Grasses have become something of a fashion statement in gardening around the world and rightly so as no other group of plants can give the textural look one can get from grasses (although I have to say when seen with other strappy leafed plants in many modern gardens to the exclusion of all else it …
I love any plant with the elegance of Solomon’s Seal and this Chinese woodlander is very like an evergreen version. It grows to as much as 60cms. tall with arching stems and in my form soft lemon bells in spring hanging below the elegant stems. Unlike Solomon’s Seal it is evergreen and the stems branch …
If you are looking for a shrub that pays its way all year round it is hard to beat this form of North American Oak Leafed Hydrangea. It does everything that the species can do and then some. The large handsome leaves look good all year and as the autumn cold sets in they turn …
This shade loving woodland perennial from Taiwan is from a Genus only just making some impact in horticulture. It is evergreen and grows to about 20cms. tall and is related to Polygonatum (Solomon’s Seal) and looks very like a small evergreen version. Its arching stems produce nodding white bells in spring with an almost black …
We are all familiar with such South African bulbs as Gladiolus, Babiana and Freesia even though most of us have no idea of the diversity within these three Genera but how many of you have heard of the Genus Geissorhiza? They can be charming and easy going small bulbs ideal for pots or the sunny …
The Kauri trees of the Southern Hemisphere aren’t usually the first things that come to mind when looking for interesting plants for the garden after all they are usually very tall growing trees. Although they are conifers their large leaves would suggest that they are something else. So why bother? Well many of the species …
The Crazy Filbert has to be one of the best conversation piece plants you could have in your garden especially for its winter effect. It will eventually become a large shrub and its main claim to fame are the twisted contorted branches which in late winter are festooned with pale yellow catkins. No one can …