Boasting luxurious metallic-red leaves with black centres, all picked out with a dark margin, the vibrant colours of Begonia ‘Red Robin’ make this a beautiful specimen plant for the house or conservatory and a well-deserved winner of an> RHS award
The vivid leaves of Begonia ‘Satin Starburst’ are daubed with a bright, strawberry splash and margined with silvery spots
Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' produces a profusion of gently-scented pink flowers all summer, and is very attractive to bees. The small and glossy leaves of this wonderfully versatile shrub, which has an RHS AGM, remain on the plant all winter, providing structure and colour in even the bleakest weather. Escallonia 'Apple Blossom' is robust and easy to grow, a fantastic shrub for low-maintenance gardens. It thrives in coastal situations and even in difficult clay soils, and makes a superb evergreen hedge. Height and spread: 2m (6.5?).
Prunus laurocerasus 'Etna' is an RHS AGM plant that is popular as a hedging option. Its leaves are bold and glossy, and lush green in colour. Planted in a line it makes a good boundary hedge, that has foliage all year round and has upright, fluffy looking, spikes of white flowers in spring. Cherry Laurel is robust and will grow in full sun, partial sun or dappled shade. It looks particularly impressive when planted along the border of a well maintained lawn. The RHS has awarded the plant its Award of Garden Merit. Height: 2.5m (8'). Spread: 2m (6.5').
Grey-green foliage forms the backdrop to this handsome French lavender 'Papillion'. The tall straight stems are topped with little lollipops of lilac-purple bracts under flamboyant lilac papery wings. As with all lavenders the very best place to position Lavandula stoechas ?Papillion? in the garden is where you'll brush past them to release the scent so plant them in containers by the door or in a border by the path. Bring some lavender stems into the home as cut flowers or allow them to dry for lavender sachets or to add to caster sugar for summer baking but remember to leave some on the plant for bees and other nectar loving insects. Height and spread: 60cm (24).
Streptocarpus 'Freya' is a free-flowering variety producing masses of white blooms with deep violet veining for 10 months of the year
Streptocarpus 'Adele' has velvety maroon flowers beautifully complemented with blushes of pale yellow on the throat and lower lobes
There?s no shortage of F1 vigour in this productive variety. Chilli Pepper 'Apache' produces heavy crops of bullet shaped, green fruits that gradually ripen to scarlet red. Each Chilli Pepper reaches up to 7cm long making an attractive display as the fruits ripen.
Streptocarpus 'Caitlin' is a boldly bi-coloured beauty and an RHS award-winner
Streptocarpus 'Cariad' is an eye-catching variety with flowers in velvety shades of red-purple with splashes of cream and exquisite darker veining
Streptocarpus 'Celebration' bears masses of bright pink blooms with delicate veining from spring to autumn
This beautiful Streptocarpus has icy indigo and white blooms patterned with exquisitely delicate veining
Streptocarpus 'Hope' is a hard-working houseplant, showing off its vibrant, velvety red-purple flowers from spring until autumn
Osmanthus plants are extremely versatile, able to establish on tricky garden slopes and dry banks, and to grow in either sun or shade. Osmanthus x burkwoodii is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with a nice rounded habit that makes it an ideal choice for small gardens. Its shiny, dark-green foliage contrasts well with its spring clusters of small, highly-scented white flowers - a welcome arrival early in the year. It can also be trained as a screen or hedge, requiring little maintenance. Height and spread: 3m (9.8').
Streptocarpus 'Seren' is a unusually coloured variety with indigo veining and violet margins against a soft lemon background
A fabulous display of white, pink and blue picked out against a crisp white background, Streptocarpus Three Sisters actually consists of three related varieties which all bloom for many months at the same time
Flowering for over 10 months, Streptocarpus 'Sioned' has white flowers, the lower lobes blotched with pink and marked with delicate magenta veining
Flowering from April to October, Streptocarpus 'Zoe' is an unusual combination of violet-blue lower lobes, pale violet upper petals and a creamy-white throat with a soft blush of orange
Dogwoods are known for their ability to bring the garden back to life in dreary winters, with their colourful bare stems. Cornus alba 'Aurea' isn?t just a one-season wonder though, as its cream coloured flowers and large golden leaves attract attention in summer too! A quick-growing, problem-free shrub, Cornus alba 'Aurea' loves a sunny spot with well-drained soil, but can also tolerate damp areas. Height: 3m (10'). Spread: 2.4m (8').
Bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your garden with this head-turning perennial. Bees and other nectar hungry insects will be drawn to the impressive purple and white flowers that are carried on towering architectural spikes which could grow up to 1.2m tall. As a Mediterranean native, Acanthus spinosus is incredibly drought tolerant once established which makes it perfect for the hot dry borders that other plants would hate. Bear's Breeches would be suitable for a garden that is populated with other exotic specimens or to add height and contrast to cottage garden planting. Height: 1.2m (4'). Spread: 1m (3').