"Large Yellow Loosestrife" has been a cottage garden favourite since ancient times. Perennial roots produce stiff spikes of funnel-shaped golden flowers which appear throughout the summer and early autumn. A superb, long-lived cottage garden flower that also does well by water! ... Learn More

A seldom-seen plant making a slowly spreading cushion of small leaves, which is studded with small, starry, yellow flowers seemingly all the year long. On a rockery or edge of a pathway it will make trouble-free colour for many years. ... Learn More

Spires of rosy-purple flowers are produced for a very long and valuable midsummer period from July until September, when many plants are well over flowering. This lovely plant grows perfectly in ordinary soil, but in a wet spot, or even pond edge will excel. ... Learn More

Running stems carry plumes of creamy white, starry, exceptionally fragrant flowers, which are produced on 6 inch panicles in late spring. Bright green, lush, lily leaves adorn the arching stems. Spherical green fruits are later produced which turn bright red in late summer and autumn. The plant spreads very slowly by cylindrical rhizomes. Woods and shady places are the home of this dainty woodland relative of our own lily-of-the-valley, which is native to North America. Very few seeds produced. ... Learn More

Musky-perfumed, rose pink bowl-shaped flowers profusely stud the stems which are clad in soft green fingered leaves. "One of our most beautiful natives." (G.S.T.) This gem will gently self-seed only if it is happy. ... Learn More

This is the more unusual white form of the timeless fragrant cottage garden plant and this lovely form has beautifully contrasting pale pink stamens. A perennial, slightly shrubby, and sometimes evergreen plant, it gently self-seeds but only where it is happy. ... Learn More

This attractive flamboyant wild flower produces flowers consisting of five vivid-pink petals marked with dark stripes. on repeatedly dividing hairy stems. It is a lovely, trouble-free plant to naturalise, or for a wild garden or even a dry bank where it will positively thrive. As with many wild food plants, the common mallow has also had a long history of medicinal use. Due to its high mucilage content, mallows make excellent soothing demulcent herbs, especially for cases of inflammation, either for the urinary, digestive or respiratory systems. ... Learn More

Greenish-yellow flowers open from a central bud which lies at the centre of the two diametrically opposite, broad, fleshy, leathery leaves. The pollen has a yeasty odour along with a sugary, jelly-like nectar, and in the wild this is to attract the pollinating rodents, including gerbils, which pick up pollen as they feast! This unusual species, native to dry area of the South African Cape and Namaqualand, has anthers which are longer than on other species in the Cape. ... Learn More

Broad leaves lie flat on the ground, with their upper surfaces covered all over with little threads which are tightly packed so that they look like velvet. In between each leaf pair is a tightly compressed wispy tuft of white to cream coloured flowers, like a little shaving brush. Being dwarf, this plant is ideal for pot cultivation as it naturally makes small bulbs. Most species are winter growers and bloom early so need to be started into growth in late summer, early autumn. They are easily grown from seed, making long-lived pot plants, each year increasing in size. It is local in the Sou ... Learn More

This rare British native plant hold sprays of beautiful, fragrant, lavender-pink flowers from early summer onwards. Grey-green, flowering stems arise from an impressive rosette of grey, scallop-edged leaves. Grown in sand or well-drained soil this will make an impressive, 'fool-the-expert' specimen! It is also found in Spain, Turkey, and north-western Africa on rocky, sandy coasts. ... Learn More

This plant can vary in colour from pink to blue, with our plants being predominantly pink. Few good seeds are ever collected here at low level as it prefers the lofty Himalayan peaks where it sets seeds reliably and romps about happily. One of the rarer thorny species of the genus Meconopsis, it has a small geographical distribution restricted to specific areas of Pakistan and India in the west Himalayas. The species was originally described from specimens collected by Royle in 1833. Sadly, the species is highly valued as a medicinal plant, with the resulting demand for the plant placing pres ... Learn More

The fabulous "Himalayan Blue Poppy" forms clumps of hairy leaves from which arise strong stems carrying heads of silky, kingfisher-blue, almost transparent petals, with golden eyes. This is indisputably one of the most beautiful garden plants and in good rich moist soil makes a hardy, perennial, slowly-improving clump. ... Learn More

Pure white silky petals surround a boss of golden stamens on this rarely-seen form of the "Himalayan Blue Poppy". It makes an outstanding picture in a shady damp corner, hopefully growing in rich, moist, organic soil. This seed may very occasionally produce the odd plant with blue petals ... Learn More

Bright violet-purple flowers, with the merest hint of red adorn this quite exquisite variant of the "Himalayan Blue Poppy". Coming quite true from seed, it surprises countless poppy-lovers who have never before seen this unusual plant. This strain of seed actually originated from Hensol Castle where Lady Henderson discovered it. ... Learn More

This is indisputably one of the rarest and most gorgeous of the paler colour variants of this fabulous flower. Bright pink flowers stand out vividly from amongst the more usual blue forms. From vigorous, compact clumps of hairy leaves arise strong stems carrying heads of silky, brightest pink, almost transparent petals with golden eyes. This is an impressive variation of one of the most beautiful hardy garden plants you can grow, and in good rich, moist, preferably shady soil, can with care produce a perennial, slowly-improving clump. Occasional seedlings may revert to blue but these can be t ... Learn More