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’
A distinctive Japanese sedge with arching green leaves. Carex oshimensis 'Evergreen' 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 ‘Evergreen’
These new carnations have been beautifully bred to produce a wealth of long-stemmed and perfumed cut-flowers for the vase from spring until autumn. These grow very well in a sunny border with only modest watering in the driest of times. Read more about Carnations
‘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’
‘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’
‘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 stems. Read more about Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Liberty’
‘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’
The dense carpet of silver grey leaves is smothered by pure white flowers during the warmer months. Happy in any sunny well drained spot and is drought hardy once established. 10cm tall by 60cm across. Read more about Cerastium tomentosum var. columnae ‘Snow Carpet’
Famously the leaves of this plant are the source of Labdanum Essential Oil which has a warm sweet, musky, amber scent. Large white flowers with purple brush strokes at the centre are produced on an evergreen shrub well clothed in dark green sticky leaves. Read more about Cistus ladanifer
This tough climber has been cultivated in England for 400 years. Vigorous, long lived and easy to grow some plants in our garden are 20 years old. We grow it both on a trellis and climbing through a Rubus ‘Benenden’. Read more about Clematis viticella
A new US import bred for its stunning early flowers that appear in October here, many weeks ahead of most cultivars of the type. There can hardly be a better carpeting plant for Australian gardens than Convolvulus sabatius. Read more about Convolvulus sabatius ‘Early Blue’
There can hardly be a better carpeting plant than this north African plant. Convolvulus ‘L.A. Form’ is an especially large flowered variety imported from California. The silvery-blue, moon shaped, upward facing flowers cover the trailing stems from spring until late autumn. Read more about Convolvulus sabatius ‘L.A. Form’
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
Cotoneaster dammeri is one of the best of all evergreen ground covers. It makes a mat of small dark green leathery leaves and its prostrate stems root where they touch the soil. Its flowers are fragrant and during autumn and winter the bright red berries are showy. Read more about Cotoneaster dammeri
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’
