Grown your own tea with these fabulous easy-care plants. The 'Tea Plant' is a striking evergreen shrub whose leaves can be picked and added to the teapot to make up your own cuppa. Come autumn they're covered in beautiful, white flowers which have a delightful scent - an added bonus if planted in a pot near the house. Camellia sinensis produces fresh new leaves in spring which are the best leaves to pick for your teapot, although you can experiment with drying the leaves for a more traditional brew. Supplied in 15cm pots, these tea plants are ideal when grown in a container but can also be planted in the flower border among your favourite perennials as the Camellia's dark evergreen leaves highlight flower colour superbly. Care of your tea plant care is very straight forward; Water plants frequently during the first two years - generally two or three times per week during the summer, using rainwater whenever possible. Your plant will be dormant during the winter months, but in spring it will burst into life and you can start picking the freshest young leaves. You will be able to pick a few leaves in the first year, so that you can try making your very own tea - although it's best to limit yourself for the first 2-3 years of growth so that your tea plant will establish to become a bigger plant with more fresh leaves in the following years. Prune back to 3 to 4 feet every few years to keep the plant bushy and producing fresh leaves. Traditionally, the uppermost leaves two and leaf bud on each stem are picked although you may want to try with some of the older leaves or even stems and see how the flavour varies. Protect plants from cold, dry winds and early morning sun and water in dry weather to prevent bud drop. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser in mid-spring and again in June, plus mulch annually with shredded bark or well-rotted leaf mould. Protect container-grown tea plants in winter by wrapping with bubble wrap or hessian. For the first 2 or 3 years during the winter, we suggest either bringing your plant indoors or protecting it from prolonged or sharp frosts with horticultural fleece.
Masses of fully double, pink blossoms smother the bare stems of this Dwarf Flowering Almond in mid to late spring, before the leaves appear. Unlike many ornamental cherries, Prunus glandulosa 'Sinensis' is a compact, rounded shrub, ideal for small and low-maintenance gardens.
An attractive grass variety with year-round interest, Miscanthus ?Gracilimus' is well worth serious consideration. It's a clump forming perennial which is easy to grow and after a long hot summer it really comes into its own with tall flower spikes topped with feathery textured copper coloured plumes which, along with the foliage arch over gracefully. The plumes will remain during the winter so that you can enjoy them left in situ or cut them for winter displays indoors. Height: 130cm (51). Spread: 120cm (47).
A big impact in summer borders for very little effort! From late summer, this low maintenance perennial grass produces spidery panicles of bronze tipped flower-spikes that slowly fade to silver as they mature. The tall flower stems rise magnificently above clumps of arching, green foliage.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Ruby Cute' is an arching, deciduous grass is at its best in autumn when the slender green leaves turn to bright ruby red. The leaves begin the year green, with white veins that gradually become pinker as autumn approaches.
This spectacular perennial grass produces distinctive arching green foliage striped with horizontal cream bands. The tall flower plumes are long lasting, making an elegant focal point that will last well into winter. Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' creates a superb backdrop for summer perennials, adding height and vertical structure to summer borders. This RHS AGM maiden grass is easy to grow and requires little maintenance. Height: 150cm (59). Spread: 90cm (35). Supplied in 9cm pots.
A rarely available, vibrant selection of the popular stripy Zebra Grass, Miscanthus 'Little Zebra' has attractive gold striping and fluffy plumes of deep red-pink flowers. A dwarfing variety, the compact mound of foliage holds its form well with less chance of flopping over so is ideal for adding texture and colour to pots and garden borders. It also changes colour to a lovely pale almond over the winter to add extended seasonal interest. From August to September, the deep red-pink plumes of flower appear, gracefully arching over the clump. Gradually fading to silver as the winter approaches, they curl and contrast wonderfully with the leaves and give rise to the little beauty's other name of Japanese Silver Grass. Supplied as 3 x established plants in 9cm pots, ready to be planted straight out. Will grow to a height and spread of approx. 1m (3ft).
One of the most striking grasses available. It is best known for its unusual;soft yellow rings along the gracefully arching green leaves. In summer;it is complimented by soft pink plumes of flowers which fade to silver in the autumn. A perfect choice as a feature plants for adding height to the back of your borders.
Masses of cascading plumes of highly fragrant mauve flowers smother this climbing plant from May to June. This chinese wisteria is a stunning variety, less vigorous than other species, nevertheless it can climb to 9m high and 5m across, if allowed! Ideal for a frame or pergola. Supplied in 2 litre pots.