Opuntia ficus-indica is a species of cactus that has long been a domesticated crop plant important in agricultural economies throughout arid and semi-arid parts of the world and is thought to possibly be native to Mexico. Flowers vary from red to yellow, all producing sweet, succulent, but pippy fruits. ... Learn More

Common in the tundra of the Arctic grows this densely-tufted plant with flowers which are small and green, ageing to reddish, and grouped in an open upright cluster, before ripening to dense red tufts holding the seeds. This astonishingly hardy plant, to Zone 2 in the USA, has attractive, fleshy, kidney-shaped leaves which are very tasty. Indeed I have eaten these tasty leaves, high in vitamin C, high on the Scottish mountains in the UK where it maintains a foothold. ... Learn More

Tufted and stemless white to red-purple flowers open on upright stems above a compact cushion of ferny compound leaves growing from a persistent woody base. This alpine plant is found at high elevations in gravelly, well-drained locations, screes, bare slopes and alpine fellfields up to 4100m in California to Alaska and eastwards to Colorado and Quebec. It is unique within its genus by virtue of its viscid, 'sticky with glandular warts', bracts and inflorescence. ... Learn More

This is the first paeony to flower in spring and you could grow it just for its attractive leaves, which appear in February and are a greyish-green pewter colour, with beetroot-red veins and stems. In March the large flowers open and are from mauve to pink. It truly is the first really glamorous plant of the year and sets very few good viable seeds. ... Learn More

This very long-lived plant makes hundreds of single, bowl-shaped, yellow-eyed flowers from red to deepest burgundy. In time this herbaceous shrub makes an imposing, many branched, deciduous tree, which is well worth waiting for. ... Learn More

This beautiful spring plant produces red shoots with a crystalline dusting, which emerge in early April, soon followed by egg-shaped leaves that mature to a dark, reddish green. Chalice-like, single, deepest pink flowers with yellow anthers and purple filaments, mature to large seed-pods holding metallic-blue, pea-sized fertile seeds and holly-berry red un-fertilized seeds. ... Learn More

This rare and lovely plant, which is attractive from spring until autumn, is often confused with P. japonica, which bears similar flowers but blooms later. Red shoots with a crystalline dusting emerge in early April followed by long, egg-shaped leaves that mature to a dark, reddish green. Each stem bears a 2-3 inch diameter, chalice-like, single, pure-white flower with yellow anthers and purple filaments. Later, mature seed pods open revealing metallic-blue, pea-sized fertile seeds, and holly-berry red infertile seeds. ... Learn More

This truly desirable plant has divided blue-green leaves and superb, large, bowl-shaped flowers of dazzling, deepest rose-red. It is a highly esteemed early-flowering plant, for well-drained fertile soil in half shade. Long -lived and bone hardy, it is a plant for life, increasing in size each year. ... Learn More

Glossy, ruby-red bowls with pink or red filaments, and golden anthers, are held over deeply cleft, glossy-green leaves. This is one of the most sumptuous and desirable of all of this group of choice plants as it will slowly spread, unlike most other species which only make a congested clump. ... Learn More

This unusual peony is native to eastern Europe from Serbia across the Ukraine to the Caucasus mountains, but was first noted in cultivation in England in the mid 18th century. This plant has finely divided fern-like leaves which explain it's common name. The deep cup shaped scented flowers vary from deep red to almost pink colour with a yellow centre of tightly bunched stamen. ... Learn More

This amazing exotic tree produces branched aerial roots which arise from the lower trunk. Terminal sprays of long, attractive, dark green leaves, which can be more than 2 meters long, have sharp curved prickles on the margin and the midrib. Several incredible golden-yellow flower spathes, the lowest being up to 1 m long, produce the compound cone-like fruit consisting of several fleshy drupes, bright orange-red when ripe, and up to 15-25 cm long. Found in Nepal and Sikkim, at altitudes of 700-1000 m, the flowers are traditionally worn by girls in their hair to win their lovers, and it is repu ... Learn More

An absolutely majestic grass forming an upright clump of red-tipped, grey-green leaves above which rise large spires of dancing seed heads, consisting of constantly-dividing gossamer threads holding the large black seeds. This is a truly superb plant and one of the most impressive solitary grasses when grown in a prominent position. ... Learn More

Large deep red flowers with black blotches on the bases of the petals, open at the ends of quite short hairy stems. Broadcast the seeds where needed in borders or it can it be grown as a rockery plant or alpine. (RHS AGM winner) ... Learn More

This tough, rare variant of Papaver orientale has smaller, blood-red, black-eyed flowers with just 4-5 cm long petals, atop short, thick, hairy stems, which are erect rather than floppy. A beautiful, rarely offered flower, it is native to eastern Turkey (Lazistan to Cappodocia), the Caucasus, and the northern and north-western part of Iran where it grows in meadows, forest glades and rocky slopes at altitudes up to 1450 m above sea level. ... Learn More

The classic Oriental Poppy, 'Brilliant' provides an exotic display of huge, black-centred, fiery scarlet-red blooms in late spring and early summer. Few flowers can equal these poppies for their simplicity of 'sow and forget'. Nearly all will flower in the first year from sowing, then the plants form a low clump of coarse, hairy leaves, and usually go dormant, disappearing completely by late summer to reappear the following year. A striking plant for the border. ... Learn More