Curious maroon-brown flowers, with chocolate bracts and green stamens, produce unusual inflated fruits above attractive, musky-perfumed deeply-fingered foliage on this very rare plant. In addition, this South African native provides many odd details in its life cycle. Compared with the more well known and widely available Melianthus major, this seldom-seen beauty is more reasonably sized for the smaller garden, and has lovely fuzzy apple green leaves as opposed to the glaucous grey-green of the major. The nectar-filled flowers are intricately veined bizarre beauties of green, brown, and deep purple, which are followed by large cubical green seed pods that are puffed up, and pop like a balloon when pressed. The black nectar bulges out of the mouth of the flower, spilling out as the lower flowers on the spikes slowly rotate from right side up to upside down over the course of a day. Melianthus are apparently the only genus in the plant world that have this mysterious rotation, which would make a perfect subject for time lapse photography. ... Learn More

"New Zealand Shrubby Violet". Yes, a member of the violet family! A dwarf evergreen shrub, with small oval leaves, resembling a box bush. Tiny clusters of perfumed yellow-green flowers slowly turn to white and purple berries. A slow growing treasure. ... Learn More

An evergreen tree native to the Himalayas, Myanmar, Tibet and Yunnan. Fragrant, milky white flowers emerge in the spring, which are about 6" in diameter when fully open. The bark is dark grey, which also holds fragrance, and the wood is well known for building homes and furniture in certain parts of the world. It prefers full sun to light shade, does not tolerate wind and must not dry out. ... Learn More

An exceptionally choice and rare dwarf plant with pink buds opening to deepest violet-blue flowers. Stems bear oblong-lance-shaped, linear leaves which are dark blue-green above and white beneath. One of the best-ever alpine house and show plants, this fabulous miniature semi-evergreen sub-shrub originates from the mountains of Yugoslavia, Albania and Greece. ... Learn More

This fast-growing, drought-resistant tree, native to the southern foothills of the Himalayas in north western India is widely cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical areas. Hanging clusters of fragrant, orchid-like flowers later become hanging fruits which are three-sided brown capsules holding dark brown, globular seeds which have three whitish, papery wings and are dispersed by wind and water and are sometimes eaten like peas or roasted like nuts. The whitish-grey bark is surrounded by thick cork, and in cultivation the trunk is often cut back annually to 1–2 metres and allowed to regrow, and the pods and leaves thus remain within arm's reach. ... Learn More

This upright, evergreen, bushy shrub bears profuse fragrant white flowers followed by purple-black berries and is perfect for growing in a shaded warm area. The excellent, dense, evergreen foliage consists of small lanceolate leaves which are strongly scented when crushed. ... Learn More

Also known as the Chilean Guava, the fruits of Myrtus ugni have a uniquely delicious taste that is beyond compare, rather like a combination of strawberry, pineapple and apple. As a rule, the berries are the main reason for growing this plant, indeed, in Chile they are made into pies and jellies, whilst in the UK, it was apparently Queen Victoria’s favourite fruit, and growers in Cornwall attempted to grow them commercially, using her love of them as one of their selling points. In New Zealand it is being sold as the ‘NZ Cranberry’. It can grow up to 2 metres tall and the small shiny leaves, which have a spicy scent if crushed, can be clipped into an ornamental shrub, or as a hedge. Bees love their fragrant pale pink flowers too. Myrtus ugni is known by several common names, including Chilean guava, murta, murtilla and Tas Myrtus Berry. Once established the plants do not mind drought conditions. ... Learn More

This delightful evergreen shrub has an uncanny 'bamboo-like' form, with purplish leaves in spring and winter, and white flowers in large panicles, later followed by red berries. It is native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas to Japan and is the only member of the monotypic genus Nandina. ... Learn More

Definitely an unusual tree with many names, for many reasons. Growing up to 18 metres tall, it is native to the Indian subcontinent where is it used for foodstuffs, medicines and dyes. The large leaves which grow up to a metre in length, are borne on leaf stalks which are up to 2 metres in length. As these leaf stalks wither, they fall off the tree and gather at the base of the trunk where they look like 'broken bones'. The tree is a night-bloomer and flowers are adapted to natural pollination by bats. Enormous seed pods are produced, with the fruits (up to 1.5m long) curving downwards like swords, giving the name "tree of Damocles" . A very unusual tree and a conversation starter for any gardener! ... Learn More

This truly desirable plant has divided blue-green leaves and superb, large, bowl-shaped flowers of stunning bright pink as opposed to the normal red. It is a rare and highly esteemed early-flowering plant, for well-drained fertile soil in half shade. ... Learn More

From New Zealand South Island, comes this truly exquisite semi-evergreen, prostrate, perennial shrub with rounded, toothed, dark green leaves, bearing dense racemes of white to pale-pink, purple-veined flowers with red centres, which open in early summer for a long period. ... Learn More

This spiny shrub or small tree opens fragrant flowers which are a bright yellow-orange, with the fifth petal elongated, with a warmer yellow, and purple spotted at the base. These grow from a long slender stalk in groups of eight to ten and are most popular with bees and butterflies. The long, unusually thin leaves make the showy flowers even more visible. It is ideal for a small garden or large container. ... Learn More

This truly spectacular tree is another of the Paulownia group, and is the fastest-growing of them all. More exotic than the more common Paulownia tomentosa, it opens its darker, cherry-tree pink "foxglove" flowers on naked branches in early spring with the large, dinner-plate-sized, soft furry leaves appearing later. If cut nearly to the ground in spring, enormous leaves develop on the shoots sprouting from the soil. It does especially well in poor, impoverished and quite dry soil! ... Learn More

This truly spectacular tree produces large, pale mauve "foxglove" flowers on naked branches in early spring, the large, dinner-plate-sized, soft furry leaves appearing later. If cut to the ground in spring, enormous leaves develop on the shoots sprouting from the soil. It does especially well in poor, impoverished and quite dry soil! ... Learn More

Flowers consisting of pure white creased petals with a deep crimson centre, have the typical bunch of protruding pollen-covered anthers, typical of most in the mallow family. The plant sends out equally long side branches which are thin and droopy, and with pruning, it can look like a normal shrub, but it spreads out annually and benefits from pruning. Foliage is a dark bluish green the leaves being notched slightly and are long and narrow. Native to Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, it is vigorous and most attractive, but it should be grown with consideration as the seeds may be invasive. ... Learn More