With its opulent foliage colour, leaves emerge a rich, glossy dark reddish-purple, creating a stunning show which ends in autumn as the leaves turn red and purple before falling in an extravagant cascade of colour. The show isn't restricted to the leaves however, as 'All Black' is shrub with exceptional year-round interest. In summer, dense clusters of creamy, pink-tinged flowers form neat balls of bloom and these are followed in autumn by red fruit pods which turn black as they ripen, extending the colour in your garden right up to leaf-fall! A compact shrub, bred to perform in your garden, Physocarpus Burning Embersis a garden plant that very few other gardeners will have, and its colour changing nature makes this a garden must-have and certainly a plant that you'll want to give pride of place to so that everyone can see it! The unique foliage will form the perfect backdrop for your other garden plants and goes especially well with blues and purples. Supplied as an established plant in a 9cm pot, ready for planting out or potting on, Physocarpus 'All Black' will reach around 1.5-2.5m in 10 years and is really easy to grow - the perfect garden plant for any level of experience!
If you want a garden plant that no-one else will have (or even recognise) then the Carolina Allspice, (Sinocalycanthus raulstonii 'Hartlage Wine') has got to be your go-to plant. An ideal choice for many gardens from woodland to moderately sunny, it is a robust, deciduous shrub with beautiful, lightly scented, maroon flowers up to 7.5cm (3-4in) across. A relatively new introduction for gardeners and a first for us here at YouGarden, 'Hartlage Wine' was first revealed at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2010, where it delighted all who encountered it. The flowers themselves are a delight to see and form along the branches. They are a rich shade of burgundy red, with just a hint of cream towards their centre - simply gorgeous against the backdrop of the lustrous green foliage, which in turn transforms to buttery shades in autumn. This unusual and delightful shrub is the first successful cross between Calycanthus floridus and Sinocalycanthus chinensis, its rare Chinese counterpart, making it something really special for your garden, and a plant that will amaze all who see it! Fully hardy, plants can withstand temperatures down to -15°C (5°F) and grow best in part shade, although you can also grow this beauty in full sun if it is kept well-watered until established.
Sinocalycanthus 'Venus', also known as the Carolina Allspice, is a bushy shrub that will become the focus of your garden with its large showy flowers and subtle-coloured autumn display. One of the more exclusive shrubs that you can acquire for your garden, Sinocalycanthus is the end result of an intense breeding program and is rarely offered for sale in garden centres, so this is your chance to get your hands on something really rather special. The main show is from late spring into summer when 'Venus' erupts with a fabulous show of large, magnolia-like, creamy-white flowers with yellow and purple central splashes. The eyecatching blooms are beautifully scented and the first flush will last for several weeks in late spring, before blooming on and off right through until the autumn. There's then the added bonus in autumn when the large, glossy green leaves turn yellow and transform into honey-brown before falling. A strong, reliable grower and fully hardy, Venus is a low maintenance option for those of us with little time to worry about complicated care routines - just prune out any dead or damaged branches and that's it! Supplied as an established plant in a 3L pot, ready to be planted out.
Without doubt, the toughest and hardiest of all ornamental bananas in the UK, it is grown for its dramatic and tough leaves, and, once mature, its amazing and long-lasting golden-yellow flowers - hence its name. From high up in the Chinese mountains of Yunnan, it is naturally very tough, and is exposed to temperatures well below freezing. It forms a much thicker and sturdier trunk-stem than other bananas, which is very tough and hardy. Even if leaves are damaged by frosts, more and new leaves emerge in spring, as well as numerous 'pups' round the side. The flower is in fact its last hurrah, as the 6 month epic flower display is a sign the plant will die - but fear not, you will have plenty of established pups round the side in a clump, each of which will grow and develop to maturity too. It is thus best regarded as a clump forming perennial. It is also much shorter and less vigorous than other huge banana plants too at around 4-5ft tall maximum, making it ideal for large pots in small gardens - grow in full sun or shade, it makes a great talking point. Note - it does not produce any edible banana fruit, or even tiny ornamental ones. Very easy to grow, and a great, exotic-looking patio focal point.
Yellow Groove Bamboo Phyllostachys aureosulcata aureocaulis has long, slender golden yellow stems which form strange zig-zag patterns as they grow, providing a real interesting twist and instant impact! Not only that, but the stems have beautifully contrasting red highlights when grown in the sun. They will form attractive and long lasting clumps, and due to their height are ideal for screening or dividing areas of your garden. Keep plants in check by growing them in pots and they will add great impact in large patio containers. Very hardy, they will need very little care, so they are perfect for busy gardeners. Just make sure your plants are well watered in summer and dont let them dry out if you're growing yours in a pot.
Without doubt one of sweetest apples you'll ever taste. 'Fuji Kiku' is renowned for its flavour and almost complete lack of acidity, which only serves to enhance the sweetness more! The large, ruby red apples have thin, lighter coloured stripes and look stunning when hanging ripe on the tree. Perfect for eating fresh from the branch, juicy and firm with a good crunch, they also retain their shape well when cooked, so they're ideal for pies and tarts, and make a particularly good, naturally sweet applesauce. Ready to harvest from late October, these late season apples keep well, so you can enjoy your harvest into the next year. 'Fuli Kiku' requires another apple tree nearby to pollinate it, but given the popularity for growing-your-own fruit and vegetables, you can be sure that there will be one close by. Supplied as an established tree, 150cm (5ft) tall grown on an M9 dwarfing rootstock in a 24cm pot, growing to a height and spread of 2.5m (8ft).
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Brown Sugar' has elegant, arching branches and deep red stems adorned with luxurious, dark chocolate foliage with purple tints.
An undulating whirl of twisted pink petals surround a golden ring of stamens on each and every bloom. This double-flowered variety creates a wonderfully showy display, blooming freely over a long period from late summer right through to autumn.
Physocarpus opulifolius ?Little Devil? is a dwarf form of Ninebark with attractive deep purple leaves which emerge bright red in spring and mature to deep burgundy by summer. Clusters of pink flowers appear in June, contrasting nicely with the dark foliage. In late summer, attractive fruits are borne, adding more interest to the already impressive display. Extremely low maintenance and ideal for beginner gardeners or those with little time to spend in the garden, taking well to containers and borders. Height and spread: 1.2m (4?).
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Annys Gold', more commonly known as Ninebark, is a hardy, deciduous shrub that is popular for its lush, light-green foliage. The leaves are pale green, with golden yellow edges, and tiny white flowers bloom in spring.
An attractive, deciduous Ninebark plant, Physocarpus opulifolius 'Lady in Red' has striking red foliage that turns bronze as autumn approaches and corymbs of small creamy pink flowers in early summer, that are followed by red berries. Ideal for borders in suburban gardens. Very easy to maintain, it is best planted in an area that gets full sun or partial shade. Height and spread: 1.5m (4.9').