MOST POPULAR In his fine book “Guide To Plants” Paul Bangay writes that “I use this in all my gardens as it is such a long-flowering plant and has a very distinct and unusual flower colour”. Read more about Agastache ‘Sweet Lili’
This super frost hardy aloe relative from Southern Africa makes a shrub some 150cm tall by as much wide shrub. The striated stems are well clothed with narrow dark green succulent leaves. Read more about Aloiampelos striatula
Featured in our pear walk and one of the loveliest of all the flowers in the garden this outstanding cultivar makes metre tall stems topped by glistening pure white flowers from late summer until well into the autumn. Cut back all the way to the ground after flowering. Read more about Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’
Collected in Crete this form is a very neat and tidy Ballota unlike its taller sprawlier relatives. It makes a rounded evergreen shrub clothed from top to bottom with round, thickly felted grey leaves. The removal of spent flower stems is all the care required. Read more about Ballota pseudodictamnus ‘Nana’
Huge orange trumpets dangle from tall leafy stems during the warmer periods. Not frost hardy so best grown in a large pot in frosty areas. When happy it will grow 2-3 metres tall. Read more about Brugmansia ‘Burnt Orange’
Huge soft watermelon trumpets dangle from tall leafy stems during the warmer periods. Not frost hardy so best grown in a large pot in frosty areas. When happy it will grow 2-3 metres tall. Read more about Brugmansia ‘Frilly Pink’
This drought tolerant shrub is grown as much for its handsome foliage as for its flowers, pretty though they are. In our dry climate garden it has made an upright shrub some 200cm x 180cm. The new leaves are like white felt which as they age turn grey. Read more about Buddleja crispa
In his superb book Guide To Plants Paul Bangay writes that this ornamental grass, which he has planted in his own garden, is "a stand-out plant that makes a huge statement when planted en masse...the first to flower and the last to finish". Read more about Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’
This beautiful, vigorous carpeting bell flower can be grown in light to full shade where it will soon cover a fair area with its pale green evergreen foliage. Sprays of pure white thimbles make a terrific show during spring and early summer. 15cm tall by 50cm wide. Read more about Campanula poscharskyana ‘Alba’
A distinctive Japanese sedge with arching green leaves. Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' is beautiful in a pot as well as making a dense groundcover. It will grow in a difficult courtyard and small city garden if well irrigated. Read more about Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’
This is the only perpetual flowering Chrysanthemum I’ve ever grown. From spring until early winter and beyond this plant produces a continual display of small bronze-red flowers. I grew it in pots at the front door last season but it is just as happy in the garden. Read more about Chrysanthemum ‘Buninyong Bronze’
This late winter flowering gem carries fragrant soft yellow catkins on gracefully arching bare stems. Its soft green leaves turn to butter yellow in autumn. Best in a well watered shady spot in hot districts although happy in full sun in mild hills gardens. Read more about Corylopsis sinensis
Plants which thrive in dry shade are few and far between. Cotyledon ‘Silver Shadow’ with its intensely silver white succulent leaves lightens an otherwise gloomy corner between and under two cypresses in the dry garden. 50cm x 60cm. Read more about Cotyledon orbiculata ‘Silver Shadow’
Crepe myrtles flower through the most awful of summer heatwaves and once established they are happy with little or no supplementary watering. Read more about Crepe Myrtle Trees
Crepe Myrtles will flower even during the hottest summers they are so tough. ‘Hopi’ is a relatively dwarf variety growing 2 metres tall by 3 metres wide. During summer and early autumn it is covered by large clusters of deep pink flowers. Read more about Lagerstroemia indica x faurii ‘Hopi’
This new carnation selection has been bred to produce a wealth of flowers from spring until autumn. ‘Ambrose’ carries large classical carnations in a beautiful pink shade on long stems. When planted 30cm apart in full sun or light shade ‘Ambrose’ will grow 60-80cm tall. Read more about Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Ambrose’
This new carnation selection has been bred to produce a wealth of flowers from spring until autumn. ‘Carole’ carries large classical carnations in a beautiful burgundy shade on long stems. When planted 30cm apart in full sun or light shade ‘Carole’ will grow 60-80cm tall. Read more about Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Carole’
This new carnation selection has been bred to produce a wealth of flowers from spring until autumn. ‘Liberty’ carries large classical lemon carnations on long stems. When planted 30cm apart in full sun or light shade ‘Liberty’ will grow 60-80cm tall. Read more about Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Liberty’
This new carnation selection has been bred to produce a wealth of flowers from spring until autumn. ‘White Liberty’ carries large classical white carnations on long stems. When planted 30cm apart in full sun or light shade ‘White Liberty’ will grow 60-80cm tall. Read more about Dianthus caryophyllus ‘White Liberty’
A native of dry, rocky places in south western Europe. This beautiful Dianthus carries round heads of crimson purple flowers on 35cm tall stems above low grassy filiage mounds. Happy in any sunny well drined position. 35cm x 20cm Read more about Dianthus cruentus ‘Blood Pink’
There can’t be a finer berried shrub than this when it’s in full autumn glory. Masses of deep pink, almost red berries, make such a spectacular display that visitors to the garden invariably rave about it. Read more about Euonymus europeus ‘Red Cascade’
Grown from seed collected by the Archibalds in Greece “… north of Sparta” this form of Euphorbia rigida starts flowering in the middle of winter with large heads of lime green. The bracts age to crimson during the early spring months. Read more about Euphorbia rigida
This is one of the best groundcovers for dry shade where it will make suckering 40 cm tall evergreen stems clothed in handsome blue-green foliage. During spring the whole is covered by heads of lime green flowers. Read more about Euphorbia robbiae
One of our best plants for shade, even dry shade when established. Francoa ramosa is the longest flowered of all the bridal wreaths. Long wands densely packed with showy white flowers are produced during summer and autumn over low mounds of evergreen foliage. Read more about Francoa ramosa
This fine evergreen shade lover makes large rosettes of large crinkly light green leaves some 30cm tall by 60cm across. During spring 100-120cm tall stiff stems carry dozens of large round pink flowers. Best in full shade even quite dry when once established. Read more about Francoa sonchifolia
NEW A fabulous foliage plant for a shady spot even relatively dry shade or sunny when once established although it is native to the mountains of southern Mexico where it does get regular rainfall. Read more about Furcraea quicheensis
