a beautiful plant often encountered in marshes, fens, ditches and wet woodland areas. Large shining yellow flowers appear in early spring to late summer, above large, rounded, waxy-looking, hollow-stemmed leaves, which become most luxuriant in partial shade. These dazzling golden flowers are loved by a great variety of insects for pollen, and also for the nectar secreted from small depressions, one on each side of each carpel. In the UK, it is probably one of the most ancient British native plants, surviving the glaciations and flourishing after the last retreat of the ice, in a landscape inundated with glacial meltwaters. In the UK, Caltha palustris is known by a large variety of other common names, varying by geographical region. These include Mayflower, May Blobs, Mollyblobs, Pollyblobs, Horse Blob, Water Blobs, Water Bubbles, Gollins and the Publican!! Confusingly, the common name of marigold actually refers to its use in churches in medieval times at Easter time as a tribute to the Virgin Mary. The RHS has awarded an AGM (Award of Garden Merit) to this gorgeous British native. ... Learn More