Acanthaceae
Distinctive dark green pinnatifid leaves, purple and white flowers Jul-Oct, 50cm. Easy. No problems.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Acanthaceae
Bold dark green foliage with white foaming particularly when growing strongly, pink-kissed white flower heads on clean pale pink stems Jun-Aug, foliage 60cm, flowers 1.5m. Sumptuous.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Adiantaceae
Maidenhair fern. Open airy evergreen fronds 20cm. Shaded site not too damp, fabulous ground cover beneath other plants.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Crassulaceae
Striking coral-edged succulent cream rosettes, nice cream flowers at some time Apr-Nov, 20cm. Tender but mine sits outside from Mar-Nov then goes into windowsill mode. Good in winter.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Crassulaceae
Shiny deep brick-red rosettes. Bred by Trewidden Nurseries, W.Cornwall.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Crassulaceae
Vowel-rich large flat rosettes of near black succulent leaves - very good architectural plant for standing out in summer, heads of yellow flowers late summer, 40cm. Tender perennial, sun. Take out the eye with a sharp knife to keep it bushy.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Asparagaceae
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Asparagaceae
Compact to 40cm. Each succulent evergreen leaf has symmetrical longitudinal stripes - centrally lime green surrounded by mid-green, then cream and finally edged with orange-brown.
Synonym A. lophantha 'Quadricolor'.
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Crassulaceae
Pretty mounding succulent. Small cream-edged grey evergreen foliage, sprays of yellow flowers occasionally, 25cm. Windowsill plant.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Asparagaceae
Neat rosettes of grey-green succulent foliage covered in long grey lenticels which start orange and stay orange at the edges, successive heads of orange flowers Jun-Sep, 25cm. Nice.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Apiaceae
Domed beetroot red flower heads Jun-Aug, dark stems, 1.4m. Self-seeding biennial. VERY limy soils make the leaves an unattractive yellow-green. Needs a pale backdrop.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Apiaceae
Blackish ferny leaves and Queen Anne's lace flowers spring, 75cm. Easy, sun or shade. Let it seed then edit. Lovely with Tulip 'Queen of the Night'. Kek, keck (plural), kex.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Asparagaceae
Pretty tufted white edged foliage, short heads of white flowers (Jan)Jul-Sep(Dec), 25cm - like a neat spider plant.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Asparagaceae
Scandent asparagus fern, tiny white flowers Jul-Sep, 1m. Sun or shade.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: .
Asparagaceae
Hardy evergreen for dark shade, even dry shade, ?extra broad-leaved form, 40cm. Good cut foliage.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
Woodsiaceae
Red-pink fronds, 40cm. Damp well drained soil, shade. Deciduous and doesn't regrow till April. Better coloured than 'Ursula's Red'.
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Ranunculaceae
White figured glossy deep green leaves bronzed in spring, starry white flowers May-Jun, 40cm. Shade - where it literally shines.
Bob's score = 6
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Begoniaceae
Wonderful exotic large fingered foliage - the best I have seen, clusters of small white flowers, manageable to 50cm or 2m. as you wish. A star at Great Dixter.
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Saxifragaceae
Winter foliage is held up, colours redder than any I have seen (the backs astonishingly red), has a gloss and is a nice (different) more rounded shape and slightly - well - crumpled. Red flowers Mar-Apr, 50cm.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Bromeliaceae
Pink and white variegated pineapple foliage, pendulous pink, navy blue and green flowers May-Jul, 55cm. Moisture lover but dries out without complaint. In fact, it's pretty compliant.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Boraginaceae
Dramatic silvered leaves with green veins. Loose sprays of bright blue flowers Feb-Jun (and later), 50cm. Treated well, the leaves grow stunningly large in the late summer and autumn. Easy. PVR - propagation for resale prohibited.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Cannaceae
The blackest leaves of all - blacker than Australia, big red flowers Jul-Oct, 1-1.5m. Was incorrectly called Canna 'Black Knight' but this has less dark foliage and redder flowers.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Chloranthaceae
Scented white fluffy flowers each with 3 upstanding petals Apr-May, black foliage goes dark green in June, 75cm. Leafy shade. China. Pollinated by thrips - there had to be a reason for them.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Asparagaceae
Scented spikes of cream flowers in may, 18cm, spreads in the right conditions, good for picking. Easy in moist soil or part shade.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7 .
Papilioniaceae
A compact plant with short internodes. Cream variegated greyish leaves and lucent yellow and paler yellow scented flowers winter to spring Dec-May, 50cm. A sport here.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Crassulaceae
Heads of red flowers top architectural stems with fleshy inbricated foliage, 35cm. Sun. SA.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Crassulaceae
Miniature tree-like succulent. Cream and pink foliage, 45cm.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Papaveraceae
Bushy perennial. Blue/green feathery leaves, bluer in summer. Pink/red flowers over a very long season, Apr/May to Nov. 25cm. A hybrid of D. perigrina, D. formosa subsp. origana and D. exile by the late Marion Owneby, Pullman, WA.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Dryopteridaceae
Coppery pink new fronds keep their colour for many months, evergreen thereafter, 40cm. Easy.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Bromeliaceae
Clumps of silvery green foliage striped on their reverses, long heads of canary yellow flowers May-Aug, 65cm.
Synonym D. sulphurea.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Bromeliaceae
Deep maroon foliage in rosettes 25cm, spikes of lovely orange flowers May-Aug, 65cm. Frost hardy to -8C, sun or part shade. Easy.
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Bromeliaceae
Bright shining green toothed (almost spiny) rosettes of foliage, spikes of beautiful pure orange flowers Jan-Mar. Foliage 18cm, flowers 60cm. Easy. Hardy to -8C if well-drained.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Bromeliaceae
Rosettes of hard succulent barely toothed foliage, spikes of orange flowers May-Sep, 65cm. Stoloniferous.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3.
Crassulaceae
Rosettes of succulent shiny deep orange-red and green foliage particularly in spring, 15cm. Easy.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Crassulaceae
Large succulent crinkle-edged volcanic pink, orange, grey, green and brown evergreen rosettes, 30cm. Warty growths occur on the top of mature leaves. A Crassulaceae to caress.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Crassulaceae
Hardy winter-flowering perennial. Large thick spikes of stunning deep coral-red sepals - this colour bleeding down the stem into the foliage overwinter outside Dec-May, 30cm. The plant needs cold to colour-up in winter. An epiphyte in the wild.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Asparagaceae
Totally hardy. The strongest burgundy-red leaves and red flowers (with a coma) from red stems Aug-Nov. None of these colours fade appreciably as the season progresses, sturdy 50cm. The seed heads dry a good pink. Easy.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Euphorbiaceae
Orange flowers Mar-Jun and later, highly and persistently red-coloured leaves, amazing autumn colour particularly the pure coral stems, 1m. Easy. AKA Euphorbia 'Graffiti'. Shocking with Allium 'Purple Sensation'.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Euphorbiaceae
Red buds open to yellowish green flowers March to May, dark evergreen leaves, neat and nice 50 x 50cm. PVR - propagation for resale prohibited.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H6
Araliaceae
Lovely white speckled variegation increases towards the bases of the large evergreen foliage, dwarf 1.5m in eight years. Superb white heads of white flowers from white stems Nov-Dec. Bright architectural shapes for deep shade.
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H6
Onagraceae
Delightful shrubette with broad flared fuchsia-pink flowers (Jan)Apr-Nov(Dec), half shade preferred but adaptable, 50cm. H3-4. Mexico.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
'Walz Jubelteen' is an upright, bushy, deciduous shrub with ovate, toothed, dark green leaves, and, throughout summer, flowers with horizontal, pale pink sepals and single, flared, bright rose-pink corollas.
Geraniaceae
Deep magenta purple flowers Apr-Jun, scented evergreen leaves, 30cm. Easy, even dry shade and good ground cover amongst shrubs and trees.
Bob's score = 8.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Geraniaceae
Upright habit, red-brown leaves and pale mauve flowers.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Geraniaceae
Rosaceae
Graceful plant with small white flowers May-Jul, orange autumn colour 60cm. Any soil, sun or light shade but prefers lighter soils (common name = indian physic).
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Proteaceae
Small shrub with evergreen grey ovate leaves and clusters of frost-proof orange-red flowers overwinter between Sep-Mar (which start to form in July), 1.5m eventually. Not limy soils.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Poaceae
"Hack 'em off lower". Golden-yellow leaves of wonderful soft flowing form 30cm high, 30cm wide. Good soil, shade or part shade. Also good in a pot. Named after Mt. Hakone, Honshu, Japan.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Bromeliaceae
Jazzy coloured and patterned hard dyckia-like foliage in rosettes. Seed collected in Perote, Mexico.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Saxifragaceae
Caramel coloured undulating foliage redder when growing strongly, small white flowers in cylindrical heads late - Jul-Sep, 25cm. Shade or half-shade, persistent. From Thierry Delabroye. PVR - propagation for resale prohibited.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
Saxifragaceae
Bright red-orange leaves with darker veins change throughout the season and overwinter burgundy, white flowers, 30cm.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Davalliaceae
White rabbit's foot fern. Dwarf evergreen fronds from decorative creeping rhizomes, new fronds are bronze flushed, 18cm. Hardier than Davallia.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Asteraceae
Long grey-green glaucous fleshyish foliage in a tall mound, long-stemmed solitary flowers like large vermilion thistles Apr-Oct, 1m. Half shade. E.Africa. Prune to shape.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Asteraceae
Evergreen succulent blue foliage, scratty flowers, 40cm. South Africa. Hardy to -1C.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Asparagaceae
Tough house/conservatory plant. Spotted leaves and small spikes of starry white flowers (Mar)May-Jun, 12cm.
Bob's score = 3
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Primulaceae
A hardy perennial cultivar collected in ?China. Trailing red stems with evergreen chocolate centred green foliage and clusters of bright yellow flowers Jun-Aug, 15 x 50cm.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Asparagaceae
Large smooth soft greyish sometimes spotted foliage in rosettes 50cm, large spidery greenish yellow flowers Jun-Aug, 2-3m. Central Mexico.
Lamiaceae
Like a bushy deadnettle but good (and starred by GST). Big scented axillary creamy pink flowers with deeper pink lips May-Jul, 35cm. Easy, sun or shade, even dryish shade. Nice.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Crassulaceae
Dishevelled succulent, 10x12cm. Tender. Macaronesia.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Lomariopsidacea
The Boston fern likes damp, but not soggy soil that is rich in nutrients. Of the common cultivated ferns, the Boston fern is the most tolerant to drought. The fern thrives best in humid conditions, so when grown as a house plant it becomes necessary to mist the plant when relative humidity falls below around 80%. Although outdoors this plant prefers partial shade or full shade, inside it grows best in bright filtered light.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Bromeliaceae
Hard narrowish leaved rosettes form loose tumps, clusters of purple-pink flowers in the centres like a fascicularia. Juan Fernandez Island endemic. About as hardy as the genus gets.
Oxalidaceae
The evergreen foliage is red, orange and yellow and velvety, golden centred yellow flowers Apr-Nov, 18cm. Easy, non-invasive and perfectly delightful. I've seen it dripping orange over the edges of planters and for me burgeons out of a pot. Tender - so?
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Paeoniaceae
The most vigorous and delicate peony. Deliciously fragrant single white flowers with yellow stamens, 8-12 cm wide May-Jun, bronzy leaves, bushy yet herbaceous 1.2m.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Brassicaceae
A most improbable fine silvery subshrub, cream flowers Feb-May, 1-1.5m. (May be P. platypetala.) . Originally from the Canary islands
Bob's score = 8
Geraniaceae
Sells on sight. Clusters of small red flowers with dark red markings Jan-May, and later 40cm. Frost tender perennial/house plant.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Geraniaceae
Large deep black-maroon flowers May-Aug and later, 60cm.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Cactaceae
An unlikely-looking leafy member of the Cactaceae with lovely pearly apricot leaves, 1m. Panicles of big white flowers in autumn.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Apiaceae
Flat sprays of mauve-pink flowers, fading to a lighter pink, in early and mid summer.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Berberidaceae
Polygonate mottled green foliage, clusters of sweetly-scented large garnet-coloured flowers Apr-Jun. Selected for vigour, form, colour and rhizomatous habit. Moist shade. 50 x 75cm.after 2-3 years.
Bob's score = 10
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Pteridaceae
An elegant finger fern with whitish centres to each finger. Evergreen.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Bromeliaceae
Rosettes of grey-green leaves can develop red-brown colouring, long delicate creamy-yellow flowers in loose inflorescences, summer. 1m.
Polygonaceae
Sumptuous red foliage goes greener but retains much red in summer, startling red flowers May-Jun, 2m. Divisions not seedlings.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Lamiaceae
Impressive brown flowers that look dead from the moment they open May-Jul or later, persistent brown-green calyces, clove-scented grey-green leaves, bushy 50cm. This is the sort of plant you take visitors to see.
Bob's score = 6
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Aristolochiaceae
Little upright herbaceous bushette to 45cm studded with very clear pale yellow flowers over a long season Apr-Sep but only ever a few at a time, felted grey-green heart-shaped leaves. Easy in shade.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H6
Saxifragaceae
Lovely large evergreen maroon marked round leaves for dry shade under trees, tall white flowers (which are bigger when planted out) May-Jul, 30cm x 1km.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
Asteraceae
Stunning broad silver-white foliage, less important clusters of yellow flowers, neat 30cm. Well-drained open soil, sun but with shelter from fierce afternoon sun. Sea cabbage (Falklands). PVR applied for.
RHS Hardiness Rating: Guessing H3/H4
Araceae
Originating from tropical Asia and South America, the Peace Lily prefers to be in shade or moderate light, out of direct sunlight, and to be kept moist.
Asteraceae
Fluffy scented pink and grey-green foliage 1m, yellow flowers - maybe, but this is a foliage plant. Perennial but cuttings needed to overwinter. Collected by Frank in California as a mutant sideshoot.
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Saxifragaceae
Tall heads of starry white flowers open from pink buds Apr-Jun, elegant palmate evergreen foliage, 30cm. PVR - propagation for resale prohibited.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Melastomataceae
Astonishing 2-3 x larger bright purple flowers Jul-Nov(Dec), velvety 3-veined leaves, shrub slightly more compact than normal (1-2m) but still gawky in growth. Can be pinched or pruned to shape, or cut back IN SPRING.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H2
Commelinaceae
Hardy. Elegant purple spotted cream and green foliage from wiry purple stems and purple flowers almost continuously, 20 x 50cm. Survives as seed (self-seeding) in very hard winters.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H5
Amaryllidaceae
The best hardy tulbaghia I've seen yet. Large (2cm wide) flowers of purple rather than violet, Jun-Nov 80cm. Easy. Probably T. violacea x T. fragrans.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
Amaryllidaceae
Very stout, broad leaved American clone of this variable species, gardenia-scented white flowers for most of the year, 30cm.
Bob's score = 7
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Amaryllidaceae
Silver variegated leaves and violet-purple flowers May-Nov(Dec), 30cm. Easy, lovely in a pot stood outside in summer and autumn. Shelter needed in frosty winter weather.
Bob's score = 8
RHS Hardiness Rating: H3
Caprifoliaceae
Multiple heads of pure white scented flowers May-Jul, scented decorative ferny foliage, 70cm. Sweet perfume fades to old urine according to some. I wouldn't know. N.Italy.
Bob's score = 7.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Melanthiaceae
Very impressive tufts of big pleated leaves like turban hats in early spring, black-maroon flowers Aug-Sep, 2m. Minimum of 7 years from seed to sell. Easy and long-lived.
Bob's score = 9.5
RHS Hardiness Rating: H7
Araceae
Large green trumpets with a white throat May-Oct, impressive pseudo-tropical foliage 85cm. Hardy, any soil or water. A very long-lived cut flower.
Bob's score = 9
RHS Hardiness Rating: H4
