Very reliable performer. Early to bloom and the large double flowers appear freely providing a tall mixture of brightly coloured heads in oranges and yellows. It is an ideal space filler adding great height and colour in the border, and dramatic when mass planted into a large container, especially when companion planted with bright blue flowers. 'Crackerjack' looks spectacular when block planted into a border about 30cm (1ft) apart. Try the flowers in a salad, they taste of citrus! Dead-head to keep the flowers coming throught the summer and into autumn. This half hardy annual will grow to H75cm (30in) x W30cm (1ft) and flower from June to October. Supplied in a pack of approx. 200 seeds.
This superb all-rounder will produce plentiful crops of medium-sized, bright red, juicy fruits whether placed outdoors or in a greenhouse. Easy to grow and having good resistance to disease, it is a great choice for beginners or experienced gardeners who want a harvest to be proud of. An indeterminate, or cordon type tomato, it will fruit most prolifically when side shoots are pinched out to encourage an upright central stem that requires a support. Each plant will then produce a succession of fruit-laden trusses that ripen from July onwards to give a continuous crop. If left unpruned they will still fruit well, although these will be smaller than those of pruned plants and will ripen later in the season. Being a winner of the RHS Award of Garden Merit, 'Alicante' is a dependable variety that rewards with super quality fruits full of that traditional rich tomato flavour. Their natural sweetness makes them a delicious component in salads and sandwiches and also ideal as a cooking ingredient. Green or immature fruits picked at the end of the season will ripen well on the windowsill - or even make a tasty green tomato chutney. Supplied as a packet of approx. 75 seeds ready to sow indoors from January to April for transplanting into larger pots when 10-15cm (4-6in) tall. Plant on into pots, growbags or a greenhouse border, or place in a container outdoors in sunny position in humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil or compost. Harvest from July to October.
A truly dramatic garden plant, a close relative of borage, it produces the most spectacular tall flower spikes seemingly from nowhere in summer. Despite its common name of 'Pride of Madeira', it is hardy in the UK down to -5C or so, particularly where it is drier in winter. It is biennial, so needs one cold winter after germination to flower - so these plants will flower in their first year and beyond. Once your echium has established and flowered, it will self-seed prolifically and, unless we have a really harsh winter, you will never have to plant another as you will always have plenty of seedlings! E. candicans will grow to around 1m (3ft) in its first year, then in its second, it produces its magnificent flower - in milder areas the plants keep growing all year around and, after a frost-free winter, you will see enormous flower spikes. Expect flowering spikes in July or later. Although plants are hardy when kept dry, leaves can still be damaged by frost and cold winds, and the cold will kill plants that are in wet ground, so protect plants over winter with fleece or similar product. A common sight in Cornwall as well, Echiums are best grown in very well drained soils, or in large pots with plenty of sand or grit for drainage. When it does grow in spring, keep it well watered between May and August as it grows quickly. Echiums self-seed over a small area, and once these seedlings have germinated and over-wintered, they too may flower away, and a little colony will appear. Truly spectacular and one of the best plants that you can grow to attract pollinating insects into your garden.
A relative of the date palm, Phoenix canariensis is a large palm tree, with spreading deep green leaves arching elegantly from its attractive, stout trunk. During a hot summer, drooping bunches of creamy-yellow flowers may appear. Holding a prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, the Canary Island date palm makes an excellent evergreen specimen plant for the patio or conservatory. Phoenix canariensis enjoys a sheltered garden position in the UK, although will cope with temperatures down to -6C (21F). The Phoenix Palm is undeniably impressive and can grow to more than 12m in its native Canary Islands. Fortunately, here in the UK and when restricted in a container, it reaches a much more manageable height of 1.5m (5'). Add this tropical beauty to your patio or garden to create a real holiday feel for years to come - instantly conjuring up scenes of a tropical paradise, where its huge leaves waft airily in the sea breeze and you can almost hear the sea lapping at the shore... Supplied as a single, mature potted plant, approx. 1m tall, in a 20cm pot, ready to plant outside from the end of April. Please note: While your palm tree will be tolerant of dry conditions when fully established, in very hot, dry weather it will need to be watered every day along with the rest of your plants.
'Cantor' is a highly sought-after and simply beautiful Calla lily variety, producing stunning, near black flowers each summer. Newly formed blooms are black to begin with, then unfurl slowly to reveal deep, maroon-purple trumpets. A real showstopper! Grow singly in pots about 10-15cm diameter, or all 3 in a 20cm diameter pot. For best results, they should be kept very warm and well watered once planted for 2 weeks to kick-start them out of dormancy - on a heater or an airing cupboard is fine, then once the green shoots appear, they can be placed outside. The corms are shallow, and need to be planted saucer shape up, just with a shallow 1-2cm covering of compost only. You will be rewarded with tremendous displays of sumptuous calla flowers that last for 5-6 weeks, and appear again year after year. Supplied as 3 bulbsready for planting.
This tropical, architectural beauty will add that holiday feel to your patio for years to come! With its spectacular fan-shaped foliage, Phoenix canariensis will provide an incredibly dramatic impact to your garden. Amazingly, this superbly exotic plant thrives in the UK and is winter hardy to -6°C! Abundant across the Canary Islands and Spain, it's perfect for patio pots and will provide a stunning centrepiece for your garden. Your palm will grow rapidly to form a thick trunk, with the distinctive, deep-green leaves fanning out above to form wonderful shadows on your patio this summer. You'll truly feel as if you've been transported to the Canary Islands! As soon as your palm arrives, you'll be able to achieve an instant Mediterranean feel - we supply an established plant 1.2m tall (inc pot), ready to be placed wherever you want for immediate results, no need to wait! Please note: While your palm tree will be tolerant of dry conditions when fully established, in very hot, dry weather it will need to be watered every day along with the rest of your plants.
There's nothing finer than a large Agapanthus in full flower at the height of summer, creating an eruption of brilliant blue. Its the perfect plant for an ornate container and with a little care will last a lifetime. Even before the 1m flower stems appear the bright green strap life leaves are a lovely sight and heighten the expectation of the blooms to come from mid summer. Unlike smaller specimens which can take a year or two to flower, these fully mature specimens are will give a good display this summer. Agapanthus do best when their roots are restricted so don't be tempted to pot into too large a container - just a little wider than the nursery pot they arrive in will be fine. Place in a sunny spot and enjoy this African native in your garden over summer!
This tropical, architectural beauty will add that holiday feel to your patio for years to come! With its spectacular fan-shaped foliage, Phoenix canariensis will provide an incredibly dramatic impact to your garden. Amazingly, this superbly exotic plant thrives in the UK and is winter hardy to -6C! Abundant across the Canary Islands and Spain, it's perfect for patio pots and will provide a stunning centrepiece for your garden. Your palm will grow rapidly to form a thick trunk, with the distinctive, deep-green leaves fanning out above to form wonderful shadows on your patio this summer. You'll truly feel as if you've been transported to the Canary Islands! The Phoenix Palm is undeniably impressive and can grow to more than 12m in its native Canary Islands. Fortunately, here in the UK and when restricted in a container, it reaches a much more manageable height of 1.5m (5ft). As soon as your palm arrives, you'll be able to achieve an instant Mediterranean feel - we supply a 4-year-old plant in a 5L pot, ready to be placed wherever you want for immediate results, no need to wait! Please note: While your palm tree will be tolerant of dry conditions when fully established, in very hot, dry weather it will need to be watered every day along with the rest of your plants.
This native of South Africa is simply beautiful! You will see the raspberry ripple coloured, funnel shaped flowers appear soon after planting from November onwards. Perfect for the front of pots or borders. Grow them on pots on your decking, balconies or terraces - they really are a joy to behold and the flowers will make your garden a talking point! They're really easy to grow, and being so exotic looking, your friends and family will truly thing you are blessed with green fingers! Stunning when in full bloom, the flowers are even more striking when in bud, when the flowers are marked with vivid crimson-pink stripes, hence its more common name, the Candy Cane Sorrel. This delightful little plant is something uniquely special, with its bright white, funnel-shaped flowers edged with colour. Even when not in flower, this striped oxalis will continue to delight with its mound of green leaves which forms in spring, adding subtle texture and colour to your garden. Supplied as a pack of 10 bulbs, ready to be planted out in autumn.
There's nothing finer than a large Agapanthus in full flower at the height of summer, creating an eruption of brilliant blue. It's the perfect plant for an ornate container and with a little care will last a lifetime. Even before the 1m flower stems appear the bright green strap life leaves are a lovely sight and heighten the expectation of the blooms to come from mid summer. Agapanthus do best when their roots are restricted so don't be tempted to pot into too large a container - just a little wider than the nursery pot they arrive in will be fine. Place in a sunny spot and enjoy this African native in your garden over summer!
Erigeron karvinskianus is a fully hardy perennial, most notable for its energetic display of colour-changing daisies. Plants form a low mound of grey-green leaves followed by an abundant display of small daisy flowers which open white before turning an eye-catching pinkish-purple, creating an ever-changing display of blooms with an unusual two-tone effect. Perfect for informal, relaxed garden settings, erigeron will fill your garden, pots and baskets with blossom from May to the first frosts, that's 6 months of colour EVERY YEAR! Also known as Mexican Fleabane, this amazingly versatile little gem is happy in sun or partial shade and thrives in any well-drained soil and is even happy in dry Mediterranean or gravel gardens. It really is an all-purpose plant, which is supported by its many awards, including the RHS Award of Garden Merit, which means it has been rigorously tested and declared a perfect garden plant - so you can be sure that it will perform. A multi-purpose garden filler, try using erigeron as an edging plant in your garden borders and paths, as an exuberant container plant, or even planted in the cracks in paving. Being a native of Mexico, it really doesn't mind a bit of drought when established. As well as the AGM, erigeron is recommended by the RHS as a Plant for Pollinators as it is a magnet for butterflies and bees so makes a really great addition to a wildlife garden. Supplied as 3 x 9cm potted plants ready to be planted out when all risk of frost is passed.
Musa 'Tropicana' is a dwarf form of banana plant that can easily be kept as an indoor house plant due to its compact, yet fast-growing nature, bringing a lush, tropical feel to your home. The perfect miniature tree, 'Tropicana' has a symmetrical growth habit and a slightly wavy edge to its huge leaves. Although it is unlikely to produce fruit in the UK, it will grow into a handsome specimen indeed! A conservatory is an ideal place to grow your Musa, as it will provide humidity, brightness and plenty of room to grow - just what this plant desires in order to thrive. Your banana can also be grown outside during the summer in a sheltered location to prevent wind damage to the paddle-shaped leaves and then brought back into the house when cold weather threatens. As well as looking gorgeous, your Banana is also a useful houseguest, as according to a NASA study they will help keep the air in your home clean by filtering out pollutants and improving the oxygen content. Supplied as an established plant in a 12cm pot, plants will reach approx 1-2m high. Note The decorative pot in images is for display purposes only and is not supplied.