One of the most valuable cottage garden flowers, but sadly ignored and rarely seen, is this sweetly perfumed plant. Because it does not possess bright flowers it is often left to languish in some dark corner....The impressive spike-like inflorescence of this ancient ornamental cottage garden plant takes up most of the upper stem, and is densely packed with many deeply-fragrant yellow-eyed white flowers. The relatively insignificant leaves are divided deeply into many narrow lobes. Fill your garden with musky perfume! ... Learn More

A lovely architectural plant with waving, almost snake-like heads, of small, tufted yellow-cream flowers, the appealing rosettes of yellowish green leaves acquiring a reddish blush in cool weather. This species was the most widely used source of the natural dye known as weld, a bright yellow dye. If mixed with the blue from woad, (Isatis tinctoria), it produces greens such as Lincoln green. ... Learn More

This legendary and quite fabulous giant herbaceous plant erupts with an amazing tapering spire of bright, creamy coloured bracts which are held on strong tall stems. These extend out even further as soon as the seed ripens. The equally attractive pleated basal leaves make a low protective skirt, and are rich green and almost rounded with deep veining. It grows in the wild high on the mountains in the Himalaya, northeastern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, India, Sikkim, Bhutan and Nepal. This is one of the world's most desirable plants and although a slow grower is worth the wait so please be ... Learn More

Superb architecturally slashed and cut leaves form an imposing structure, from which in early summer arise immense spikes of pink fluffy panicles. "Though any form of this plant is worth growing, Tanguticum should be sought." (G.S.T.) ... Learn More

This attractive annual with vibrant yellow flowers, is an extremely beneficial, indeed often essential plant for the wild flower meadow. With the upper lip having two white or purple teeth, it provides summer colour, and also papery seed pods that rattle when the seed is ripe, and in olden days this was said to show that the meadow was ready to be cut, hence its other common name of "hay rattle". ... Learn More

Rhodocoma capensis, commonly referred to as the Cape Restio, is a distinctive and ornamental perennial native to the Western Cape of South Africa. This resilient plant, a member of the Restionaceae family, showcases an architectural grace with its slender, reed-like stems that form dense clumps, reaching heights of 3 to 5 feet. The foliage consists of slender, needle-like leaves arranged alternately along the stems, contributing to its bushy and structured appearance. Come late spring to early summer, Cape Restio adorns itself with small, unassuming flowers surrounded by papery bracts, addi ... Learn More

Large, widely-expanded trumpets, either solitary or in pairs, in shades of red, pink or yellow, open on strong, stout stems, and one or two strap-shaped leaves also arise from the large underground bulb. Originally collected on the Plant World Chilean expedition of 1994, these lovely plants spend a long time under dry snow in the winter, but when they erupt in early summer it is worth the wait. ... Learn More

These superb amaryllis relatives display large trumpet-shaped flowers and thin strap-shaped leaves. These seeds have been collected from red and pink forms of these gorgeous plants high in the Andes. Plants will do best in well-drained compost in large pots or a protected scree. ... Learn More

Gorgeous sprays of fragrant creamy-white or pink star-shaped flowers are borne in open panicles on woolly, red-brown stalks. Impressive, strongly veined, horse-chestnut-like leaves form a solid mound on this robust, clump-forming plant. The Royal Horticultural Society have deservedly given it the Award of Garden Merit (AGM). ... Learn More

Fluffy plates of brilliant pink flowers turn into crimson seed heads, above impressive clumps of mahogany-bronze burnished pinnate leaves. Although it is outstanding in rich or boggy soil, it puts up a superb show wherever you decide to put it, apart from a hot dry bank! ... Learn More

Sprays of delicate white flowers open on short stems, above rosettes of rounded, fleshy leaves on this beautiful little deciduous,tufted plant which blooms in spring and is dormant in summer when it dies down to small tubers. This rarely seen or grown plant is native to the coastline of western North America from far northern California north, where it grows among rocks on ocean side bluffs. ... Learn More

Probably the best and most robust of all of the "Mistmaidens", this really pretty plant makes an attractive clump of shiny, almost circular, dark green fleshy leaves, that could have been carved from wax. Pushing through this cushion appear sprays of pretty, milky-white flowers. This lovely plant finally dies completely away in the heat of summer to deep, underground tubers. Native to western North America from California and north to Alaska, it is totally hardy. ... Learn More

Although it dies down in winter, this substantial gem creates a shrub-like effect in summer, with many upright, branching stems clothed in leathery, silver-grey glaucous leaves. These are topped with fat buds, which open into spectacular poppy-like flowers with golden-yellow centres, and crumpled tissue-paper-like petals pinned together with the mass of yellow stamens. It thrives best in a warm, sunny sheltered position. ... Learn More

Sizeable, yellow-throated, bright pink flowers open early in the year, usually January, very close to the ground, surrounded by narrow foliage. The insides of the flowers are marked with decorative, fine filigree markings of deeper red-purple, almost verging on black, and this is also present as streaks and lines on the outside of the flower at the base, and is even visible when the flowers are closed. Coming from western South Africa, it thrives outside in a well-drained sunny spot, or under alpine glass in a well-drained, loam-based compost. ... Learn More

This species is one of the best-known species from the genus Romulea and is probably the easiest and best species for the outdoor garden. The flowers have 2-3cm long tubular flowers of gorgeous violet-purple, with a white and yellow throat, held on short wiry stems above very narrow wiry leaves. These plants, with the desirable habit of self-seeding, resemble the more common and perpetually popular crocus, with which they are apparently in convergent evolution. It is native to Europe and mainly the Mediterranean region. ... Learn More