A gorgeous form of this multi-value plant which has bright green bamboo-like stems in winter, along with delicate, white pendent flowers amidst tasselled, ruby-coloured bracts in summer. Finally, in autumn, soft bunches of purple-brown caramel flavoured berries (loved by birds) appear. But this new form also has the most gorgeous crimson-tinged bright golden leaves. Coming completely true from seed this exciting new plant is perfect to brighten up a shady corner. ... Learn More

This multi-value plant leaves its bright green bamboo-like stems in winter, but opens delicate white pendent flowers amidst tasselled, ruby-coloured bracts in summer. Soft bunches of purple-brown caramel flavoured berries (also loved by birds) appear in autumn. ... Learn More

This dwarf, evergreen shrub opens its bright yellow flowers successively over a very long period throughout late spring and summer. It will do best in a hot sunny spot and is completely frost hardy. ... Learn More

This much-loved fan palm has been popular since Victorian times and makes a superb potted palm for the home or terrace. In warmer climates over a period of years it grows into a handsome, medium-sized tree with a slender trunk and is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical specialty plant nursery industry for use as an ornamental tree in gardens and conservatories. The broad, lime green leaves have elegantly drooping and curled tips, which gives rise to its other name, "Fountain palm." The fruits, which are produced in large numbers, are an attractive bright blue. It shows a good tolerance to cold and frost and may be used in the sheltered temperate garden, but will also happily accept hot and humid tropical condition. The common name is something of a misnomer since it is actually native to Japan's Ryukyu Islands and Volcano Islands and also is native to Southern Japan, Taiwan and several islands in the South China Sea. ... Learn More

Dark, blood-red flowers are followed by large numbers of cherry-red berries which are sprinkled liberally over the entire plant giving a pleasing effect. Cultivated since the 16th Century, this attractive deciduous shrub has dark green, shining leaves, and is found in the wild in woods and stony places in the mountains of Europe. Normally a medium-sized shrub, it can be easily clipped to maintain its dwarf stature, under 3ft if required, making it a good hedging plant. ... Learn More

The commonly-grown evergreen form, best known for making quick-growing hedges, is always sterile. This rare mutant produces white flowers which later become attractive, bright purple berries, covering the entire stems in August and September, and if neatly trained makes a most attractive standard. ... Learn More

From a low dome of tiny, silky, silvery blue-green "lupin" leaves, arise short, stumpy spikes of blue and white flowers. This little gem looks exotic and tender, but is completely frost-hardy, but if pot grown, and starved, can win many a prize! Very few viable seeds have been collected. ... Learn More

Lupinus versicolor with a spreading dwarf habit, has crossed in our gardens with the large tree lupins producing plants with an astonishing range of habits, from prostrate to erect bushes. Flowers are blue, white or pale yellow. ... Learn More

This spreading, deciduous shrub blooms from late spring to late summer, with superb, white fragrant blossoms. It is best grown where the nodding flowers which have rich rose-red stamens can be admired from below. Very few fertile seeeds collected. ... Learn More

This breathtakingly beautiful species bears nodding blooms which open as pure white cups with rosy-purple or crimson stamens, later opening fully like bone-china saucers. Introduced from China nearly a century ago, it is also fortunately lime-tolerant. ... Learn More

One of the most common fruits in temperate climates. The wild apple has been collected for thousands of years and later bred in many different lines each with their own desired characteristics. ... Learn More

Unlike the common garden stocks, the white form of the fragrant tree stock is rarely encountered. Slowly, with age, it develops a trunk supporting several radiating rosettes of grey lanceolate leaves, each rosette producing spikes of sweetly perfumed white flowers. It is hardy and long lived in a sheltered well-drained spot. ... Learn More

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 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