A compact and free-flowering variety, Streptocarpus ‘Leah’ has luxurious, velvety-plum flowers delicately edged in white
Wow! Here's a real show-stopping clematis with tons of fantastic big blue violet flowers ? they're 12-14cm (5-6in) across! You'll only believe it when you see it. Outer petals are decorated with a pretty pink blush on their tips to prompt further amazement at this truly spectacular and energetic climber.
Flowering during January and February, Hamamelis provides a much needed display of colour during the winter months. Sweetly scented, lemon yellow flowers smother the bare winter stems of this elegant vase shaped shrub.
Spindles are renowned for their attractive, evergreen foliage and vigorous spreading habit, making them a great choice when it comes to providing year-round ground cover. Euonymus fortunei 'Harlequin' offers interest as well as coverage: in Spring, it sprouts pure white shoots, which gradually unfurl to become variegated green leaves, flecked with splashes of silver. At the end of the year, the hardy shrub will help combat winter blues by taking on a subtle, red tint. This plant is particularly suitable for beginner gardeners because it requires minimal maintenance and can withstand almost anything including sunlight, shade and all weather conditions. It's versatile, too, for it can be grown in a border, patio container or even up a wall. Height: 60cm (2'). Spread: 90cm (3').
Begonia ‘Star Bright’ is a compact, Rex-type begonia with jagged leaves flushed with pink and sprinkled with silvery spots
With its architectural form and dense green needles, this miniature tree makes a fine evergreen feature in the rockery, at the edge of the patio, or in a container. Neat and slow growing, the Dwarf Mountain Pine will remain compact for many years. With maturity, it will form a mound of spreading branches and will produce female cones at the tips of the stems. Pinus mugo 'Pumilo Group' gives interest all year round in return for hardly any maintenance. It copes well with urban pollution and tolerates windy coastal locations. Height: 3.5m (11'). Spread: 5m (16').
Good ground cover doesn't always have to mean creating a high maintenance border or flowerbed. Low-growing plants such as Microbiota decussata, an easy-to-maintain, evergreen conifer, provide excellent, year-round coverage and require little effort. What's more, Siberian Carpet Cypress can be grown on steep slopes and in other problematic but sunny areas. Wherever it's planted, Russian Arbor-Vitae will add interest to the garden, especially when it turns an attractive bronze-purple colour in the winter. Height: 1m (3'3). Spread: 1m (3'3).
Streptocarpus ‘Manon’ produces bi-coloured blooms of deep blue and pale violet above a neat rosette of dark green, wrinkled foliage
Streptocarpus ‘Matilda’ produces bi-coloured white and pink blooms with delicate veining above a neat rosette of dark green, wrinkled foliage and is exceptionally long flowering
Streptocarpus 'Myfanwy’ is an exceptionally floriferous variety producing masses of white flowers with a pink splash on the lower lobes
Streptocarpus 'Pearl’ is a free-flowering variety, producing open, pure white flowers with a pale yellow throat
Streptocarpus 'Bethan' bears masses of sky blue flowers, the lower lobes delicately etched with deep purple lines
Commonly known as Himalayan Honeysuckle, Flowering Nutmeg, or Pheasant Berry, Leycesteria formosa 'Golden Lanterns' is a deciduous shrub with attractive light green foliage and unusual clusters of Bluebell like, cream flowers that emerge from wine red bracts. It is best planted in a sunny, sheltered border. Its autumn berries attract garden birds. It looks good planted alongside shrubs with red tinged leaves, such as Leucothoe 'Scarletta'. Height and Spread: 2m (6.5')
This elegant house plant really does have the 'wow' factor! Glossy, dark green leaves are striped with pale pink markings, and each leaf has a contrasting purple underside. The colourful foliage of Calathea ?Sanderiana? makes this a superb focal point, bringing an exotic feel to a lightly shaded spot indoors.
Carex morrowii 'Variegata' is a Sedge plant of Japanese origin. The strap shaped leaves are variegated with cream edges. It is a plant that can be used to add greenery to patios and decking, by growing in containers, or within contemporary / minimalist or Oriental style garden borders, planted in clumps, or in lines along the edge of paths. It is a good plant for gardens with a lot of shade, and prefers cool and moist conditions and will remain green throughout the whole year. Hardy to -15c. Height: 30cm (12). Spread: 35cm (14).
Spiraea 'Arguta' is a beautiful, large and bushy shrub, covered in arching sprays of small white flowers in May. Commonly known as Bridal Wreath or Foam of May, Spiraea 'Arguta' is very easy to maintain and well suited to both cottage and modern style gardens. A perfect choice for ?white gardens?, it also makes a great specimen in a large border alongside other flowering shrubs, or a wonderful informal hedge. Height and spread: 2.5m (8.2').
The delicate colouring of Streptocarpus 'Charlotte' will delight you from spring to autumn
Just look at that beautiful colour! With Rhododendron 'Amoena' you can expect an abundant display of luscious magenta flowers just like our image every April and May to get the growing season off to a flying start. You can place this low maintenance Japanese Azalea in a container on the patio or incorporate it into a border in a sunny or semi shaded spot where it's compact spreading habit will provide attractive foliage for year round interest. Height and Spread: 120cm (48).