Acacia baileyana 'Purpurea'
Unique and highly ornamental large shrub or small tree for a very sheltered site in full sun. Bright blue-green leaves with new growth deep plum-purple through the growing season. Golden yellow 'Mimosa' flowers in early spring. Easy in a pot, can be hard pruned every year. Takes a fair amount of frost, though is best sited sensibly. My best selling plant by far.

Acacia dealbata var. subalpina
The hardiest form of true mimosa collected at high altitude. A vigorous, evergreen small tree to be tried in a sheltered spot, covered in clouds of bright yellow, scented flowers in late winter. Beautiful ferny, grey-green foliage. Can be hard pruned, coppiced or pollarded. Will often sprout from the base if cut back by a very hard winter.

Acacia kybeanensis
This rare little species forms a smallish bushy, evergreen shrub with narrow, grey-green, willow-like foliage. The typical bright yellow Acacia flowers are borne in early spring. Proving fairly hardy, and worth a sheltered position in full sun and well drained soil.

Acacia pravissima
One of the hardiest Acacias, usually best in a sunny sheltered spot. A large evergreen shrub with arching growth and distinctive triangular foliage, covered in bright yellow, fragrant 'mimosa' flowers in very early spring. Very vigorous, like most Acacia. I grew this successfully in a high Cotswold garden against a SW wall.

Acacia rubida
Ferny juvenile foliage gives way to adult phyllodes edged with a thin red line on this fairly hardy and rarely seen species. Light yellow mimosa-like flowers are seen in early spring. Makes a large shrub with dark red stems, though can be pruned hard to keep smaller. For a sunny, well drained, preferably sheltered position.

Acanthus mollis var. latifolius
Bear's Breeches. Extra big, wide, glossy green leaves and spires of soft mauve and white flowers on stems to 2m high. Sun or shade, dry if you like, can cope with most situations.

Acer capillipes
One of the finest 'Snake-bark' maples, hailing from Japan. It grows quickly into a small tree with a spreading crown, and highly attractive green and white striated bark. The bright green three lobed leaves emerge with orange red tints and return to those colours for autumn. Dangling racemes of flowers and fruit are conspicuous.

Acer capillipes 'Gimborn'
A selection or possibly hybrid of this excellent Snakebark maple. The leaves are exceptionally broad for the species, up to 12cm across, with 5 shallow lobes, turning golden yellow in autumn. Very beautifully and clearly striped green and white bark on a fast growing medium sized tree with an arching, spreading, graceful branch formation. Hardy, easy.

Acer cappadocicum subsp. lobelii
A neglected and rarely seen fast growing medium to large tree with handsome foliage and ascending branches forming a tight upright crown, broadening with age. Very tolerant and easy.

Acer cappadocicum subsp. sinicum
A very attractive and unusual hardy maple from China with 5 lobed leaves copper-red when young and red fruit in autumn. Quite different from the typical form. Eventually reaches about 50ft. Tough and easy.

Acer caudatifolium
A very rare snake-bark maple collected in the mountains of Taiwan, making a very graceful, hardy small tree of spreading habit with long thin taper pointed leaves and white-striped green bark.

Acer davidii 'Karmen'
This comparatively new form of snake-bark maple was selected in Holland for its new foliage, which surprisingly emerges a glistening chocolate-brown in spring, later turning reddish-green, then yellow or orange in autumn. The mature leaves are narrowly oblong, and the bark is conspicuously striped white. A fast growing, small to medium, open branched tree.

Acer davidii 'Serpentine'
Another snake-bark maple, this time a very pretty diminutive form making a densely branched large shrub or small tree. The foliage is small and elegant, turning to yellow or orange in autumn, and the bark is superb, purplish-green with conspicuous white striping. Suitable for any reasonable soil

Acer elegantulum
This Chinese species was only introduced about 1990 and is as yet very rarely seen in the West. It makes a small tree with, as the name suggests, rather lovely foliage, emerging light purple, becoming green later. The leaves are deeply lobed, looking similar to some forms of A. campbellii. Hardy throughout much of the UK.

Acer fulvescens var. pentalobum Sich 731
This collection from Sichuan, SW China is referred to as A. longipes by some botanists. It is a handsome, vigorous thing with 5 lobed leaves up to about 15cm across on red shoots, the leaves with red petioles. Should have good yellow autumn colour. It has made a small tree near here in 10yrs. Hardy though very rarely seen.

Acer griseum
The Paper Bark Maple is one of the most attractive of all small trees with a very long season of interest. Very beautiful cinnamon-orange bark peeling off in thin papery pieces, and fine, yellow orange and red autumn colour are its principal attractions. Very tolerant and easy even on thin chalky soils. Not fast but lovely even when small.

Acer grosseri var. hersii
A 'snakebark' maple with wonderfully marbled green and white bark, making a small tree with rich autumn colour of yellow/orange/red, and conspicuous, long racemes of winged seeds. Any ordinary soil.

Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium'
A form of this bushy small tree with deeply dissected foliage turning a rich ruby-crimson in autumn. Delicate drooping clusters of red flowers with yellow anthers appear with the leaves in spring. Any fairly good soil in a not too exposed place.

Acer japonicum 'Vitifolium'
A bold leaved selection of this Japanese maple. Very handsome vine like foliage colours brilliantly in autumn turning red orange or yellow. Makes a hardy, bushy, small tree with attractive drooping clusters of purplish red flowers with yellow anthers appearing with the leaves in spring. Any fairly good soil in a not too exposed place

Acer micranthum
A wonderful maple from Japan, rarely seen in the UK, with handsome, deeply lobed and finely dissected foliage, beautifully tinted red on the new growth throughout the season, turning bright scarlet and orange in autumn. Makes a small tree for any ordinary soil. Equal, or superior, to any Acer palmatum, depending on your standpoint.

Acer mono var mayrii  Akagi 448.91
This is wild source material of this very rare variety from Japan. The quietly attractive maple foliage turns to a rather lovely soft orange in autumn on this hardy medium sized tree.

Acer morifolium
This snakebark maple from Southern Japan is still very new to cultivation and very rarely seen. Near here it has made a very vigorous, round headed small tree with striated bark and rather richly red tinted new growth. Autumn colour should be yellow.

Acer negundo subsp. mexicanum F&M 48
This is possibly this extremely rare form. Collected high near Pico de Orizaba, Puebla, Mexico, this southerly race makes a handsome young plant, with red-bronze stained new growth opening to leaves with 3 to 5 leaflets so far. Leaf petioles are bright red and the young stems are violet covered with a white bloom. Attractive flower tassels in spring.

Acer palmatum 'Beni-tsukasa'
Slow growing, densely branched vase shaped shrub eventually reaching about 3-4m. Spectacular salmon-pink, red and greenish foliage turns somewhat greener in summer.

Acer palmatum 'Burgundy Lace'
A wide spreading heavily branched shrub up to 6m eventually, deeply divided foliage with dissected margins is a good deep red, holding through the summer.

Acer palmatum 'Filigree'
A slow growing dwarf dissectum type only attaining 2m high after very many years. The leaves are bright green and very finely dissected, turning yellow in autumn. Suitable for pot or garden. A fine cultivar of its type.

Acer palmatum 'Fireglow'
A fine form similar to, but sometimes considered an improvement on, 'Bloodgood', though never as large. Makes a large shrub or small tree after very many years with very richly couloured deep red-purple foliage which holds its colour very well throughout summer, turning to brilliant glowing crimson in autumn. The spring flush of leaves is a bright pink-red.

Acer palmatum 'Ichigyôji'
Regarded as an equal to the glowing red of 'Ôsakazuki', this form has large bright green leaves that turn to intense, brilliant yellow or orange-yellow in autumn. Makes a bushy shrub up to 6m high eventually but responds well to pruning.

Acer palmatum 'Inaba-shidare'
Strong growing mushroom shaped dissectum type with very dark, wine-red foliage which doesn't fade in summer. A wide spreading dome to 3m eventually.

Acer palmatum 'Mapi-no-machihime'
A dwarf form with lovely, small, star-like green leaves edged orange-red in spring turning green then completely orange-red in autumn. After many years this dense rounded bushy shrub will reach about 2m.

Acer palmatum 'O-kagami'
Beautiful purplish-red new foliage deepens to a shiny blackish red through summer changing to various tones of red and scarlet in autumn. Makes an upright small tree to about 5m after many years.

Acer palmatum 'Okushimo'
Known in Japan as The Pepper and Salt Leaf. Three outstanding features distinguish this plant: Odd shaped foliage, sweeping upright growth form and rich yellow autumn colour. Strong growing to about 7m after very many years, with a narrow vase shaped crown. Any reasonable soil.

Acer palmatum 'Ôsakazuki'
A well known hardy, strong growing cultivar making a small, round headed tree eventually reaching about 8m after many decades. Comparatively large green leaves turn to an intense crimson in autumn, possibly the strongest colour of all maples. Any reasonable soil.

Acer palmatum 'Sango-Kaku'
The Coral Bark Maple. A small tree of upright growth with the young branches and twigs a very conspicuous, fiery, coral-red in winter. Autumn colour is bright golden-yellow.

Acer palmatum 'Sazanami'
This form is distinct in its sharply pointed, deeply divided and serrated foliage giving an unusual appearance, with the leaves emerging light orange-red in spring, turning rich green in late summer and changing to strong gold blends in autumn. A strong growing form making a small tree eventually.

Acer palmatum 'Seigen'
A dwarf multi-branched bush to about 2m after many years, with long lasting, bright, fire-red, dainty new foliage in spring, turning light green in summer then yellow to orange-yellow in autumn.

Acer palmatum 'Seiryu'
Very unusual for a dissectum, this form is an upright grower forming a large shrub or small tree after many years. The foliage is bright green turning to a very lovely mixture of bright gold with crimson edges in autumn. Together with the frothy dissected foliage this makes a gorgeous effect.

Acer palmatum 'Trompenburg'
Rich, deep purple-red leaves have very distinctive wide spreading lobes with margins curled under. Autumn colour crimson. Makes a wide spreading small tree eventually. A very popular new-ish cultivar.

Acer palmatum 'Villa Taranto'
A dome shaped bush eventually to about 3m high, the leaves with very long, very narrow, parallel sided lobes, emerging orange-crimson and turning to a unique green with a light reddish overtone. Autumn colour is yellow to gold. A very distinct clone.

Acer rubescens
Otherwise known as A. morrisonense, this rarely offered snake bark maple from the mountains of Taiwan grows into a small, spreading tree with white striped green bark. Attractive foliage, lobed and toothed with a fine point, on red stalks. Any ordinary soil.

Acer rufinerve 'Erythrocladum'
This form of an otherwise superb Snakebark maple has visual affinities to the more widely known Acer pensylvanicum 'Erythrocladum'. Like it, it is a joy in winter when the pale yellow summer twigs turn to a glowing red, after a good display of autumn leaf colour. Like the normal form this will make a small to medium sized tree for most soils and situations.

Acer sempervirens
A rarely obtainable, slow growing, semi-evergreen large shrub or small tree from the Eastern Mediterranean with variously lobed, comparatively small, leathery leaves, often held until Christmas. Hardy at least in the southern half of England, where it probably enjoys the warmer summers. A fine old specimen grows near here.

Acer shirasawanum 'Aureum'
'Golden Full Moon Maple'. A very distinct and slow growing Japanese maple, with leaves bright, glowing yellow in spring, turning yellow-green as the season progresses, with often very fine orange and red autumn colour. Will make a shrub over time and a small tree after 150 years.

Acer sterculiaceum
A very rare and remarkable hardy Himalayan maple, with very large palmately lobed leaves flushed red when emerging. Racemes of large flowers in spring followed by drooping clusters of substantial fruits. Usually colours well in autumn. Will make a fairly big tree eventually, happiest in a reasonably sheltered position. Very special.

Acer 'White Tigress'
A superb new Snakebark Maple hybrid from the USA making a bushy little tree with highly ornamental blue-green and white striated bark and big, 5 lobed leaves, turning yellow in autumn when the fruits hang in large red-stalked clusters. Sun or semi-shade in any ordinary soil.

Acer x conspicuum 'Silver Vein'
A hybrid 'snakebark maple' raised by Hillier in the early 60's. This is a vigorous plant, but still only makes a small tree with branches spreading and arching out at the top. Very fine green and white striped bark turns a lovely, and fairly indescribable, somewhat redder tone in winter. Large leaves on red stalks turn butter-yellow in autumn.

Achillea 'Fanal'
Scarlet flowers in summer, feathery foliage. Height to 60cm, sun. Syn. 'The Beacon'

Achillea 'Forncett Citrus'
Large heads of good-sized flowers in a beautiful shade of palest yellow. Height 75cm. Sun.

Achillea 'Marmalade'
Flower heads a blend of yellows and oranges. Height 60cm. Sun.

Achillea 'Schwellenburg'
Clumps of low silvery grey foliage. Hard, dense, yellow heads in summer. Height 30cm. Sun and drainage. Uncommon.

Achillea 'Summerwine'
Large heads of wine-red flowers over a long season. Height to 70cm. Sun.

Achillea 'Walther Funcke'
Flower heads of a brown-tinted orange-red, fading yellow. Height 60cm. Sun.

Aconitum 'Blue Opal'
	Large pale blue flowers on stout 1m stems 	in late summer. Sun or part shad. 	A really excellent variety.

Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii'
Rich blue monkshood flowers on upright stems in late summer. Height 120cm. Sun or shade. Poisonous if eaten. Very easy, tough, bulks up well.

Aconitum napiforme BSWJ943
Deep blue monkshood flowers on 60cm stems in autumn. Clumps up well. Sun or part shade. Poisonous.

Aconitum wilsonii grey blue form
Pale grey blue monkshood flowers in late summer. Height to 1m. Sun or pt shade, not too dry. Poisonous if eaten.

Acradenia frankliniae
A very unusual evergreen from Tasmania. This Choisya relative makes an upright small to medium sized shrub with three fingered aromatic foliage and flat clusters of white flowers in May, and occasionally again in autumn. Proving hardy so far but best in a not too cold spot.

Actaea matsumurae 'White Pearl'
Bug Bane. A lovely sight in late summer when these send up their tall spikes of scented white flowers to about 1.5m over prettily dissected bright green foliage. Prefers a moist-ish, shady-ish site.

Actaea simplex Atropurpurea group (Very dark)
Deep purple, almost black, leaves perfectly offsetting tall spikes of scented white flowers, late summer. 150cm. Pt shade.

Actinidia deliciosa 'Solo'
A hermaphrodite form of the 'Kiwi fruit' or 'Chinese Gooseberry', avoiding the need for both male and female plants. Very vigorous, hairy, twining stems cover walls or buildings easily and quickly with luxuriant foliage and a crop of juicy fruits come in late summer. A hardy deciduous climber, best on a warm wall for fruit production.

Actinidia kolomikta
Can't be mistaken for anything else, this well known twining climber is best known for it's striking temporarily variegated foliage, pink, white and green in spring, turning to fully green over the summer. However it also has sweetly scented creamy flowers hidden amongst the foliage. Easy and hardy reaching about 5m with suitable support. Sun or semi-shade.

Actinidia pilosula
A lovely, vigorous climber from China, with narrow, taper pointed leaves tipped with a conspicuous, variably sized silvery-white blotch, as if dipped in paint. Coral-pink saucer shaped flowers in spring. Climbs by twining stems so needs support. Sun or semi-shade and any reasonable soil.

Adiantum aleuticum 'Imbricatum'
Aleutian Maidenhair. Very similar to the lovely A. pedatum, but found on the Western coast of the USA and Japan. Forms clumps of highly attractive, much divided fronds with distinctive triangular segments. Much tougher than they appear, these ferns can tolerate quite dry shade once established. This form is dwarfer than the norm. Very hardy. Height 15-30cm.

Adiantum aleuticum 'Subpumilum'
A very diminutive form of the Aleutian Maidenhair reaching only 7-15cm high. It has the most wonderful congested, though highly divided fronds. More suitable for an exposed position.

Adiantum venustum
A very hardy and beautiful Maidenhair fern, slowly creeping to form a patch of delicate fronds. New fronds emerge pink early in the spring. Ht 30cm. Very tough, in dry-ish or moist humusy soil in semi-shade.

Aesculus californica
'Californian Buckeye'. A superb, but totally neglected, very dwarf Horse Chestnut making a small spreading tree with fragrant white flowers tinted pink in dense erect panicles in mid summer. Small, neat, very attractive foliage emerges very early in the season, though is not affected by frost. Hardy and drought tolerant. In my top 10 trees.

Aesculus indica 'Sydney Pearce'
This selected form of the species was raised at Kew in 1928 and has a tendency for better flowers and more of them. A large tree, but not as big as the common Horse Chestnut, with far more refined foliage and much later, tall slim candles of pink-flushed, white flowers in June/July. Easy virtually anywhere, but at its very best with a little shelter from others.

Aesculus parviflora
A shrubby horse-chestnut from the south eastern USA reaching only 2-3m, forming in time a wide, multi-stemmed bush. Very attractive, erect, bottle-brush-like panicles of white flowers in abundance in late July, followed by butter-yellow autumn colour. Any ordinary soil, sun/semi-shade.

Agapanthus Ardernei Hybrid
An African Lily with large heads of pure white flowers in summer. Height 70cm. Sun.

Agapanthus 'Blue Giant'
Large heads of mid-blue flowers on upright stems to 1.2m. Sunny position.

Agapanthus 'Buckingham Palace'
Round heads of deep blue flowers on stems to 1.5m in summer. Sun. Scarce and slow to propagate.

Agapanthus campanulatus
This is wild source material originally collected Howick, Natal, South Africa. A lovely species with mid-sized heads of bright blue flowers on stems to about 60cm. Hardy. Sun.

Agapanthus campanulatus subsp. patens
Probably the hardiest species. Stems to 60cm with heads of bright blue flowers with wide spreading petals. Grey-green foliage. Sun.

Agapanthus caulescens
Raised from African seed, these should be the real thing. Good blue flowers on stems up to about 1m. This species is distinctly trunk forming. Deciduous and hardy.

Agapanthus caulescens ssp. angustifolius
Umbels of blue flowers in high summer on upright 1m stems. Foliage on long-necked shoots. Deciduous. Sunny position.

Agapanthus inapertus
Clear blue, rather drooping flowers in large heads on stout 1.2m stems. For a sunny position.

Agapanthus 'Jack's Blue'
Tall, impressive, vigorous variety to 1.5m. Deep purple-blue flowers in summer. Sun.

Agapanthus 'Mooreanus'
An old dwarf variety with pale blue flowers on short stems. Different, pretty and reliable. Sun.

Agapanthus praecox 'Flore Pleno'
Deep blue double flowers, like great fat buds. Height 60cm. Evergreen, so keep nearly frost-free in winter.

Agapanthus praecox 'Vittatus'
Striking cream variegation, blue flowers. Height 60cm. Evergreen, so best in a pot with winter protection.

Agapanthus 'Sandringham'
A semi-dwarf, with heads of very dark blue flowers in summer. Height to 60cm. Sun.

Agave aff. garciae-mendozae NJM 05.073
A pretty plant in the wild where it formed neat rosettes of green leaves edged and toothed in brown turning cream. Teeth comparatively large for the size of plant. Slim inflorescences to about 3.5m from a rosette approx. 60cm across. Hardiness unknown. Seed collected 2200m, Queretaro State, Mexico.

Agave americana subsp. protamericana
This is the rare wild type of the ubiquitous A. americana, which generally forms a smaller plant than the typically cultivated forms. Highly variable in the wild state, these will make plants with blue-green leaves and rosettes to at least 1m across with fearsome armoury. These are from Dr Arroyo, Nuevo Leon in NE Mexico.

Agave chrysantha
A very pale glaucous form of this unusual and potentially hardy species collected at 4700ft alt. near Globe, Arizona. Eventually forms an open rosette 3 to 5ft across. Try it outside in full sun and exceptionally well drained soil/rock when it is a reasonable size or enjoy it as a potted specimen. Should take down to -15c if dry.

Agave gentryi
Collected as seed at La Escondida, Nuevo Leon, NE Mexico, this plant appears to fit the description of this species, making a very beefy looking, chunky rosette of broad green, rigid, well armoured foliage of triangular form with long drawn out tips ending in a formidable spine. Very rare in cultivation in the UK. This should be quite hardy.

Agave gentryi F&M 213a
A green, smooth leaved species in the wild, though young plants are grey-green. Expect a robust specimen with fine form and sharp teeth! Considering their provenance, these will be rather hardy here in the UK given unhindered drainage. A very rare species in cultivation, this was collected as seed in the La Peņa Nevada mountains above Miquihuana, NE Mexico.

Agave gracilipes
Collected as seed in W Texas this is one of the rarest hardy species and forms plants to about 1m across composed of many comparatively slim, stiff, blue-green leaves. This species should be hardy to -26c if dry, so like Agave parryi and others, should be fairly easily growable outdoors in the UK in an exceptionally well drained bed.

Agave lechuguilla
Collected at Real de Catorce, San Luis Potosi, Mexico, at 2700m, this species forms a slim leaved plant and in this case with a central pale green stripe down the middle of each leaf. Never very big, it is worth experimenting with outside in poor, well drained ground or broken rock. Some forms of this species have proven quite easy and hardy. Very drought tolerant.

Agave mapisaga NJM 05.036
One of the true giants of the genus reaching to 2.5m high, but with very beautiful slim, long, guttered foliage, reminding one of a giant Medusa's head. Closely related to A. salminana and used by the Campesinos for making Pulque but far less commonly seen than that species in Mexico as it doesn't sucker so readily. Virtually unknown in the UK.

Agave montana F&M 221
Truly one of the most exciting plants in Mexico and an absolute gem of an Agave, forming a rosette of variably patterned and variably armed foliage of immense beauty, up to 1.5m across. These, from 3000m in the La Peņa Nevada Mountains will be some of the hardiest and easiest Agaves to grow in the UK, given a very well drained site in full sun .

Agave parryi JCA 1.035.000
One of the hardiest Agaves if given extremely well drained conditions, known to have survived for decades in cold inland gardens in the UK. A beautiful rounded clump of thick, tough, spine-tipped and toothed glaucous leaves, quite different and smaller growing than the common A. americana. For a raised bed in full sun. From Yavapai Co., AZ, USA.

Agave parryi large form
Seed collected from exceptionally large plants, with rigid, broad leaves in dense rosettes of up to 4ft across at over 7000ft in New Mexico at the North Eastern corner of its natural range. These should cope with cold down to minus 28c if dry, and will cope perfectly well outside in the UK in very well drained conditions This is most probably referable to the var. huachucensis.

Agave polyacantha F&M 120
A fairly soft, smooth leaved species related to A. celsii, with a line of fine red teeth lining each leaf. These were collected at the type locality for the var. xalapensis in Veracruz State, Mexico, so some may turn out to be that taxon, with larger teeth. Worthy of experimentation in mild coastal gardens and should be rather moisture tolerant considering its rainy home.

Agave scabra x americana NJM 05.057
A natural hybrid often found in the wild, these are from an area with some utterly superb plants. Glaucous to white-glaucous with rough undersides to the foliage and of course vicious teeth, often emerging from teat-like extensions to the leaf edges. Should make plants to about 1m across, and pretty hardy too. These are from W of Cd, Victoria, NE Mexico.

Agave scabra x americana subsp. protamericana
A natural hybrid often found in the wild, these often tend to sit nicely between the parents as regards their features, being glaucous to white-glaucous with rough undersides to the foliage and of course vicious teeth, often emerging from teat-like extensions to the leaf edges. Should make plants to about 1m across, with a fair degree of hardiness. These are from Dr Arroyo, NE Mexico.

Akebia quinata
A fast growing, semi-evergreen, twining climber for sun or semi-shade. Chocolate-purple, sweetly scented flowers in early summer, sometimes followed by big, dark-purple, sausage shaped fruit in autumn, especially if grown on a warm wall, though it is perfectly hardy without. Vigorous and easy.

Akebia quinata Cream form
A form of this fast growing, semi-evergreen, twining climber with the sweetly-scented flowers cream with a central maroon zone, quite different from the norm and in my opinion more attractive. Handsome foliage with 5 leaflets and, after a good year, big, dark-purple, sausage shaped fruit in autumn. Good for covering fences, arches or small trees.

Albizia julibrissin 'Rosea'
Unique among foliage plants hardy throughout southern UK and a real taste of warmer climes with its exceptionally beautiful, feathery, Mimosa like foliage and sprays of light pink, fine brush-like fragrant flowers in late summer on a large shrub or small tree with spreading, layered branches. An absolute gem for a warm sunny corner or sheltered courtyard.

Alchemilla ellenbeckii
A ground covering Lady's Mantle. Tiny evergreen leaves, red stems. Ordinary soils, sun or part shade.

Alchemilla iniquiformis
A mini-mollis! Many yellow-green flowers over a 30cm mound of leaves. Sunny position. Very easy.

Aloe polyphylla
A gem of the succulent world and admired across the globe for its incredible spiral leaf arrangement and hardiness. Forms a single, dense rosette up to 75cm across with the leaves arranged in a perfect spiral. The flowers are orange red and come on a branched inflorescence. For very freely drained but not dry soil in full sun with protection. Magnificent, and a great rarity.

Aloe striatula
A hardy Aloe!! Well almost. This is successfully grown outside throughout the SW but can also be grown further inland in a very sheltered, sunny, very, very well drained spot. Survived -15c in 1987 by regrowing from the base. Multi-stemmed to 1.5m high, topped by orange and yellow Kniphofia-like flowers in July over the succulent deep-green leaves.

Aloysia triphylla
Good old 'Lemon Verbena', which of course makes the nicest, purest, most refreshing and totally summery herbal tea in the world. I love it. Makes a small shrub for well drained soil against a sunny sheltered wall, where it can survive many a winter. Otherwise keep it in a pot and overwinter it inside or under glass without heat. Fabulous foliage fragrance.

Alstroemeria psittacina
Unusual, narrow throated, scarlet and green, spotted flowers in summer on stems to 1m. Sun or part-shade in good soil.

Alyogyne huegelii 'Santa Cruz'
Exquisitely beautiful large mallow flowers in an amazing shade of silvery-mauve with a dark eye, over deeply divided foliage, potentially at any time of year. Essentially a conservatory or cool greenhouse plant but hardy outside in mild areas. Sun.

Amorphophallus konjac
An awesome aroid, the 'Snake palm' or 'Devil's Tongue', producing a heavily dissected leaf up to 2m across on a white/pink/green mottled stalk. Massive funnel shaped, wavy edged, spotted, brown-green, bad smelling flower with a maroon spadix up to 1.1m appears after a few years. Treat like a Dahlia, lift in winter and store dry-ish. Just moist, half shade.

Ampelopsis aconitifolia 'Chinese Lace'
A vigorous climber attaching itself with curling tendrils. Lacy, very deeply divided foliage turns orange, yellow and red in autumn. Small orange-yellow fruit also produced in autumn. Any ordinary soil in sun or part shade.

Ampelopsis megalophylla
The leaves on this bold, strong, but not overly rampant deciduous climber can be huge, sometimes up to 60cm long, and are divided into many leaflets in a bipinnate arrangement. Bunches of purple then black fruit are borne in autumn, and can look quite effective if good pollination has occurred. Any ordinary soil. From W China.

Anemone hupehensis 'Bodnant Burgundy'
Mid-height (1m) Japanese anemone with deep reddish pink, multi-sepalled flowers. Sun or part shade.

Anemone hupehensis 'Bowles' Pink'
Japanese anemone: deep pink/purple bicoloured flowers in late summer. Height 60cm. Sun or shade.

Anemone hupehensis hupehensis alba
Rare and lovely. Pure white petals, flushed purple on reverse, late summer. Light shade, not too wet.

Anemone hupehensis japonica 'Pamina'
A lovely Japanese Anemone with semi- double, intense purple-pink flowers in late summer. 60cm. Sun or shade.

Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert'
Robust Japanese anemone with white single flowers in early autumn. Height 1.5m. Sun or shade.

Anemone x lipsiensis
A hybrid Wood Anemone with the loveliest sulphur-yellow flowers in spring. Height 10cm. Light shade.

Anthericum liliago var. major
Pure white flowers of good size on stems to 90cm, in early summer. Grassy leaves. Ordinary soil in sun.

Anthericum ramosum
Lots of starry white flowers on branched stems in summer. For fertile soil in a sunny position.

Araucaria angustifolia
A close relative of the Chilean and Argentinian Monkey Puzzle tree, this time from cool areas of S Brazil and looking more like Araucaria bidwillii from Australia. This rarity has definite potential in milder gardens of the British Isles and is known to possess a certain degree of hardiness.

Araucaria araucana
The Monkey Puzzle hardly needs an introduction. A most distinct large tree eventually with very spiny evergreen foliage encircling the branches. Like nothing else we can grow in this country, it makes an arresting sight, especially if planted en masse, for example in an avenue or group. Hardy and tolerant.

Arbutus 'Marina'
A stunning, but still rarely seen, new-ish hybrid Strawberry tree named after the Marina area of San Francisco. Wonderful peeling bark, changing from cinnamon-red to sandy-yellow in autumn, large glossy foliage, big clusters of red-stained white flowers in autumn, and vigorous growth. Best in a sheltered, sunny position in free draining soil.

Arbutus unedo f. rubra
This is the red flowered form of the common Strawberry Tree, bearing bunches of bright red-tinged white flowers in autumn simultaneously with the abundant, small, rounded wild strawberry-like fruit. Develops a gnarled appearance after many years with shredding bark. Good for exposed coastal sites but perfectly hardy inland.

Arbutus x andrachnoides
Hybrid Strawberry Tree. Truly one of the loveliest of small evergreen trees and one I would not be without. Very beautiful cinnamon-red peeling bark on usually very picturesque gnarled stems. Clusters of white flowers in late autumn, and strawberry-like, rounded fruit over glossy foliage. Lime tolerant and hardy.

Arbutus xalapensis F&M 206
This Mexican species covers a large area of that fabulous country and can be variable in it's ornamental qualities. Seeds for these were collected in a cold area of the North East at 2600m alt above La Peņa, Tamaulipas where they made particularly attractive specimens with rich red bark peeling to reveal a creamy white under-layer. Fruit are vibrant scarlet.

Arisaema candidissimum
Exotic, scented, hooded white spathes, striped pink, in June. Height 30cm. Lt shade. Dormant until late spring.

Arisaema ciliatum var. liubaense CT 369
This Cobra lily has striking brown and white striped flowers in summer, with excellent foliage, on stems to 1.2m. Refined and handsome, and in no way coarse like some species. Rich, not dry soil in light shade.

Arisaema consanguineum
A Cobra Lily with green spathes washed with dusky grey-purple in summer up to 1m. Beautiful foliage, a joy in itself. Light shade and good rich soil, not too dry.

Arisaema costatum
A truly sinister and most impressive beast. The huge veiny trifoliolate leaf stands up to 60cm high, and as it unfolds, there emerges the big, hooded, white-striped, purple flower. From the spathe hangs a long thread that reaches the ground, allowing pollination by ground dwelling creepy-crawlies. Rich, open, well drained, humusy soil in light shade.

Arisaema exappendiculatum
A rare species of Cobra Lily from Nepal and Tibet. A whorl of umbrella-like foliage sits above the barely open, long-pointed purpley-brown and green flower, seen in June. As the name suggests, the flower is (interestingly) missing it's male appendage, me-oh-my, and reaches 60cm. Rich soil and light shade.

Arisaema flavum
A short and pretty species; little squat yellow spathes among the leaves in summer. 30cm. Light shade, not dry.

Arisarum proboscideum
The mouse plant. Carpets of low foliage with dark purple mouse tails disappearing into the leaves in spring. For a shaded site, where it will form a colony.

Aristolochia baetica
A fascinating little evergreen climber from S Spain and Portugal with grey-green evergreen foliage and bizarrely shaped little maroon-brown tubular flowers, upturned with a flared mouth, like some wind instrument, borne mainly in spring. Best on a warm sheltered wall, though acted as a perennial growing from the roots each year in a cool northern garden.

Artemisia lactiflora 'Jim Russell'
Clean white flowers on dark stems, rather arching, to 120cm, in summer. Sun or part shade.

Arthropodium cirratum 'Matapouri Bay'
Exotic and attractive. Clumps of bold evergreen leaves, 1m spikes of white flowers in summer. Frost free in winter. Sun.

Arum pictum L/Co 28
Excellent broad, glossy-green, nicely veined foliage through the cooler months, dormant in summer. Autumn brings the superb darkest maroon flowers, with an 'interesting' fragrance, before the leaves emerge again . Not the hardiest species but quite good in sheltered spots under dry deciduous shade. A Chris Lovell collection from Corsica.

Aruncus dioicus var. kamtschaticus
A dwarf form, under 50cm. Attractive pleated leaves and branched heads of creamy flowers in early summer. Sun or part shade.

Aruncus 'Johannifest'
Fine compact hybrid. Rather arching stems of white flowers, tinted pink as they age. Lovely autumn leaf colour. 50cm. Sun or part shade.

Arundo donax 'Macrophylla' 
A truly gigantic grass forming big clumps of blue-green towering foliage to 3m+ high. This is the wider leaved form, good for even more exotic effect. Any ordinary soil in full sun.

Arundo donax 'Macrophylla'
A truly gigantic grass forming big clumps of blue-green towering foliage to 3m+ high. This is the wider leaved form, good for even more exotic effect. Any ordinary soil in full sun.

Asarum caudatum
Attractive heart shaped leaves on creeping stems. Flowers dark-red, exotically shaped. Full shade, not heavy soil.

Asarum splendens
Big, evergreen, silver-mottled leaves. Clusters of brown/white banded flowers in spring. Height to 20cm. Shade.

Asplenium scolopendrium 'Crispum'
A form of our native Hart's tongue fern, the edges of the glossy green fronds with a rippling, frilly, undulating edge. Very tough and tolerant, especially in dry-ish limey soils in shade.

Asteranthera ovata
A very lovely gesneriad from the forests of S. Chile where it climbs tree trunks on the edge of forest clearings. In this country it requires humidity and leafy soil to prosper, so is good on a sheltered north wall or tree. Raspberry-red 2-lipped tubular flowers appear from June and through the summer. 3-4m.

Astilbe koreana
A subtle species from the far East, quite unlike those hybrids with their loony colour combo's. Palest pink flowers in June and July, to 60cm over divided foliage. The rootstock slowly spreads to form a patch. Best in soil that is never totally dry. Very hardy.

Astrantia major 'Sunningdale Variegated'
Masterwort. White pin-cushion flowers in summer. Leaves emerge bright yellow variegated and turn green over summer. Height 45cm. Part shade

Athyrium filix-femina 'Frizelliae'
Tatting fern. A popular form of our native Lady fern, looking nothing like the norm, the pinnae on the fronds reduced to a little rounded lobe alternating each side of the midrib, resembling tatting (handmade lace). Fronds only reach up to 25cm long, and the plant is more tolerant of drier sites than the species.

Athyrium filix-femina 'Victoriae'
A very pretty form of our native Lady fern with the fronds generally reduced to very narrow pinnae, often criss-crossing each other. Ht 75cm. Best in moist leafy soil in shade/semi-shade, but fine in sun if moist. Deciduous.

Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum
The 'Japanese painted fern' has fronds variously marked with mauve, silver-grey and green creating a striking effect. Best in a semi-shaded site in leafy soil, not too dry, where it will spread slowly. Ht 35cm.

Athyrium nipponicum var. pictum 'Silver Falls'
A newish form of the Japanese painted fern with lovely subtley marked fronds, mainly in ghostly silver-grey. Best in a semi-shaded site in leafy soil, not too dry, where it will spread slowly. Ht 35cm.

Athyrium otophorum
A colourful, very hardy Lady fern from Japan with fronds an unusual creamy-green with reddish stalks and veins. Great as a contrast in greener plantings. Ht 40cm. Semi-shade and humus rich soil.

Azara microphylla
The hardiest Azara, this makes an upright large shrub or small tree quite quickly, bearing wonderfully vanilla scented, small yellow flowers under the very graceful sprays of tiny dark green foliage in very early spring. Wise to plant this where you can appreciate a good whiff of this delicious scent.

Bambusa multiplex 'Alphonse Karr'
A none too hardy but highly ornamental bamboo very suited to pot culture, but could be tried outside over winter in mild areas. Bright yellow culms have random vertical green stripes, and the plant gives off a pleasant odour, noticeable when brought indoors. Tightly clump forming and happy to be divided regularly, keeping the plant small and suited to a pot.

Bambusa multiplex 'Tiny'
A highly attractive miniature version of this handsome, though not very hardy species, best treated as a pot plant over-wintered in a glasshouse. Culms to 1m with clusters of pale green, pointy little leaves, only 2--3cm long.

Baptisia australis
Spikes of deep indigo pea flowers in early summer. Blue-green foliage Height 1m. Sun and rich soil.

Bashania qingchengshanensis
Fairly new to cultivation and still very rare. Seemingly an extremely tough bamboo suited to harsh sites and cold areas. The culms, which emerge early in the season, have thick, hairy, persistent sheaths and the foliage is long and slim. Perhaps reaches 4m high with a spreading but manageable rootstock. A good windbreak?

Begonia grandis evansiana 'Claret Jug'
'Hardy Begonia'. Glossy, red backed leaves; pink flowers in summer. Height 45cm. Height 45cm. Pt shade; sheltered spot.

Begonia palmata
Uncommon hardy Chinese species. Striking palmate leaves. Pink flowers. Height 30cm. Some shade.

Berberidopsis corallina
An interesting and beautiful Chilean endemic for a cool shaded position in preferably lime free soil, where it will make an evergreen climber to about 5m on a suitable wall, bearing pendant racemes of deep crimson flowers in late summer over the leathery, toothed foliage, dark green but glaucous beneath.

Berberis montana
A most unusual species from Chile and Argentina, very rarely offered, but one of the finest in the genus for floral display, with exceptionally large, 'Jonquil-like', golden-yellow flowers over diminutive foliage in May. Happy on most soils, even chalk, making an erect, hardy, deciduous shrub to about 2m high.

Berberis sp. Ex CDR 2497
These are true to type seed raised plants of this collection from the Hanyuan Pass, Sichuan, China. A most attractive species with very narrow, finely toothed foliage and pale yellow flowers in spring. Will probably reach about 1.8m. A fine foliage plant with long lasting scarlet autumn colour. Easy, hardy.

Berberis temolaica
One of the most striking and sought after Barberries. A vigorous deciduous shrub reaching 3m with arching growth. Conspicuously glaucous young stems and leaves, with the stems maturing to a bloomy purple brown with age. Pale yellow flowers in spring are followed by bloomy, egg shaped, red fruit.

Berberis valdiviana
A highly sought after and desirable species from Chile making a large, evergreen shrub with polished, leathery, almost spineless leaves and long drooping racemes of saffron-yellow flowers in spring. Always in demand, hard to propagate, and rarely available. Easy and hardy.

Bergenia 'Bressingham Ruby'
Deep pink flowers in spring. Leaves rich red in winter. Height 30cm. Best in sun.

Bergenia ciliata
Beautiful palest pink flowers in spring. Attractive bristly, deciduous leaves grow to a huge size, turning red in autumn. Height to 30cm. Shade and shelter.

Bergenia emeiensis
Scarce, lovely Chinese sp. White, pink-blushed flowers in spring. Small clumps Height to 30cm. Mild site in sun/pt shade.

Bergenia stracheyi Alba group
Compact, elegant, white flowered species flowering in spring. Height 20cm. Part shade or sun.

Beschorneria albiflora
Quite probably never offered before in the UK, this is the only species in the genus to form trunks, upright or reclining with green or glaucous rosettes of strappy leaves. Huge, branched, red stalked inflorescences to 3m with dangling tubular flowers, greenish-white in bud, turning pink. The most Southerly in the genus but found at up to 3000m.

Beschorneria septentrionalis
The most Northerly species and most suited to our climate with big green rosettes of foliage. Principally grown for the striking, arching, shocking red-pink flower stalks about 1.5m high (the colour of a tarts knickers), with pendulous, red-green, tubular flowers, produced when established. Full sun, very well drained soil and a sheltered spot. Quite exceptional.

Beschorneria sp. Traub & Wilson coll.
Collected in an unknown area of Mexico this has yet to flower with me, though looks a little different in leaf from the many other species I grow. Very well drained soil in full sun and shelter please.

Beschorneria tubiflora
Hopefully at last the real thing, which is widely confused in cultivation with B. yuccoides. This species is smaller than the latter with a red/pink flower spike to about 1.8m with, most importantly, no branches. Should be as hardy as B. yuccoides, so give it a sheltered position in poor, very well drained soil and full sun. Native to Hidalgo, Mexico.

Beschorneria wrightii
A rare opportunity to purchase this member of the Agavaceae. This species forms a big rosette of fairly soft, particularly silvery-grey-green narrow leaves, narrowed further at their bases, sending up a mighty, pale-red arching flower spike, 2--3m tall, when it's good and ready. Hairy, tubular green flowers fade yellow. Untouched outside with me last winter.

Beschorneria yuccoides 'Quicksilver'
An amazing Mexican plant for a very well drained and sunny position, surviving many degrees of frost given these conditions. From the rosettes of narrow grey-green foliage emerge monstrous, bright red flower stalks to 3m long, arching outward, and dangling the pendulous, tubular, red and green flowers from their branches. Truly spectacular in flower.

Beschorneria yuccoides subsp. dekosteriana F&M 102
Wild collected material of this soft leaved member of the Agave family. These come from 2600m alt. on Pico de Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico, where they inhabited sheer cliffs and ledges in the cloud forest. Expect large red-pink flower spikes in time with dangling tubular bell flowers. Relatively hardy outside in a warm, well drained, sheltered position.

Beschorneria yuccoides x septentrionalis
These are first generation plants from this hand pollinated cross. Expect the usual huge red/pink flower stalk after a few years, but who knows, perhaps these will have gained hybrid vigour. Be one of the first to try this new plant. Both parents are from rocky positions in cold parts of Mexico, so, full sun in very well drained soil in a sheltered position.

Betula albo-sinensis 'Bowling Green'
A form of this wonderful Chinese birch originally selected for its bark qualities from an Ernest Wilson collection growing at Werrington, Cornwall. The bark is a warm honey colour and peels in strips. Makes a fast growing medium sized tree. Easy and hardy.

Betula ermanii 'Grayswood Hill'
Often seen in nurseries and gardens under the name B. costata, this birch makes a fine specimen for all year bark and trunk interest. The normally heavily branching stem or stems are rich cream with red-brown young branches, and the new foliage is orangey-red on expansion. Hardy and easy in most places.

Betula ermanii var. saitoana MSF 865
A Mark Fillan collection from Korea, where it is endemic, this dwarf variety of a normally tree-like Asian species slowly makes a bushy, white-stemmed little tree. With me it has grown 2m in 10yrs. Easy and hardy in most soils. Very rarely encountered.

Betula 'Hergest'
This Birch arose as a self-sown seedling at Hergest Croft, that famous Herefordshire garden, and seems closest to B. albo-sinensis. It was selected for its beautiful, warm, pinkish-white bark, and makes a fast growing medium sized tree, attractive year round. For virtually any site or soil.

Betula szechuanica
Not often seen, this species from SW China and SE Tibet has glossy blue-green foliage and chalk-white bark. Makes a fast growing medium sized tree, suitable as a alternative to the excellent B. utilis var. jacquemontii, when you've tired of seeing it in just about every hospital car-park etc.

Betula utilis var. jacquemontii 'Inverleith'
A form of the Himalayan white-barked birch selected at Edinburgh Botanic Garden for its exceptional brightness in the department of white barkiness. Typically a fast growing medium sized tree for most soils in good light. Easy and hardy.

Bidens aurea 'Hannay's Lemon Drop'
Delicate daisies with lemon yellow, white tipped petals in late summer. Height 150 cm. Sun, sheltered site.

Billardiera longiflora
A little evergreen Tasmanian climber to about 2m high, for a sheltered warm wall, where it is principally grown for its glowing, deep-blue, fat little fruits borne in late summer/autumn, though the greenish-yellow bell shaped flowers have their own charm. Great in a conservatory in cold Northern areas.

Blechnum chilense
A wonderful South American fern producing very bold, very leathery, darkest green fronds with many, opposite pinnae. Slowly spreads to form patches, with fronds reaching about 1m, or more if moist and sheltered. Humus rich acid to neutral soil in semi-shade, or sun if moist.

Bomarea hirtella
Basically a climbing Alstroemeria with terminal clusters of narrow tubular flowers on herbaceous twining stems, reaching 2m + high with suitable support. Flowers soft red outside with a greeny yellow, darker spotted interior. Very showy scarlet seeds. Best in humus rich soil in sun/semi-shade. This form has survived -10c outside near here. Rare and beautiful.

Bomarea hirtella F&M 104
Seeds for these collected at 2600m on Pico de Orizaba, Mexico. Basically a climbing Alstroemeria with terminal clusters of narrow tubular flowers on herbaceous twining stems, reaching 2m + high with suitable support. Flowers soft red outside with a greeny yellow, darker spotted interior. Very showy scarlet seeds. Best in humus rich soil in sun/semi-shade.

Bomarea sp. F&M 130
A collection from the Sierra Chiconquiaco, Veracruz, Mexico at 1800m. Basically a climbing Alstroemeria with terminal clusters of narrow tubular flowers on herbaceous twining stems. Very showy scarlet seeds. Best in humus rich soil in sun/semi-shade. Unflowered as yet.

Borinda albocerea Yunnan 1
A new species from China, developing into a beautiful specimen up to 4m. Very tightly clump forming with delicate light green leaves and gorgeous icy-blue new culms, initially covered by hairy sheaths, and aging to a soft yellow. In this clone the culms are a very good colour. Best in a sheltered position, plants should tolerate about -13c. Vigorous.

Borinda albocerea Yunnan 2
In this clone of this beautiful new Chinese bamboo the new culms are an excellent blue-grey and age to brown with dark red-brown branches. It appears to be a little beefier than some of the other clones. The leaves are a rich mid green. As ever it is tightly clump forming, and will enjoy a sheltered position, tolerating as low as -13c. Up to 4m. Vigorous.

Borinda albocerea Yunnan 3a
This particular clone of this new introduction from China is now thought not to be this species. What ever it turns out to be, it is a very fine new addition to the range of hardy clump forming bamboos. Very pretty, small, slim foliage, blue tinted culms and an elegant habit, reaching about 3m. Best in semi-shade, but tolerant of sunnier positions.

Borinda papyrifera  Stapleton 1046
A very exciting new bamboo, most desired by aficionados. Ultimate height in the UK unknown as yet. The icy-blue-white new culm colour lasts extremely well for a good season at least. Very strong upright growth with the older culms arching under the weight of foliage. This is the form to have, being far more attractive than the Keith Rushforth introdution.

Borinda perlonga  Yunnan 6
An exciting new introduction from China with beautiful blue culms. Culms are erect with drooping tips and persistent sheaths and reach about 3-4m from a tightly clumping base. Leaves are fairly long, narrow and pale green and the whole plant is particularly elegant.

Borinda sp. Yunnan 4
A quite magnificent beauty, this new introduction from China has made a stunning specimen at Carwinion garden, Cornwall. From a very tightly clumping base arise very thick culms, particularly pale-blue on expansion with contrasting orange-brown sheaths, turning glossy green. Very tall, erect culms arch over at their apex under the weight of pale green foliage.

Broussonetia kazinoki
Differing from the closely related 'Paper Mulberry', B. papyrifera, in minor details, this very rarely seen species from Japan and Korea grows into a large shrub, with leaves only slightly downy when young, occasionally deeply 2 or 3 lobed and with a handsome tapered apex. Orange fruits in a globose woolly heads on females. Interesting and obscure. A collector?s item.

Broussonetia papyrifera
The 'Paper Mulberry' from the Far East gains its common name from the Japanese use of its bark for paper making. In this country it forms a deciduous large shrub or small tree with hairy foliage, sometimes simple, sometimes deeply lobed like a mulberry (Morus). Male flowers drooping catkins, females round ball-like inflorescences followed by bizarre orange fruit.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'
Excellent silver-netted foliage. Blue flowers in spring. Height 45cm. Part shade. PBR: propagation for resale prohibited.

Buddleja agathosma
A most distinct species, tall and very free growing with striking, large, white felted deeply toothed foliage and sweetly scented lilac flowers in terminal panicles in spring. Best against a warm wall. This species is sunk under B.crispa by botanists but is quite different from the typical form.

Buddleja alternifolia 'Argentea'
A large shrub or occasionally a very small tree if trained on a single stem. Graceful arching branches, with narrow silvery-grey, willowy leaves, are smothered in June with delicately fragrant, lilac flowers. Sun, any soil.

Buddleja cordata F&M 220
A species with a wide range in Mexico, and very variable with it. Found at 2900m above Miquihuana in Tamaulipas State this differed in its very silvery white hairy foliage, especially on tip growth, like no other seen elsewhere. Young plants here have yet to develop this extreme whiteness. Give it full sun and well drained soil. Flowers sweetly scented.

Buddleja crispa
Very lovely late summer flowering species reaching about 2m, usually grown against a wall. Soft, white-woolly stems and leaves: the latter with a serrated edge. Fragrant lilac-pink flowers freely borne in August/ September. Sun and well drained soil.

Buddleja lindleyana
A medium sized, hardy, deciduous shrub, much smaller and well behaved than B. davidii. Long, slender, curved racemes of narrow tubed, extended purple-violet flowers in Jul/Aug, exquisite on close inspection. Leaves are small and mid-green, again nothing like B. davidii.

Buddleja 'Morning Mist'
A superb newish hybrid from Peter Moore at Longstock. He wisely crossed B. crispa with B. loricata to produce a semi-evergreen shrub with lovely, soft, white-hairy, slim willowy foliage topped by compact heads of fragrant ivory-white flowers with darker centres in summer. Will make a dense bush to about 1.5m. Hardy. Incorrectly also known as 'Silver Anniversary'.

Bupleurum fruticosum
A marvellous medium sized evergreen shrub for a sunny spot on any soil well drained soil, and excellent in maritime exposure. Simple sea-green leaves and umbels of yellow flowers from July to September, followed by yellow seeds. Usually in short supply, though much in demand by those in the know. Quietly gorgeous.

Butia eriospatha
A very exciting new introduction from Brazil. From upland areas, these experience temperate conditions and have green fronds, unlike the grey leaved, lower altitude B. capitata which enjoys more heat. All in all this should be one of the most suitable feather leaved palms for our climate. Full heads of arching fronds atop a stout trunk in time. Marvellous.

Buxus wallichiana
Himalayan Box. A very rarely seen species usually making a medium sized bush of lax habit with long narrow foliage. Very hardy and adaptable to most soils, but best with some shelter in very cold gardens.

Caesalpinia mexicana
Not otherwise available in the UK, this handsome legume will possibly be herbaceous here, reaching 1.5m and flowering late. Attractive bi-pinnate foliage topped with terminal racemes of fragrant, golden yellow, untypical pea flowers; more like a Cassia. Plant against a hot wall here, where it will be very drought tolerant. Takes -10c in Texas.

Calamagrostis arundinacea (prev. Stipa)
A wonderful, easy grass, creating bushy, dense clumps of fine evergreen foliage in shades of orange, brown and olive-green. Incredibly fine, dusky flowerheads arch over the sides in summer. Height 1m. Sun.

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam'
Variegated leaves & feathery brown upright flowers in summer, lasting through winter. Height to 180 cm. Sun.

Campsis x tagliabuana 'Madame Galen'
Very exotic looking, this strong growing climber needs a sunny, hot spot to produce it's conspicuous panicles of large salmon-red trumpet shaped flowers. They are borne at the tips of the seasons growth in late summer/autumn. Stems can reach 6m high but can also be pruned hard back in spring to create a neat, manageable plant.

Camptosema praenantrium
A brand new pea flowered climber from Argentina. This beauty has not been trialled here yet but it has proven hardy and floriferous in the USA where it is rated Zone 8. Expect a vigorous herbaceous climber covering a good area in one season, and racemes of coral-crimson flowers finely striped creamy yellow on the outer petals in summer. Heat tolerant.

Camptotheca acuminata
The Xi Shu or 'Happy Tree' of China. Whilst tender when young this new, vigorous tree from SW China develops hardiness with age and is grown successfully in Cornwall. New foliage emerges pink and flowers are balls of white followed by attractive hemispherical green fruit clusters in autumn. Closely related to Davidia, and in use an as anti-carcinogen.

Canna x ehemanii
Hardiest Canna. Big clumps of exotic foliage. Dusky pink flowers, late summer. 2m+. Protect in winter (pot or lifted).

Cardamine raphanifolia
A giant Lady's Smock. Bold low foliage, purple-pink flowers on 60cm stems, early summer. Sun/pt shade, moist soil.

Cardiocrinum giganteum var. yunnanense
The marvellous Giant lily from China producing, when ready, a giant scape of deliciously scented, creamy-white lily flowers, stained purple in the throat, and in this variety, contrasting flower stems stained almost black to about 2m high, and the young heart shaped leaves also tinged bronze. Cool, rich, humusy soil in part shade.

Carpinus fangiana
A very exciting new Hornbeam from China, quite different from our native tree, with comparatively huge leaves up to 20cm long, bronze when young, with as many as 30 prominent veins. In autumn hung with pendent fruiting catkins up to 30cm long. Should make a medium sized tree in time. Quite an exceptional new species to cultivation.

Carpinus pubescens
An Asian Hornbeam with a naturally weeping habit, new to cultivation, with smallish, dainty foliage, attractively red on emergence. Grows to 15m in its natural habitat. From SW China and N Vietnam growing at up to 2000m on limestone. This collection from Yunnan, China.

Carpinus shensiensis
Pretty new on the scene, this rare hornbeam from S. Gansu and S. Shanxi, China will make a small to medium sized tree here, with neat foliage emerging deep red flushed. Fruiting clusters to 10cm long. Any reasonable soil.

Carpinus turkzaninowii
A distinctive handsome small growing hornbeam from the Far East with slender stems and small leaves emerging bright red when in growth.

Carrierea calycina
This great rarity from Sichuan, China is virtually never available commercially, though is perfectly growable and flowers well in my garden here. A vigorous hardy tree eventually of medium size with handsome dark green foliage on red petioles and attractive, creamy, fruit scented lantern-like flowers in early summer. A member of the Flacourtiaceae, as is Poliothyrsis.

Carya glabra
The Pignut from E North America makes a fine specimen here with leaden-grey, smooth bark and pinnate leaves, turning to a wonderful gold and orange in autumn. As with most Hickories, it makes a medium sized to large tree eventually and is tolerant of most soils. Rarely seen, even in arboreta, but perfectly growable and attractive.

Carya laciniosa
The 'Big Shellbark Hickory' from the Eastern USA makes a medium sized tree here, bearing very big, pinnate leaves, sometimes as much as 75cm long, turning a good yellow in autumn. The grey bark becomes wonderfully shaggy in later life, with thick, jagged edged plates peeling off. Very hardy and easy in most soils.

Catalpa x erubescens 'Purpurea'
A hybrid 'Indian Bean Tree' with striking broad foliage opening black purple, turning purple then green. Panicles of foxglove-like flowers in July. Will make a medium sized wide spreading tree, or can be kept as a bush by cutting back hard for extra foliage effect.

Cautleya spicata 'Robusta'
A very exotic looking but hardy ginger relative with yellow and red flower spikes in August, borne atop clumps of luscious foliage to about 70cm. Rich soil, sun/semi-shade.

Cenolophium denudatum
Deep green, finely divided leaves form Broad flat umbels of white flowers in summer. Sun or shade, even dry shade.

Centaurea cheiranthifolia
Butter yellow cornflowers in summer on a low clump of greyish foliage. Height 15cm. Sun and drainage. A good doer!

Centaurea fischeri
Pale lilac-pink cornflower heads on a low clump of grey-green foliage. Height 15 cm. Sun and drainage.

Centaurea glastifolia
Rich yellow knapweed flowers in summer. Height 120cm. Sun.

Centaurea montana 'Lady Flora Hastings'
Large, delicate white cornflowers with dark centres. Greyish leaves. 45cm. Sun and drainage.

Centaurea triumfettii 'Hoar Frost'
White cornflowers, tinged purple in centre. Grey leaves. Summer dormant. Height 30cm. Sun, good drainage.

Centaurea triumfettii x montana
Lovely big cornflowers in silvery-blue, centred pink. Height to 75cm Dormant in summer. Sun and drainage.

Cercidiphyllum magnificum
A rarely seen species, closely related to C. japonicum but differing in the larger, more heart-shaped leaves with coarser serrations, and the smoother bark. A medium sized tree with lovely yellow autumn colour, the leaves sugar scented as they fall. These are seed raised from hand pollinated plants originally collected on Honshu by Mikinori Ogisu.

Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy'
A form of the North American Redbud or 'Judas Tree' grown principally for its superb foliage which is rounded, heart-shaped and a rich, deep reddish-purple. One of the best small trees of this colour and quite stunning when backlit in summer. Flowers pink but not borne freely in this country. For sun or semi-shade and ordinary reasonably well drained soil.

Cercis chinensis 'Avondale'
A selection of a Chinese 'Judas Tree' made in New Zealand. This form has a mass of deep pink flowers emerging from deep purple buds in May. Largish heart-shaped, glossy green leaves with a slightly rolled margin, making them look thicker than they are. Makes a small tree eventually.

Cercis siliquastrum
The Judas Tree. A classic small tree for a sunny site in well drained soil, where it will bedeck its bare branches in May with a mass of vividly coloured, deep lilac-pink pea flowers just before the rounded, heart shaped leaves expand. The deep red tinted seed pods dangle conspicuously on the tree from July onwards. Makes a characterful specimen over time.

Chamaerops humilis
The Mediterranean Dwarf Fan Palm is one of the hardiest we can grow in the UK, surviving 12 degrees C below zero when mature. Plant in a sunny sheltered corner in well drained soil and it will slowly make a large multi-stemmed shrub with impressive, rigid, wind proof foliage. Can also take shade, and great in a pot if given a little protection over winter.

Chelonopsis moschata
Wine red tubular flowers on slender stems in summer. Height 30cm. Moist shady site.

Chimonobambusa quadrangularis
'Square Stem Bamboo'. Very elegant and distinct species when growing well in a sheltered position, where it will reach about 3m. Fine foliage arches out from upright culms which are square to the touch when larger. Very shade tolerant and happiest in woodland conditions. Running habit easily controlled. Not for very cold areas. Likes rain.

Chimonobambusa quadrangularis 'Svow'
This is an attractive and very rare form of the Chinese 'Square Stem Bamboo' producing soft yellow culms with occasional vertical green stripes. Like the ordinary green form, this requires a sheltered and preferably shaded position, not in very cold gardens. Very elegant foliage on stems to 3m, and an inquisitive rhizome, but not difficult to control.

Chimonobambusa tumidissinoda
Rare and amazing bamboo with swollen nodes on the culms; used for making the famous Chinese walking sticks. Beautiful and very distinct narrow foliage on graceful arching culms to 2-3m. Running habit easily controlled - great in a pot. Gorgeous, one of my favourites, and probably the most elegant of all bamboos. At it's best in semi-shade.

Chionochloa conspicua
The Plumed Tussock Grass from New Zealand makes a robust, ornamental specimen to 1.5m high. The flat leaves are green with a central orange stripe. Graceful, semi-pendent, loose inflorescences are borne in summer. Sun, not too bone dry.

Chionochloa rubra
The 'Red tussock grass' of New Zealand. Bold clumps of thin foliage, mainly soft red-brown with a hint of purple, turning more orangey in winter. A striking grass for full sun and well drained soil.

Chloranthus fortunei
Whorls of dark purple-brown leaves on 25cm stems. Flowers in upright 'catkins' in spring. For humus rich soil in shade. Choice.

Chusquea culeou
Highly sought after Chilean species forming a very tight clump with thick upright, yellow-green culms and distinct, dense, leafy branching at each node. A real specimen bamboo, also great associated with big leaves. 3-4m, sometimes smaller. Hardy.

Chusquea culeou (quila of hort.)
Raised from Chilean seed in the 1980's, these were originally circulated under the name C. quila, which they most definitely are not. In fact they are an open and upright form of culeou. A very tight clump with thick upright, yellow-green culms and distinct, dense, leafy branching at each node. Hardy. About 3m maybe smaller.

Chusquea culeou 'Purple Splendour'
This new form of the Chilean 'Foxtail Bamboo' was selected by David Crampton from a batch of seedlings, principally for its very deeply coloured, chocolate-purple culms. The colour lasts very well and should be impressive as the plants get bigger. Tightly clump forming, reaching about 3-4m, sometimes smaller.

Chusquea culeou Weeping form
These are seed raised from a weeping from grown in the USA. Like any other C. culeou it is very tightly clump forming with thick yellow-green culms and distinct, dense, leafy branching at each node, though this form has an upright culm with weeping tops and branches. Hardy and tolerant. 3-4m high.

Chusquea deliculata
Brought back from Machu Picchu, Peru, 2400m alt, this is new to cultivation here. It is a vining species with downward pointing main branches at the nodes used for clambering over other plants. Elegant and arching growth with very small leaves.

Chusquea gigantea
The holy grail to many lovers of bamboo. This very large growing Andean species creates an awe inspiringly impressive clump of widely spaced thick culms extremely quickly. Culms are green, turning yellow between the nodes which are prominently branched. New culms have attractive, persistent cream sheaths, and the leaves are long and narrow. Height 6m.

Chusquea macrostachya
Very new, very exciting. An Andean bamboo best planted as a specimen where it will grow to 5m+. Similar to C. culeou and equally hardy but taller and more elegant, with arching growth and delicate foliage. Young culms colour rich purple in good light. Sun or shade.

Chusquea muelleri F&M 104a
Never offered before, this is a very rare Mexican endemic from the cloud forests of Veracruz and Oaxaca. Collected on the Pico de Orizaba, Veracruz at 2600m. In the wild state this makes a smallish species with a delicate appearance; leaves are narrow and the culms are slim and arching. Hardiness unknown, but the collection altitude is promising.

Chusquea valdiviensis
This is a potentially huge, climbing species from mild, temperate areas of Chile. In these islands it needs very mild conditions, as it is not too hardy. So that means coastal Cornwall or coastal Ireland. Given such a balmy climate it will climb high into trees, sometimes reaching the ground again where it will take root and head off in another direction. Yes, it's a Triffid.

Cimicifuga (see Actaea)


Cinnamomum micranthum
An extremely rare introduction from the far East, probably only suitable for mild areas. New growth emerges with attractive pinky-orange tints and expands into big glossy foliage, aromatic when crushed. Expected to make a large shrub in this country.

Cirsium heterophyllum
Mid-purple knapweed like flowers in summer. Undivided leaves. Height 1m. Sun or part shade.

Cirsium rivulare atropurpurea
Lovely wine-red knapweed-like flowers on upright stems in summer. Gently spreading. Height 1m. A lovely thing.

Cistus creticus
A small evergreen bushy Mediterranean shrub with pale-grey-green narrow hairy foliage and a multitude of yellow-centred pink flowers over several weeks in early summer. For full sun and well drained soil.

Cistus creticus dwarf form
This new form was collected as seed very recently on Crete and is offered here for the first time. It makes a very low, bushy, aromatic evergreen shrub for full sun where it will produce its yellow-centred rose pink flowers over several weeks in early summer. Very drought tolerant, enjoying well drained soil in full sun.

Cistus salviifolius 'Prostratus'
A dwarf, grey leaved shrub, prostrate and spreading in this form, with yellow centred white flowers very freely produced in June/July. Very drought tolerant and best in full sun in poor, well drained soil.

Cistus x dansereaui 'Decumbens'
A small spreading evergreen shrub for a sunny well drained site with dark green lance shaped, wavy edged leaves that are aromatic and sticky to the touch. Large white flowers are beautifully marked with a crimson basal blotch at the base of each petal and are borne en-masse over a long period in early summer. At least a metre across and half as high.

Cistus x heterocalyx 'Chelsea Bonnet'
A pretty hybrid from the Chelsea Physic Garden. A small shrub with very narrow, glossy evergreen foliage, covered in lovely, yellow eyed, comparatively small white flowers in June/July. Best in full sun on poor, well drained soil where it will be very drought tolerant.

Cladrastis sinensis
A very rarely offered or seen Chinese tree of small to medium size for a sunny position. Attractive pinnate leaves open late, and the tree is smothered in large panicles of pink-tinged white pea flowers in July, but not usually on very young specimens. Bark is smooth and grey, and the autumn colour is an exceptional, glowing, clear golden yellow.

Clematis armandii 'Apple Blossom'
A well known, magnificent evergreen climber with outsize, bold foliage composed of three big leathery leaflets. Clusters of large, fragrant, pink flushed white flowers borne in April/May. Stems reach about 6m high but can be cut hard back after flowering. Shoots appear very early but aren't usually affected by late frost. Best on a sunny wall.

Clematis cirrhosa 'Ourika Valley'
Pale creamy-yellow bell-like flowers with no spotting, from mid-winter to early spring over evergreen foliage. This cultivar was collected in the High Atlas mountains of Morocco and has proved to be hardier and better for exposed positions than var. balearica, and also more free flowering. Reaches about 3m, and suited to a sunny wall or screen.

Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica
An evergreen, winter flowering climber with pretty cream bells, slightly spotted with red inside, over ferny, dark green foliage, bronze tinted during the cold months, and a joy in itself. Attractive silky seed heads follow the flowers. Grows to about 3m high and best suited to a sheltered sunny wall.

Clematis fasciculiflora L657
Rare, beautiful and distinct, this evergreen climber from China usually has foliage attractively marked with a silvery blotch and bears it's fragrant, bell shaped, white flowers in late winter/early spring. New shoots appear red-purple with bronze-red foliage and eventually reach about 6m with suitable support. I have used it to cover a sunny 2m wall.

Clematis florida 'Sieboldii'
A natural Japanese variety of this striking species, looking more like a highly bred hybrid with its big white flowers with conspicuous violet-purple centres, borne in June/July on stems to about 4m high. Best on a sheltered sunny wall.

Clematis rehderiana
A very lovely, late flowering, hardy species from W China with clusters of wonderfully Cowslip scented soft primrose-yellow bells profusely borne during late summer and autumn on stems potentially to 7m given suitable support. I have seen this very successfully associated, on a brick wall, with early colouring Parthenocissus quinquefolia.

Clematis tangutica dwarf form
This is apparently a smaller growing and more manageable form of this lovely yellow flowered species. Similar in all respects otherwise, with an abundance of scented yellow lanterns in late summer and autumn, though some here have started to flower with me in June.

Cleyera japonica var. japonica
A rare member of the Tea family from Japan, where it is the sacred tree of Shintoism. Forms a rigidly wide spreading, distinctly layered evergreen shrub with red-rimmed, green, leathery foliage, often red tinted in winter. Masses of fairly inconspicuous, small, translucent cream flowers in summer. Not suited to shallow chalk soils. Height 3m.

Cleyera japonica var. wallichii
Rarely seen, the Western form of this hardy evergreen, densely leafy shrub forms a more upright plant than typical, to about 3m or more. Leathery, glossy, rich-green foliage often has red tints over winter. Interesting and quietly attractive, making a good backdrop to more showy things. Not for shallow chalk soils.

Clianthus puniceus 'Albus'
This white form of the 'Lobster Claw' is less strikingly exotic looking than the typical brilliant red form, though still is a lovely thing. Fascinating flowers in dangling clusters produced in early summer. Requires a warm wall in most areas, and cannot be recommended for very cold spots.

Clianthus puniceus 'Roseus'
The pink form of the New Zealand 'Lobster Claw' produces its exotic dangling clusters of flowers, rather appropriately, in lobster-pink. For those who need the normal mega-red form toned down a bit. Requires a sheltered warm wall, except in mild areas.

Clianthus puniceus var. maximus
The 'Lobster Claw' from New Zealand?s North Island, has to be one of the most spectacular flowering plants growable in the UK, but is not hardy enough for cold areas. Amazingly exotic, bright red, bizarrely shaped flowers in drooping clusters in early summer. Best against a warm sheltered sunny wall, or in a conservatory. Survives here most winters.

Colquhounia coccinea Sich 2458
This clone is thought to be the best in cultivation by Tony Schilling who introduced it. A tall deciduous shrub looking a little like a Buddleja in leaf, and a giant Salvia in flower with lovely, scarlet, tubular flowers in late summer/autumn, at the ends of the branches. This is a good hardy form, for full sun and well drained soil, but still best in a sheltered spot.

Convolvulus cneorum
Possibly the silveryest shrub available with glistening silky foliage on a small compact, bushy evergreen shrub, studded in May with trumpet shaped white flowers tinged with pale pink and yellow in the throat. Needs a sunny dry site to thrive, and in colder areas should be placed in a sheltered position.

Cordyline indivisa
An awesomely impressive foliage plant when grown well, with a huge crown of very broad leaves to 15cm across. This New Zealander comes from higher altitude than the common C. australis and is hardier, though can die from heat stress in summer. It likes a cool position in not too dry soil to thrive, though I know plants in full sun in inland places doing well.

Cornus alternifolia 'Argentea'
Very distinct and extremely attractive medium to large shrub a bit like a miniature, multi-stemmed Wedding Cake Tree with layered, tabulate branching and silvery-white variegated leaves. Leaves are small however, giving an incredibly delicate effect. A plant deserving of a prime position.

Cornus alternifolia 'Silver Giant'
A new form selected as a branch sport from the more common 'Argentea'. In this form the variegation is more subtle: the leaf blade being grey green with a thin variable margin of white, sometimes tinted with a hint of pink. This has the same lovely tabulate branching habit but has more vigour and the lesser variegation allows it to blend better with natural settings.

Cornus capitata
A highly regarded evergreen species from the Himalaya and China, making a large shrub or small tree for a sheltered position. Small flowers, surrounded by four large conspicuous, sulphur-yellow bracts, cover the branches in June, followed by a mass of pendulous strawberry-like fruit in October. Not for very cold areas.

Cornus controversa 'Variegata'
'Wedding Cake Tree'. A well known and ornamental small deciduous tree with level and distinctly layered branching, and strikingly variegated white and green foliage, providing a unique effect in gardens. Grows well on any ordinary soil. Young plants usually look a bit lopsided, but will sort themselves out if left alone.

Cornus 'Eddie's White Wonder'
A hybrid between the American species C. florida and C. nuttallii, making a large shrub or small, compact tree, with layers of branches smothered in large white flower heads in spring. Leaves give brilliant autumn colour. Quite a sight in flower, closely resembling a good C. nuttallii.

Cornus excelsa F&M 57
Collected at 2250m in the foothills of the mighty Pico de Orizaba, Mexico's highest peak, this was a tree to 10m laden with light blue fruits in November when we happened to be passing by. Flowers will be clusters of white in summer. Could very well be perfectly hardy in the UK. Who's tried it? Will probably make a shrub here.

Cornus kousa 'Satomi'
In this Japanese selection of this much loved large flowering shrub, the natural red pigments are much more in evidence. The spectacular bracts that surround the flowers in June are deep pink instead of white and the leaves are red tinted through the season, turning rich purple red in autumn. A success in most reasonable soils, it will reach about 3m eventually.

Cornus kousa var. chinensis 'China Girl'
Spectacularly beautiful in flower, this form of the taller growing Chinese variety was selected for its large-bracted white flower heads, and its willingness to flower profusely, covering the branches, even on young plants. Autumn colour starts with a hint of red, building to rich bronze and crimson and lasts for up to a month. This var. will make a small tree.

Cornus 'Norman Hadden'
A beautiful, graceful, spreading small tree with nearly evergreen foliage. Small flowers surrounded by large, conspicuous, creamy-white bracts in June, turning pink in July. Large crops of pendulous, strawberry like fruit in autumn. A bit lovely.

Coronilla valentina subsp. glauca 'Citrina'
Not really a climber, more a small shrub best suited to wall cultivation in most areas. This lovely evergreen, blue-green leaved, dwarf shrub from the Mediterranean has clusters of deliciously peach scented, pale-lemon pea-flowers covering the branches mainly in April, and then intermittently through the year. Enjoys sun and well drained soil.

Corydalis flexuosa 'Norman's Seedling'
Violet/blue flowers in spring-summer. Bronzed foliage. Moist but drained soil in shade. Height 25cm.

Corydalis flexuosa 'Purple Leaf'
Blue flowers over a long season. Purple foliage. Moist but drained soil in shade. Height 25cm.

Corydalis 'Tory MP'
Striking new hybrid with intense bright blue flowers on reddish stems to 75cm, from late spring. Repeats if very happy. Sun or shade. Easy, and very perennial. Found by me as a seedling and named such as it's a true blue and tends to go on and on (flowering that is).

Corylopsis sinensis
A magnificent deciduous shrub attaining a large size eventually. The branches strung in spring with pendulous racemes of cowslip-scented, bright yellow flowers, before the foliage emerges. Far too rarely seen in gardens Corylopsis are first rate shrubs, hardy and suitable for most soils and situations.

Corylopsis sinensis 'Spring Purple'
One of the loveliest of spring flowering shrubs with its drooping clusters of small, soft yellow, cowslip-scented flowers borne just before the new plum-purple leaves emerge. These turn green as the season progresses but any further growth has this colour. A medium to large shrub for any reasonable soil.

Corylopsis sinensis var. calvescens
A form of this large deciduous shrub lacking the hairy leaf undersurface. Handsome glaucescent foliage and typical drooping racemes of lemon yellow scented flowers dangle in their thousands from the bare branches of a large plant in early spring. Hardy and easy in all but shallow chalk soils.

Cotinus 'Grace'
To me the best of the purple Smoke Bushes, this is a vigorous large shrub bearing soft, plummy, purplish-red leaves which are thin and wonderful when backlit, especially in autumn when they turn scarlet. Large, purplish-pink, conical clusters of 'smoky' flowers in summer. Much nicer than those nasty black purple varieties. Can be pruned hard.

Crambe cordifolia
Massive, fabulous, open heads of diffuse white flowers to about 1.5m or more in early summer over big dark-green foliage, which then gets devoured by things that find it tasty. Easy.

Crataegus sp. F&M 196
Collected in Hidalgo State, Mexico this formed a small tree with small lobed leaves and red fruit. Expect white flowers and probable hardiness, though possibly best with some shelter and full sun.

Crinum moorei
A huge bulb from SA with lovely pale pink trumpet shaped lily flowers clustered at the tops of the stems in summer. Height 120cm in flower. Full sun in rich soil. Reasonably hardy, but best against a warm wall as an insurance.

Crocosmia 'Baby Barnaby'
New variety with branching stems of orange flowers, blotched maroon. Late summer. Height 60cm. Sun.

Crocosmia 'Carmin Brilliant'
Red buds open to paler flowers in summer. To 75cm. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Debutante'
Rich yellow flowers tinged with pink in late summer. Height to 1m. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Dusky Maiden'
Orange-brown flowers in summer. Strongly bronze-tinted foliage. Height 50cm. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Gerbe d'Or'
Apricot yellow flowers in summer; bronze tinted leaves. Height 90cm. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Brilliant red flowers in summer. Bold clumps of pleated leaves. Height 120cm. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Mrs Geoffrey Howard'
Large tomato red flowers in summer. Height 90cm. Sun.

Crocosmia 'Rayon d'Or'
Good sized bright orange-yellow, prettily marked flowers in summer. Height 75cm. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Sir Matthew Wilson'
Vigorous red flowered variety. Sunny position.

Crocosmia 'Star of the East'
Huge apricot flowers in late summer. Height to 90cm. Mild sunny position, moist but well drained.

Crocosmia 'Sultan'
Dark orange flowers with paler centres. Brown tinted foliage. 50cm. Sun.

Cunninghamia lanceolata
An exotic looking and unusual hardy Chinese conifer, making a medium sized tree with rich green, spiky looking foliage, white banded beneath, bearing some resemblance to a Monkey Puzzle. Slow growing so can be used in smaller gardens until very old. Hardy but best with some shelter.

Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Glauca'
This is the wonderful blue leaved form of this exotic looking but quite hardy Chinese conifer. Very rarely seen, this form will reach the same size as the standard green form, which means normally a medium sized tree, only becoming larger if very happy and/or given 100yrs or so. Best away from the very coldest exposed sites.

Cyathea australis
This beautiful Tree fern from SE Australia and Tasmania is thought to be as hardy as Dicksonia antarctica, and will happily shed its fronds every year if damaged by cold, as they often do in the wild, where it naturally grows in more sun. This is a more elegant plant than D. antarctica, with a trunk covered in thicker, glossier, fibrous roots and spiny frond bases.

Cyclamen purpurascens 'Lake Garda'
Rare pewter leaved form of this very sweetly scented, summer flowering, hardy species. Leafy well drained soil in semi-shade. Not dry in summer.

Cyrtanthus mackenii
Dwarf bulb with heads of tubular, peachy orange flowers in early spring. 40cm. Sun, winter protection. Summer dormant.

Cyrtomium falcatum 'Rochfordianum'
A striking evergreen 'Holly fern' up to 60cm high with glossy, leathery fronds composed of broad pinnae and in this form with handsomely lacerated margins. Hardier than once imagined and suitable for a sheltered position in most areas.

Cyrtomium fortunei
A perfectly hardy 'Holly fern', the evergreen fronds with attractive, broad leathery pinnae on dark stalks, very different to most other ferns. For a shady, humus rich spot. Ht 60cm.

Dahlia aff. mollis NJM 05.072
Hairy leaves and pale lilac-pink flowers to 12cm diameter on a plant to about 1.5m high. From the Sierra Gorda, Queretaro State, Mexico at 2100m alt.

Dahlia aff. tenuicaulis F&M 99
Collected in Eastern Mexico at high altitude this is a large and impressive species. It was often seen by the side of the road in wild places and gardens with strong stems to about 2.5m, topped in late autumn with a profusion of strong pink single flowers. Late to flower in the UK like its cousin D. imperialis. Sun. Lift over winter or mulch heavily.

Dahlia australis
A very unusual species a bit like a taller, beefier merckii with a stiffer habit and larger lilacy flowers. Possibly fairly hardy, especially with a mulch. Up to about 1m.

Dahlia coccinea
Quite different from those nasty fluffy things, this is a lovely simple Mexican species with bright orange-red single flowers on very long stalks in late summer. Fairly hardy, so try it outside over-winter if you like, with a mulch. Sun and well drained soil. Height 1.5-2m.

Dahlia dissecta F&M 191
Collected nr Jacala, Hidalgo State, Mexico. A pretty species with small white flowers, sometimes with a merest hint of pink, over very ferny, dissected, glossy-green foliage on stems to about 60cm. Possibly fairly hardy, especially with a mulch. This comes from a fairly dry area, so well drained soil in full sun.

Dahlia merckii
A fairly hardy species with pretty, single, small flowers in pinky-lilac, on stems to 1.5m, flowering in late summer. Easily grown in a well drained sunny position. Mulch in winter.

Dahlia merckii F&M 222/223
Originating from the Volcan Ajusco in Mexico State, Mexico at between 2700m and 3000m, plants from this area generally have broader overlapping petals in anything from a lovely shade of white flushed soft pink through to lilac. Will be as hardy as any D. merckii. Sun and good well drained soil, and a mulch in winter.

Dahlia neglecta NJM 05.023
This newly described species was collected at the type locality at 2300m, nr Tulancingo, Mexico. It made a plant to 80cm high and has flowered in cultivation with variably pinky-lilac single flowers. Mulch over or dig and store for winter.

Dahlia sp. NJM 05.008
Seed for these was found at 2600m alt. on the East side of the mighty volcano Popocatepetl, Puebla State, Mexico. They appear to be D. merckii and are very similar to the plants that occur on Volcan Ajusco to the West.

Danae racemosa
'Alexandrian Laurel'. A close relative of Ruscus, this forms a small evergreen shrub with arching sprays of healthy looking, glossy green leaves, and orange-red fruits in autumn. Shade tolerant, tough as old boots and great for flower arrangements.

Daphne bholua 'Alba'
A Himalayan gem of a plant. This, the white flowered form, seems to make a more compact, evergreen, upright shrub with slightly smaller, neater foliage. Deliciously scented clusters of flower borne for an unusually long period in Jan/Feb. No garden should be without this lovely thing.

Daphne bholua 'Gurkha'
A mighty fine winter flowering, very sweetly scented Himalayan shrub for any well drained soil. This form, collected at high altitude in E Nepal in 1962, is deciduous, with clusters of comparatively large flowers, purplish-pink and white, borne continuously in Jan-Feb and worth trekking across a garden, or mountainside, to sniff. Rarely seen now. One of the hardiest forms.

Daphne odora 'Aureomarginata'
Hardly needing an intro, this much admired small evergreen shrub has one of the most powerful fragrances of any plant that we can grow. The clusters of piercingly citrus-sweet purple-pink and white flowers are borne all over the bush in late winter and early spring. The foliage has a narrow creamy yellow margin. Ordinary well drained soil in sun or semi-shade.

Daphne pontica
A small, rounded, hardy evergreen shrub from the Near East, very tolerant of shade and poor soil. Clusters of spidery, yellow-green flowers in April/May, deliciously fragrant in the evening. Similar in a way to our native D. laureola, but with broader leaves and better flowers.

Daphniphyllum himalense var. macropodum
A superb, unusual, evergreen, large shrub with fairly sizable, Rhododendron-like foliage, pale beneath and with red petioles. Easy and hardy in any good soil, acid or alkaline, in sun or shade. Male flowers, when in bud, look a bit like Mulberries. An aristocratic foliage plant of fine form.

Dasylirion miquihuanensis NJM 05.062
A magnificent species from NE Mexico, and considering the seed provenance these should be pretty hardy given very free drainage and full sun. In the wild these form huge globes of hundreds of perfectly regularly spaced long, narrow, minutely spine edged leaves, forming a rosette up to 2m across with a slim inflorescences up to 6m. From La Peņa, 2000m.

Datisca cannabina
Clumps of arching 2m stems with pinnate leaves. A very graceful foliage plant: sunny site, not too cold.

Davidia involucrata
The fabled 'Handkerchief Tree'. A beautiful, hardy, medium sized tree for any soil, draped in May with a multitude of large white bracts, "Like huge butterflies hovering among the trees" (Wilson)

Decaisnea fargesii
A very bold foliage plant making a wide spreading open shrub to about 3m eventually. Huge pinnate leaves emerge blue tinged, yellow-green flowers in long racemes in May followed by quite remarkable metallic-blue seed pods the size and shape of broad beans. Sun or semi-shade but best out of strong winds.

Deinanthe bifida
Fleshy, nodding white flowers on 60cm stems. Bristly, attractive leaves. For humus rich soil in shade.

Dendromecon rigida
Highly prized and always in demand, with never enough available, this is a 'Tree Poppy' from California best planted and trained against a very sunny wall in well drained soil, where it will make a tall shrub with rigid, narrow, glaucous, evergreen leaves and a very long succession of poppy-like, bright, buttercup yellow flowers in summer.

Desmodium elegans
A very lovely, Chinese, small to medium sized shrub with attractive trifoliolate leaves, composed of fairly broad, pale green leaflets, and large panicles of pale pinky-lilac pea flowers in summer, followed by flattened seed pods. Well drained soil and sun..

Desmodium yunnanense
Very different from the more usual D. elegans, this will make a large deciduous shrub with large, rounded, thickly silvery-hairy leaves and rich-purple pea flowers in dense clusters in late summer and autumn. This needs the backing of a warm sunny wall in most places and will come back strongly from the base if cut by cold.

Deutzia compacta
Not a bad name for a neat compact bush. Rarely seen, this Chinese species bears densely clustered, hawthorn-like, sweetly scented, white flowers, pink in bud, in July. Any ordinary soil.

Deutzia pulchra
A very beautiful medium sized hardy deciduous shrub of noble aspect, for any soil in sun or semi-shade. The drooping spikes of often pink tinged, white, golden centred flowers in June have been likened to lily-of-the-valley (without the scent). Mature plants have wonderful pale cinnamon bark peeling off in smooth papery sheets. Easy.

Deutzia setchuenensis var. corymbiflora
One of the finest in the genus. A deciduous medium sized, comparatively slow growing shrub to 2m. Innumerable clusters of white, star-like flowers during July/Aug over sea green, rough to the touch foliage. Even pretty in bud when the plant is speckled with tiny white dots.

Deutzia 'Strawberry Fields'
An easily grown vigorous, highly floriferous medium sized deciduous shrub for most soils and situations, covered in comparatively large bright mauve pink, edged white flowers in June.

Dianthus carthusianorum
From the Alps. Heads of magenta flowers on 30cm stems in spring and summer. Easy in a sunny, well drained spot.

Dichroa febrifuga
This Hydrangea relative hails from the foothills of the Himalaya, and like many of its cousins has flowers which are very blue on acid soils, and pink on alkaline. It makes a medium to large shrub with stems to about 3m. Diffuse heads of thick petalled flowers produced in late summer/autumn, followed by dark-blue berries. Best suited to mild gardens.

Dicksonia antarctica
The now well known Hardy tree fern from Tasmania and SE Australia. Grows slowly, so buy the size you like. Larger specimens have survived perfectly outside without protection near here for over 10yrs. Best in a sheltered, semi-shaded spot in leafy soil, but quite sun tolerant if moist.

Dicksonia antarctica
Hardly needs an introduction these days, this wonderful tree fern from SE Australia and Tasmania is the easiest and hardiest of it's kind for UK conditions. Slow growing, it will eventually reach 3-4m in ideal conditions given 100yrs or so, so buy a plant of the size you like and preferably grow it in semi-shade and sheltered conditions, though they are very tolerant.

Dicliptera suberecta
Tubular orange flowers over a long summer-autumn season; silvery leaves. 30cm. Mild sunny spot, but quite hardy. Beautiful.

Dierama 'Blackbird' seedlings
A very special Wand Flower with many purple bell flowers, often very dark. Height to 1.5m. Sun, not too dry.

Dierama 'Coral Bells'
Warm pink flowers in summer with silvery bracts. Height 1m+. Michael Wickenden's selection. Sun, moist in summer.

Dierama dracomontanum JCA 3.141.100
A dwarf, high altitude, hardy species bearing upright spikes of brick red flowers in summer, grassy leaves. Height 45cm. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama formosanum
A very rare species of Wand flower with pendulous inflorescences of pale lilac-pink to bright cerise-pink flowers on arching stems to about 1m high in summer. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama galpinii
An unusual species Wand flower with fairly erect flower stems to 1.5m bearing upright spikes of pale to bright magenta pink flowers in summer. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama 'Guinevere'
Arching spikes of white flowers in summer. Height 1m+. For a sunny position that does not dry out in summer.

Dierama igneum
A species Wand flower with pendulous rich pink flowers on stems 50-150cm high. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama 'Knee High Lavender'
This relatively new cultivar is possibly a wild species. As the name suggests, the plant is only about 50cm high in flower and produces lilac bells in summer over grassy, evergreen foliage. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama medium
A very elegant Wand flower, the stems erect at first, arching over with clusters of mauve to magenta bell flowers crowded at the ends of very pendulous, wiry stalks in early summer. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama pauciflorum JCA 3.143.500
A Wand flower with large, very open pink flowers, backed by rusty bracts, dangling from the 50cm arching stems in June/July. Sun, not too dry in summer. Genuine wild source material. Should be one of the hardiest.

Dierama 'Puck'
A short (50cm) hybrid Wand flower with pink flowers on upright stems. Sun, not too dry.

Dierama pulcherrimum
Genuine wild source material of this well known species. Clusters of rich-pink bell-shaped flowers dangle from tall arching stems in summer. Height 1.5m. Sun, not too dry.

Dierama pulcherrimum var. album
Clusters of white bell flowers dangle from tall arching stems in summer. Height 1.5m. Sun, not too dry.

Dierama reynoldsii
A very beautiful species with tall flower stems 1-2m high. The pendulous, deep wine-red bell flowers contrast effectively with the silvery bracts. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama robustum
A large species and probably one of the hardiest, with pale mauve-pink, open bells dangling in clusters from tall arching stems in late summer. Height 1.5m. Sun, not too dry in summer.

Dierama 'Tiny Bells'
Floriferous dwarf variety. Pink flowers on 40cm stems in summer Sun, moist in summer.

Dierama 'Westminster Chimes'
Very scarce hybrid Wand Flower: pale pink, very open bells on tall(to 1.5m) arching stems. Sun, not too dry.

Digitalis 'Glory of Roundway'
Lovely hybrid foxglove with lots of small creamy pink flowers in summer. Height to 90cm. Sun or part shade.

Dipelta floribunda
Much sought after, difficult to propagate, and never available in large quantity, this large deciduous Chinese shrub is laden, in May, with masses of fragrant pink, yellow throated Weigela like flowers. Its flaking bark is an added interest, as are the winged, papery fruits. Any reasonable soil in sun or semi-shade.

Dipelta ventricosa
Highly prized amongst those in the know, this very rare, large growing, deciduous hardy shrub from W. China is covered in May with conspicuous, Weigela like, vibrant deep lilac-pink flowers with golden yellow throats. Always in demand and rarely available. Any reasonable soil in sun or semi-shade.

Dipelta yunnanensis
A large deciduous shrub much prized and sought after by plantsmen. Weigela like flowers, cream with orange throats, borne in great profusion in May followed by interesting papery, winged fruit. More refined foliage than D. floribunda but smaller flowers. Hardy and suitable for most soils in sun or semi-shade.

Diplarrhena moraea
Beautiful, elegant flowers composed of three broad segments in pure white with yellow and purple central markings borne in early summer, several to a stem and posessing an iris-like quality (same family). Evergreen grassy foliage to 45cm. Flowers to 60cm. Sun.

Dipteronia sinensis
Very closely related to Maples but looks nothing like one. This is a rare multi stemmed small tree from China with bold pinnate foliage and big bunches of round, red tinged, winged seeds in autumn, similar to an Elm but much bigger (the seeds, not the plant). Hardy and easily grown.

Disporopsis aspera
Short stout Solomon's Seal look-alike. Smart maroon blotched stems. Little creamy bells. 30cm. For light shade.

Disporopsis pernyi
Wonderfully sweet scented white bells with flared mouths hang from arching, evergreen, leafy stems to about 20cm. Spreads slowly to form patches in leafy soil in shade. A Solomon's Seal relative from China.

Disporum aff bodinieri
Tall, olive tinted plant. Attractive fat, yellow-green bells with exerted stamens. To 2m. Leafy soil in some shade.

Disporum cantoniense B&L12512
Distinctive for its sombre purple, hanging bell flowers. Great foliage plant, to 1m. Good soil, light shade.

Disporum cantoniense DJHC98485
A tall (2m) form of this beautiful Chinese foliage plant for good soil in light shade. Tiny nodding bells, black berries.

Disporum flavens MSF 800
A Lily of the Valley relative with yellow bells in spring. Height to 40cm. Shade. This tall form was collected originally as D. smithii in S. Korea, and may well be that species.

Disporum sessile 'Variegatum'
Related to Solomon's Seal, this white and green striped plant forms colonies in shade where it will dangle it's little greeny white flowers from 40cm stems in spring/summer.

Distylium racemosum
A rather unusual member of the Hamamelis family from the far East. This large evergreen shrub makes a wide spreading bush in this country, with conspicuous racemes of flowers in April and May. These have no petals, but are instead formed of red stamens. The foliage is deep green and leathery. For most soils, though probably best away from shallow chalk.

Dregea sinensis
A lovely sweet smelling thing for a warm sheltered wall or conservatory in cold areas. Stems clamber up to 3m with suitable support and produce long-stalked umbels of deliciously scented, Hoya like, red spotted, white flowers in summer over pale green leaves, felted beneath.

Drepanostachyum khasianum
This highly unusual, tightly clump forming Himalayan species is worthy of a sheltered spot in dappled shade. Very elegant with small, distinctly bright pea green leaves and upright culms marked with red above the nodes. For a sheltered conditions in not too cold gardens. Min -9c.

Drepanostachyum microphyllum
A rare gem with exquisite, tiny, soft-green foliage, a tight clump-forming habit and wonderfully deep-red stained, olive culms to 2--3m, frothing over under the weight of fine foliage. Best with some shelter, but hardly tried as yet, though unlikely to prosper outside mild-ish areas. Very, very beautiful. Previously sold here as Himalayacalamus asper.

Drepanostachyum porcatus
Very new to cultivation and extremely rare. Tightly clump forming with fine foliage and thin graceful culms that emerge covered with a grey green bloom. Originally collected at 2000-2300m in Nepal. Requires a sheltered site, not too cold, though will certainly take a few degrees of frost.

Drepanostachyum scandens
As the name suggests, this very rare species has fairly lax culms that branch widely, climbing or rather falling over other plants for support. If grown alone it will form an attractive frothy mound of fine foliage reaching the ground on all sides. It hails from low altitudes in S China and in theory should not be very hardy, possibly -5c? Sun or semi-shade.

Drimys granatensis
This species was collected in Mexico in the mid 1980's by Jim Russell and co. Closely related to D. winteri, it has much narrower leaves, twisting to show the bright white undersides (very attractive). Usual scented white flowers, followed by little black fruit. Certainly has a fair amount of hardiness, but who knows how much? A very rare plant in cultivation.

Drimys lanceolata
A slender, upright, medium sized, evergreen shrub with attractive copper tinted new growth and numerous small, creamy white flowers in April/May. The dark green leaves contrast with the purple-red stems and are aromatic if crushed. Best with some shelter. From cold areas of SE Australia and Tasmania.

Drimys winteri var. andina
A rare, hardy, dwarf, evergreen shrub with foliage pale glaucous underneath and clusters of white, starry flowers over a long period in summer. Reaches about 1m or more, but flowers borne at only 30cms. Sun. This is the high altitude form of an otherwise tree-like Chilean species.

Drimys winteri var. chilensis
A very handsome large, upright evergreen shrub or small tree for a fairly sheltered site. Can't be mistaken for anything else with its large leathery leaves, pale glaucous beneath, and loose clusters of starry white flowers in May. Magnificent specimens to be found in west coast gardens.

Dryopteris affinis 'Cristata'
'The King' of the male ferns. A highly crested form of a tough and easy native fern. Fairly evergreen upright fronds to about 1m with cresting on the edge of the frond and at the tip. Tough and tolerant.

Dryopteris affinis 'Polydactyla Mapplebeck'
A large fern with striking fronds, this form of our native 'Golden male fern' has heavy cresting along the edge of, and at the tip of the frond. Height up to 1.2m. Very tough and tolerant.

Dryopteris affinis 'Revolvens'
A distinct, rare and very attractive form of a strong growing, healthy, very tough native fern. The pinnae of the frond are strongly curved under, especially in mature plants, almost forming a tube. Fairly sun and wind tolerant, with fronds surviving the winter in a sheltered spot. Ht 60cm

Dryopteris affinis 'Stablerae'
A giant form of our wonderful native with narrower fronds reaching up to 120cm high, making it one of the largest ferns for colder gardens. Easy, hardy and tolerant of most positions, even coping well with a windy site and quite a few hours of sun a day.

Dryopteris affinis 'Stablerae' crisped
A very unusual newish form. Much smaller than 'Stablerae' with slightly crisped pinnae. Like it it will be tough and tolerant, even of quite some exposure to wind and sun, reaching about 60-75cm high.

Dryopteris erythrosora
One of the finest garden ferns, being tough, vigorous, evergreen and colourful. New fronds emerge red-pink in spring, turning bronze then glossy-green, with the sori underneath bright red. Bi-pinnate, triangular fronds reach about 60cm high. Any reasonable soil in semi-shade.

Dryopteris filix-mas 'Barnesii'
A form of one of our commonest native ferns with extra long, narrower and more divided fronds. Reaching up to 1.2m high. The 'Male fern' is very tough and tolerant, happy in many parts of the garden.

Dryopteris filix-mas 'Linearis'
A very delicate looking fern but one that belies its tolerance 'non ferny' conditions. A form of our native Male fern and extremely tough with it, tolerating fairly exposed positions. Fronds divided into very narrow, dark-green leathery segments. Height 60cm.

Dryopteris goldieana
A large and attractive N. American fern with an unusual look. The lance-shaped, divided fronds are soft yellow-green and have an 'ironed' appearance, reaching 1.2m as they arch out of the leafy clump. Though extremely hardy, best in a sheltered, shady position.

Dryopteris sieboldii
A most unusual and striking hardy fern from Japan. The pinnate fronds are composed of few, large, very leathery pale grey-green pinnae, and reach about 50cm. Would look good associated with exotic plants. Semi-shade and leafy soil.

Dryopteris tokyoensis
A bold Japanese deciduous fern with upright fronds with distinctive large pale green lobes. Height 90cm. For some shade.

Dryopteris wallichiana
A striking fern on account of the dark unfurling fronds. The effect is produced by the black scales on the stalk which travel right up the underside of the frond. Fronds can reach up to 120cm and are rich green, long-lance-shaped and divided into many pinnae. Good humusy soil in semi-shade.

Dryopteris wallichiana F&M 107
A recent Mexican collection of this widespread fern from 2600m on Pico de Orizaba, Veracruz; the highest peak in Mexico. In this form the fronds and stipe are covered in brown scales when expanding. A hardy and attractive species with fronds up to about 1m.

Ecballium elaterium
Squirting Cucumber. Amazingly this plant is proving fairly hardy so far in a cool Devon garden, shrugging off -8c for short periods, and perennial for four years in well drained good soil. Rough sea-green leaves on wandering stems to 1m or more. Yellowish flowers followed by exploding INEDIBLE mini 'cucumbers' from July to frosts. Kids love it. Seeds around.

Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Knee High'
Big bright pink daisies with conical golden-orange centres in summer. A shorter plant to 50cm. Sun or part shade.

Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern'
A fine seed strain of this reliable perennial with big, rich red-purple daisy flowers, sitting horizontally atop vertical stems to 1m in summer. Good soil in sun.

Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'
Big white daisies with large conical, ginger centres, borne atop vertical stems to 1m in summer. Good soil in sun.

Elaeagnus angustifolia
The Oleaster from temperate W Asia is a very hardy and drought tolerant small deciduous tree for virtually any soil bar shallow chalk. It makes a wonderfully characterful specimen with a dark, gnarled trunk and contrasting bright, silver, willow like foliage on silvery twigs. An abundance of sweetly scented flowers in June followed by silvery-amber fruits.

Elaeagnus 'Quicksilver'
One of the silveryest of shrubs and hardier than you'll ever need it to be. Fast growing deciduous shrub forming an upright plant if you don't hack it back, which, by the way, it responds admirably to, forming a bushy dome. Sweetly scented small, creamy flowers in early summer. A sun lover, it is very drought tolerant.

Elaeagnus x reflexa
A very interesting, rare and quite striking evergreen hybrid of great vigour. Long new stems arch from the bush like fishing rods closely covered in fine metallic bronze scales. The leaves retain these scales on their undersides. I have seen this climbing a redwood in a Portuguese garden. Excellent for exposed areas.

Elymus cinereus
From Washington State USA comes this beautiful bold blue-grey, broad leaved grass. To 2m in flower. Sun.

Embothrium coccineum Longifolium group
'Chilean Fire Bush'. A plant to take your breath away when in full flower in May, covered as it is in bright orange-scarlet flowers. An erect, slender, evergreen tall shrub or small tree for non limey soils and a sheltered position. Seemingly not quite as hardy as other forms but pretty darned tough and finer in flower.

Eomecon chionantha
Poppy of the Dawn. Crystalline white flowers, blue- grey leaves. Height 45cm, shade.

Epilobium angustifolium var. album
Bold clumps with white flowers in summer. Height 1.5m. Sun or part shade.

Epimedium acuminatum
Mauve and white spurred flowers in spring over heavily purple-red mottled new foliage. Height to 30cm. Partial shade and humus rich soil.

Epimedium brachyrrhizum CPC 940447
Big, soft violet-pink flowers. New foliage bronzed, matt green later. Good do-er for humusy shade. 30cm. Scarce and choice.

Epimedium brevicornu f. rotundatum Og 82010
Starry white flowers in late spring. Rather ferny green leaves. Deciduous. For humus rich soil in shade.

Epimedium 'Buckland Spider'
Big spidery dusky-pink flowers in spring with the new foliage. Deciduous. 25cm Acidic, humus rich soil, shade.

Epimedium chlorandrum hybrid
Spidery creamy yellow flowers streaked red. Young leaves heavily splashed maroon and stems maroon. Height 50cm. Humus rich soil, shade.

Epimedium chlorandrum Og 94003
Large spidery pale yellow-green flowers on tall stems in spring. Splendid mottled leaves. Humus-rich soil, shade. The type collection from Xiaoguanzi, Sichuan, China.

Epimedium davidii EMR 4125
Bright yellow, spurred flowers in spring over attractive Berberis-like, evergreen foliage. Height 45cm. Part shade.

Epimedium ecalcaratum Og 93082
Exquisite spurless yellow flowers in late spring. Attractive evergreen foliage with small leaflets. Height to 30cm. Humus rich soil in shade. A collection from W Sichuan, China.

Epimedium epsteinii CPC 940347
Chunky white and violet flowers; evergreen foliage. Height 30cm. For humusy soil in shade. Very uncommon.

Epimedium fargesii
Small purple and white flowers in spring. Evergreen foliage. Humus rich soil in shade. Pretty.

Epimedium flavum Og 92036
Butter yellow spurred flowers over a very long spring season, evergreen leaves Height 30cm. Humusy soil in shade. The type collection from 2000m, Tianquan Shan, Erlang Shan, Sichuan, China.

Epimedium franchetii 'Brimstone Butterfly' Og 87001
Big soft yellow flowers in spring. Evergreen, young foliage strongly tinted red. 40cm. Humusy soil in shade. Most desirable. Selected from seedlings raised from the type collection made in Shonnongia Forest District, Mauyuping, Hubei Province, China.

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Crimson Queen'
Deep pink spurred flowers in spring. Height 30cm. Part shade and humus-rich soil.

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Nanum'
Very pretty, crystalline white, spurred flowers above dainty foliage. Height only 15cm. Prefers shade and humus rich-soil.

Epimedium ilicifolium Og 93020
Rarely seen. Strikingly toothed, almost spiny leaves. Large yellow flowers, spring. Height 30cm. Evergreen. Humus rich soil in some shade The type collection from 1650m, Zhenping, Jinxinling, Shanxi Province, China.

Epimedium latisepalum Og 91002
Huge flowers of glistening white and cream. Evergreen foliage. Humus-rich soil in some shade. The type collection from Baoxing Xhian, Xiaoguanzi, Sichuan Province, China.

Epimedium lishihchenii Og 96024
Evergreen species with light yellow flowers in spring. Rarely seen. Height 30cm. For moist but well drained soil in shade.

Epimedium membranaceum Og 93047
Good sized light yellow spurred petals with contrasting paler bracts in late spring .Height 40cm. Humus-rich soil in some shade.

Epimedium rhizomatosum Og 92114
Spidery pale yellow flowers in spring. Evergreen foliage. Height to 45cm. Humus rich soil in light shade. The type collection from 2040m alt, Leibo Xian, Selenggong, Sichuan, China.

Epimedium stellulatum 'Wudang Star' L1193
Lots of starry white flowers on arching stems in spring. Evergreen. Height 45cm. For humus rich soil in light shade. The type collection from the Wudang Shan, Hubei Province, China.

Epimedium wushanense 'Caramel' Og 92009
Big spidery caramel coloured flowers on stems to 1m. Wonderful evergreen leaves, mottled red when young, with long narrow leaflets. Humus rich soil in light shade.

Epimedium x omeiense 'Akane' Og 82001
Eyecatching yellow and pink flowers in spring. Height 30cm. Humus-rich soil in shade. Originally collected from a hybrid swarm growing on Mount Omei, Sichuan, China. Most often known as 'Akame', this is apparently the correct spelling.

Epimedium x perralchicum
Glossy evergreen leaves. Bright-yellow flowers in early spring. Very tough. Height 30cm. Some shade.

Epimedium x rubrum
Crimson and yellow flowers in spring, the new foliage maroon with green veins, green in summer, then red again in winter. Height 30cm. Part shade and humus-rich soil. A superb foliage plant for ground cover.

Epipactis gigantea
Hardy clump forming orchid. 30-50cm spikes of green-purple-yellow flowers in summer. Humusy soil, usually in shade, but will take full sun in a wet spot.

Equisetum camtschatcense
Horse tail with smooth green, black banded shoots to 75cm. Sun or shade. Moist ground.

Eragrostis chloromelas
An African grass with very fine soft-grey leaves and arching, incredibly delicate grey flower heads in summer making billowing clouds of the airiest quality to 1m. A wonderful contrast to bold form. Sun, not cold.

Eragrostis curvula S&SH 10
A very good form of African Love Grass. Lovely delicate, arching, very diffuse panicles of tiny flowers in summer. Height 1m. Sun, not too cold. One of the finest, airiest grasses. A wonderful contrast to bold form.

Eragrostis curvula 'Totnes Burgundy'
Long, delicate, arching panicles of grey flowers in summer. Very fine leaves, wine-red from midway in summer. Height 90cm. Sun. A lovely new form raised by my friends the Suttons in Devon.

Erodium 'Whitwell Superb'
Uncommon excellent hybrid. Pink, veined flowers all summer and more, over grey leaves. Height 30cm. Sunny position.

Eryngium aff. deppeanum F&M 54
Collected west of Acultzingo, Puebla State, Mexico. 2251m alt. Forming plants with evergreen rosettes and inflorescences to approx 75cm.

Eryngium aff. proteiflorum F&M 168
Collected West of Chichicaxtla, Puebla State, Mexico. 2764m alt. Silvery 'everlasting' flowerheads on stems to about 1m, over green strappy and spiny foliage.

Eryngium aff. proteiflorum F&M 224
Collected 11km SW of Mexico City on road to Ajusco. 2950m. Silvery 'everlasting' flowerheads on stems to about 1.3m, over green strappy and spiny foliage. This has proved a great success in my garden here so far, unlike the usual form of this species in cultivation.

Eryngium agavifolium
Broad spiky tongues of glossy green foliage in rosettes, with clusters of greeny-white thimbles on stems to 1.2m. Sun.

Eryngium bourgatii 'GST Selected'
A sea holly selected for its intense blue heads of flowers. Spiny foliage. Height 60cm. Sunny position in well drained soil.

Eryngium elegans var. elegans CDPR 3076
Recently collected in Argentina, this evergreen species makes rosettes of spathulate softly spiny leaves and 1.2m stems of small white thimbles in a diffuse head. Hardy and easy so far.

Eryngium guatemalense
A recent introduction from high altitude. These have branched heads of very dark black/brown/purple flower heads set off by grey-green bracts on stems to about 1.3m. Try it in a sheltered position in sun or semi-shade and well drained soil, not too dry in summer.

Eryngium horridum ex HCM 98048
An extraordinarily tall collection of this South American species making big, bold clumps of long narrow evergreen foliage, with little white thimbles on many slim stems up to 2.5m. Sun and good well drained soil. Not horrid, in fact quite pleasant.

Eryngium monocephalum
A Mexican sp. with spiny, sword like leaves and greeny white thimbles on sturdy stems to 1m. More rigidly upright than similar species, and likes to be more singular in its form, though does produce offsets. Sun. This is apparently the true eburneum, which is wrongly represented in cultivation, but that's another story.

Eryngium pandanifolium
A huge species, fairly arresting when seen in flower in late summer and autumn. The airy heads of dark black-red, thimble-like flowers reach up to 2m or more on slender stems over the huge clump of spiny, sword-shaped, grey-green foliage. Good in most ordinary soils, though in the wilds of Argentina etc it is found in wet places. Most impressive.

Eryngium sp. F&M 208
Collected above La Peņa, Tamaulipas, NE Mexico. 2600m.

Eryngium sp. NJM 05.031
Evergreen perennial with spiny strap shaped leaves and stems to about 80cm, topped by darkest maroon and green flowers. Seed collected 2500m in Hidalgo State, Mexico.

Eryngium venustum
A scarce species from Mexico with extraordinary, very spiny 'Starfish' rosettes in light grey green. Green thimble flowers on stems to 60cm. Sun, and good drainage.

Eryngium x zabelii
A Sea Holly with large silver blue flowers each lasting for weeks. Height to 60 cm. Sun. Good for drying.

Erythrina crista-galli
Spectacularly incredible when in flower, indeed enough to bowl you over from 100 paces. Huge long heads of very big, intense crimson, waxy pea flowers borne in summer atop prickly herbaceous stems with trifoliolate leaves. Naturally a small tree in its native Brazil, but in this country killed to a stump each winter. Warm sunny wall and winter mulch please.

Erythronium californicum 'White Beauty'
Vigorous and beautiful, this 'Dog's tooth violet' bears big white flowers with pale yellow centres and reflexed petals in spring up to  25cm over leaves mottled brown and green. At its best in semi-shade and humusy, moisture retentive soil. Very hardy.

Erythronium revolutum
Deep pink flowers with yellow centres dangle 1 to 3 per stem over mottled wavy edged leaves in spring. At their best in semi-shade and humusy, moisture retentive soil. Very hardy.

Eucalyptus archeri
'Alpine Cider Gum'. A tough, hardy gum tree from Tasmania, closely related to the ubiquitous E. gunnii, but smaller, with narrow grey-green leaves and smooth grey and white bark. Can be stooled or pollarded to produce strong shoots retaining the very pretty, small, oval, blue juvenile foliage. Fast growing and drought tolerant.

Eucalyptus dalrympleana
'Mountain Gum'. A fantastic gum from SE Australia and Tasmania, not only one of the most attractive but one of the hardiest. Very fast growing, it soon makes a medium to large tree with beautiful bronze new foliage turning grey-green, and patchwork bark becoming a most wonderful creamy white all over from top to bottom. Sun.

Eucalyptus glaucescens
'Tingiringi Gum'. A beautiful blue leaved gum with the most delicious fragrance emitted from the foliage when brushed or bruised, very blackcurranty, and the best I know for this. Very fast growing, this will make a large tree with smooth, peeling, grey-green bark and white flowers followed by distinctive large, glaucous fruits. Drought tolerant.

Eucalyptus gregsoniana
Rarely seen, this is a hardy large shrub rather than a tree, with red new stems contrasting beautifully with the masses of white flowers, grey-green narrow leaves and branches with grey and white flaking bark. I have found this obscure relative of E. pauciflora a surprisingly attractive Eucalypt. Sun, drought tolerant.

Eucalyptus nicholii
Unique amongst Eucalyptus growable in the UK, this very attractive species is not the hardiest but has survived a number of winters near here in the Cotswolds. Very narrow blue-green leaves, especially when young when they also have a purple bloom, giving a soft, fluffy effect. Makes a small to medium sized tree here.

Eucalyptus parvifolia
An attractive small gum tree to about 10m with a dense rounded crown and very narrow blue-green foliage slightly broader when young. The ornamental peeling bark is pale grey and beige. One of the hardiest of Eucalyptus, also very lime tolerant, even coping with thin chalk. The RHS rate it: it's even got an AGM.

Eucalyptus pauciflora ssp debeuzevillei
'Jounama Snow Gum'. The hardiest of all Eucalypts, and very attractive with it, making a small tree with a low spreading crown, silvery bark and thick leathery grey-green leaves like a spear head. A group of 3 plants at RHS Wisley look wonderful, full of character and, after just 15 years of growth, like they've been there a lot longer.

Eucalyptus pauciflora ssp niphophila
'Snow Gum'. One of the most beautiful and certainly one of the hardiest of all Eucalypts, suffering little or no damage even in our very coldest winters. A small tree with very ornamental smooth patchwork peeling bark in green, grey-green and cream. Leathery small leaves on white shoots. Slower growing than most, but still gets on with it.

Eucomis comosa 'First Red'
Pineapple Lily with young leaves red, ageing to light carmine with paler midrib. Flowers 30cm, late summer. Sun, warm bed or pot.

Eucomis comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy'
Pineapple Lily with striking, rich purple-red leaves and pink flowers on 50cm dark red stems in autumn. Hardy as they come. Good soil in sun.

Eucomis pallidiflora
A fairly large Pineapple Lily with greeny-white flowers on stems to about 75cm. Good soil in a fairly sheltered sunny position.

Eucomis pole-evansii
A large Pineapple lily with big spikes of yellow green flowers to 1m in late summer. Pale foliage. Sunny, sheltered position.

Eucomis vandermerwei
A small Pineapple Lily with superbly red spotted leaves. Reddish flowers on spotted scapes. Height to 20cm. Sun, drainage.

Eucomis 'Zeal Bronze'
A fine Pineapple Lily raised in Devon. Foliage washed with red-purple, fading green. Strong, red, 70cm flower stems with pinky-cream flowers in late summer/autumn. One of the hardiest.

Eucommia ulmoides
A unique and very rarely seen Chinese, hardy, deciduous, small to medium sized tree. It is the only hardy tree known to produce rubber, and this can be seen when one tears a leaf in half, the stringy latex strands from the veins drying quickly. Only try this experiment however, after you've bought the plant! The leaves are leathery, glossy and dark green, bark is pale grey.

Eucryphia glutinosa miniature
Doesn't look like a glutinosa to me, more a hybrid, but miniature it is, and new it is, so give it a go and let me know how you get on. No Eucryphia is anything but handsome, so you can't go wrong. Acid soil.

Eucryphia lucida
A very lovely large, dense, evergreen shrub or small tree covered in Jun/Jul with fragrant, white, pendulous, round, flowers. Leaves dainty and narrow, glaucous beneath. Shelter and neutral/acid soil.

Eucryphia lucida 'Dumpling'
A brand new dwarf form of this lovely Tasmanian evergreen shrub. In this variety, found by the Suttons of Devon, the plant only reaches about 1m x 1m, considerably smaller than the norm and very suitable for smaller spaces. Flowers are typical, white and fragrant, produced freely in June and July. Neutral to acid soil please.

Eucryphia lucida 'Pink Cloud'
A June/July flowering species from Tasmania forming a bushy, upright evergreen large shrub or small tree with lovely narrow, dark green foliage, pale glaucous underneath. In this form the very beautiful nodding, fragrant flowers are pale pink shading to white, red at the base. Any good soil, not too chalky, in a fairly sheltered spot.

Eucryphia milliganii
This sought after Tasmanian species is a relatively small grower making a slim tall shrub. The dainty evergreen foliage is dark green above, pale glaucous beneath, and the flowers are small cups of pure white, freely produced in late summer. Best in neutral to acid soil, not too dry.

Eucryphia x hybrida 'Pink Whisper'
Originally found in Tasmania in 1976, this seems to be a hybrid between E. lucida and E. milliganii. It makes a dense evergreen shrub with small almost triangular leaves and little flowers with pink edges in July/August. This was perhaps the first pink discovery but is very rare in cultivation here. Needs a neutral to acid soil in reasonable shelter and cool roots.

Eucryphia x nymansensis 'Nymansay'
A very handsome dense, columnar, evergreen large shrub or small tree of rapid growth, wreathed in August and September with large round, white flowers. Best with some shelter from wind. I know of a plant that has grown healthily near here in the Cotswolds for about 30 yrs on thin rocky, very alkaline soil. A must for late summer.

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus'
A small, slow growing, deciduous 'Spindle' making a dense shrub, very tolerant of almost any soil. One of the finest shrubs for extremely intense and reliable crimson-pink autumn colour. Branchlets can develop interesting corky wings, and reddish-purple fruit with orange berries are sometimes borne, though are lost in the amazing foliage colour.

Euonymus cornutus var. quinquecornutus
A unique species of 'Spindle' from China with attractive very narrow foliage and fascinatingly beautiful, if subtle, soft-red translucent flowers. The finest feature is, however, the fruit capsules, which have 5 projecting horns, resembling a jester?s hat, the scarlet seeds dangling out on tiny threads. A small shrub reaching about 1m. Hardy. Rare.

Euonymus frigidus KR 937a
Collected on the Dochu La, Bhutan at 10000ft alt, this seems to represent a hardier form of the species. Makes a medium sized evergreen shrub, bearing small, thin-stalked, chocolate-brown flowers and 4 winged red fruit with orange seeds. Leaves with raised veins.

Euonymus grandiflorus 'Red Wine'
A quite exceptional new form of this species, of lower bushier habit with narrow leaves turning to a glowing deep maroon and lasting for a long period in autumn, showing off the yellow and pink fruit capsules well. Easy and hardy, for sun or semi-shade.

Euonymus hamiltonianus 'Indian Summer'
Superb, glowing, deep red, reliable autumn colour is the main feature of this selection. As usual it makes a large, hardy, vigorous shrub for most soils or sites, with pink fruit borne en-masse, opening to reveal orange-red seeds. Easy.

Euonymus phellomanus
A superb Chinese 'Spindle Tree', making a large shrub with amazing corky, winged shoots. A profusion of 4-lobed pink fruits with red seeds borne in autumn and, in a good year, excellent autumn colour. Easy on virtually any soil, even poor chalk.

Euonymus planipes
One of the finest of the Spindles on account of its superb autumn colour, this species from Sakhalin and Japan makes a large shrub. The fruit add much to the display, being large scarlet capsules, opening to reveal dangling orange seeds. Easy and hardy.

Eupatorium purpureum 'Atropurpureum'
Joe Pye Weed. Heads of pink-purple flowers on erect purple stems in late summer. Makes big impressive clumps. Height to 2m. Sun, good soil.

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate'
Very dark foliage; heads of white flowers from August to October. Height 60cm. Sun or shade.

Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Craigieburn'
Grown for its lovely purple-tinted foliage, best in winter-spring. Height 40cm. Sun or part shade.

Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae 'Pom Pom'
A charming freak: non-flowering shoots like rosettes on stalks, elongating to fl in 2nd yr. 40cm. Sun or pt shade.

Euphorbia ceratocarpa
A perennial spurge from S Europe with stems to about 50cm, bearing acid yellow flowers in summer over greyish-green foliage. Sun.

Euphorbia characias 'Portuguese Velvet'
Unlike other forms in the short, bluey-sea-green, velvety hairy foliage, densely clustered on a dwarf evergreen shrub. Columnar heads of green flowers with dark maroon centres. A lovely and distinct form from the far Western end of its natural distribution. Sun and well drained soil. Height about 60cm by 1m wide. Very drought tolerant.

Euphorbia mellifera
'Honey Spurge'. A shrubby evergreen species from Madeira, making a medium-sized rounded bush of luscious lime-green foliage, covered in clusters of honey-scented golden-brown flowers in May/June. I've grown this outside near here in a sunny sheltered spot for 12 yrs, only once was it cut to the ground by cold, after which it re-grew from the base.

Euphorbia rigida
Excellent blue-grey foliage; heads of acid yellow flowers in spring tint orange and red. Height to 50cm. Sun and good drainage. Like a giant E. myrsinites.

Euphorbia stygiana
The true Azorean species with impressive rosettes of thick, leathery, rich green foliage at the ends of low, serpentine, green stems. Yellowy-brown clusters of slightly honey-scented flowers are seen in May/June. A few specialist nurseries sell the hybrid E. x pasteurii as this species, though they aren't that similar. Hardier than E. mellifera. Best in sun.

Euphorbia stygiana
The true Azorean species with impressive rosettes of thick, leathery, rich green foliage at the ends of low, serpentine, green stems. Yellowy-brown clusters of slightly honey-scented flowers are seen in May/June. A few specialist nurseries sell the hybrid E. x pasteurii as this species, though they aren't that similar. Hardier than E. mellifera. Best in sun.

Euphorbia x pasteurii 'John Phillips'
A new, robust clone of this marvellous hybrid spurge, received from and named after a fine and generous plantsman from Wiltshire who was probably the first to grow it in the UK. Some E. x pasteurii can look very like E. mellifera, this does not, with big broad foliage and a very vigorous constitution. Honey scented flowers. Very tough but safest in a sheltered spot.

Euphorbia x pasteurii 'John Phillips'
A new, robust clone of this marvellous hybrid spurge, received from and named after a fine and generous plantsman from Wiltshire who was probably the first to grow it in the UK. Some E. x pasteurii can look very like E. mellifera: this does not, with big broad foliage and a very vigorous constitution. Honey scented flowers. Very tough but safest in a sheltered spot.

Euphorbia x pasteurii 'Phrampton Phatty'
A clone growing here in my garden, which has turned out to be quite distinct. It has formed a wide spreading, dense, evergreen dome, wider than high, covering the