Strong stems hold frilly flowers in the most beautiful shades of scarlet red. This old favourite is best at home in a cottage garden where it will bloom and spread colour as far as the eye can see. Placed in full sunlight at the front of any border it will thrive even in heavy clay soils. ... Learn More

From a compact clump of wrinkled leaves arise short hairy stems holding the palest greeny-lemon nodding bells, which open from late spring to early summer and yet again in autumn. Although it performs best in moist soils, it will grow happily in the driest, sunniest spot in your garden. The original "Lemon Drops" was a chance hybrid seedling, with presumably some of the blood of Geum avens, from Beth Chatto's wonderful Essex garden, and these seedlings may have the slightest bit of variation but all will be lovely. ... Learn More

These vigorous perennials have linear leaves up to 24 inches long with spikes of up to 20 funnel-shaped, marked, deep magenta flowers which appear in spring. In the Mediterranean it is a wild flower in the olive groves through May and June and is naturalised in the South-West of England in Cornwall and the Scilly Isles where it is called Whistling Jack! It thrives in full sun and fertile, well-drained soil. ... Learn More

One of the most beautiful flowers with two inch wide, brilliant red blooms opening on short spikes with up to seven flowers appearing in succession on each spike. This rare and unusual Gladiolus species is found growing on cliff faces in the high Drakensberg of South Africa where it is called the “Suicide Lily” because of its preferred habitat of cliffs where attempts to collect it, or it's seed can lead to death! Easy to grow, Gladiolus flanaganii is summer blooming and tolerant of summer water before going dormant in late summer. It is often grown in good-sized clay pots with well draining ... Learn More

This is probably the hardiest of all gladioli, down to Zone 3 it is claimed, and also strangely, one of the rarest! It makes a dense spike of large, rich coloured flowers, attractively marked on the lower petals, and usually in shades of deep purple to carmine. This is certainly the best and most valuable of the Mediterranean species, a genus containing many inferior plants, as well as this gem! ... Learn More

Native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, these gorgeous plants open dazzling spring flowers resembling pink and magenta tongues of flame, each several centimeters long, with stamens and style protruding from the throat. The slender sword-shaped leaves appear before the flower spikes that often carry as many as 20 blooms on each stem. In a well-drained spot they will slowly spread and increase. ... Learn More

This charming, relatively small Gladiolus open bright spikes of rose-wine flowers with delicately-marked, noticeably split-apart petals, in spring and summer. Completely winter hardy in Central Europe, it thrives in wet meadows and similar damp situations. ... Learn More

A native of South Africa, this winter growing species has wonderful scent in the evenings which is absolutely heavenly in April when the greenish-white flowers open progressively up the long rush-like stems. It is quite unique amongst Gladioli because as it originates from a wet part of South Africa it will do perfectly well in damp locations. ... Learn More

This rare, fabulous and choice connoisseur's plant is very rarely seen or offered. Large and exquisite cup-shaped lavender flowers are held above soft lobed leaves making this one of the most luscious flowers you can grow. This rarely offered, unique, and quite priceless specimen will entrance you as it is staggeringly beautiful if grown in shade and rich, moist soil. "A great treasure" (Graham Stuart Thomas). Very few good seeds collected. ... Learn More

A mix of the blue and white forms of beautiful connoisseur's plant. Large and exquisite cup-shaped flowers are held above soft lobed leaves making this one of the most luscious flowers you can grow. This rarely offered, unique, and quite priceless specimen will entrance you as it is staggeringly beautiful if grown in shade and rich, moist soil. "A great treasure." (Graham Stuart Thomas) Very few good seeds collected. ... Learn More

The pure milky white form of this fabulous and choice connoisseur's plant is even rarer than the blue form, and is almost never seen or offered. Large and exquisite cup-shaped flowers are held above soft lobed leaves making this one of the most luscious and coveted flowers you can grow. This priceless specimen will enchant you if grown in shade and rich soil. "A great treasure." (Graham Stuart Thomas) Just a very few good seeds collected. ... Learn More

This is rather like a superior form of Glaucium luteum having exceptionally attractive heavily frilled, furry grey rosettes producing strong arching sprays of very large orange red "poppies" in spring and summer. ... Learn More

One of the very choicest of this unusual group of flowers, this variety has unusually tall stems, slightly bending at the top, holding truly exceptional, large, bright blue, spiky powderpuff flowers. Even the foliage is attractive consisting of thick, leathery, spathulate leaves, deeply veined beneath. ... Learn More

A seldom-seen but very easy little alpine, producing a low, shrubby, trailing mound of leathery, evergreen leaves. In late spring, shortish stems bear soft lavender-blue, shaggy daisy flowers over several weeks. This is a perfect choice for the sunny rock garden, and is also useful in an alpine troughs or gravel garden as it is drought tolerant once established. ... Learn More

Neat little mounds of dark green foliage produce many globular, mid-blue flowers in late spring - early summer. A superb plant for a stone trough or tucked between stones on the rock garden, this is free-flowering, long-lived and easy to grow in good, well-drained soil or compost. About 7cm (3") high when flowering. Slow and delicate for us to propagate but thrives once established. Very tight congested mounds of tiny dark green glossy leaves from which rich dark blue flowers emerge on short 10cm stems in summer. Ideal for trough or raised bed, slow growing. A small, spreading perennial ... Learn More