Akebia longeracemosa

An excellent smaller species - vigorous but not overwhelming - almost evergreen and with remarkable flowers. These, as is usual for the family, consist of smaller male flowers below and larger female flowers above, but in this case the male flowers are in  a long dangling raceme (hence the name) and the whole inflorescence is a dusky maroon.

Very hardy and easy in a wide variety of situations
£16

Colocasia gaoligongensis

The Southeast Asian taros (Colocasia species) are very popular right now for subtropical plantings, with their huge tropical looking aroid leaves - often dark and beautifully textured. In this case the leaves are up to about 2ft across, a soft matt green and heavily marked black toward the centre. Yellow arum flowers appear in summer.

Like many subtropicals (Canna, Dahlia etc), some of them are surviving the winters outdoors in the UK these days but very few are reliably hardy. This is where gaoligongensis comes in. Under good conditions (damp and warm in the summer) it's a vigorous big exotic herbaceous perennial. It will grow in drier conditions but the leaves will be smaller. It also does well in my shallow pond.

Here at least, it seems remarkably easy - running around on stolons and potentially filling a large area. Grow it with other big vigorous perennials - nothing too small and delicate, in sun or part shade.

Plants are lifted from the ground for despatch
£15

Ornithogalum reverchonii

A choice species from Spain and Morocco with pure white flowers and long grey leaves. More demanding than most European species – needing excellent drainage and some protection from the worst of the weather, but not at all weedy.
£8

Ranunculus alpestris

A true alpine with rounded deep green leaves and good white flowers. Much easier than many alpine Ranunculus – even here in Sussex where most suffer from the relatively hot dry climate.

An easy hardy plant for raised beds among rocks.
£6

Iris albicans

The true Middle-Eastern species – a bearded Iris with fragrant clear white flowers, touched with lemon toward the centre.

Grows and flowers freely in a sunny raised bed here under a Ceanothus papillosus.
£8

Titanotrichum oldhamii

Classic gesneriaceae - sturdy basal rosette of fleshy crinkly leaves and stems of foxglove like flowers emerging from the centre. The flowers are a very striking bright yellow, deep red inside, and the leaves are purple on the reverse. Not well tried outdoors in the UK, but the main problem overwintering temperate gesneriads usually is not the cold so much as keeping them dry in winter, This doesn't seem to be a problem in this case.

Titanotrichum is best in a moist woodsy soil, and it is imperative that it does not dry out in summer, or else the flower buds will turn to tiny tubers (gemmae). A solid and vigorous woodland perennial as long as it has enough water

£10

Pycnanthemum muticum

Another North American that certainly deserves to be better known. Forms colonies of upright stems with fresh green rounded leaves ultimately developing an almost Euphorbia-like inflorescence of tiny white flowers subtended by silvery white bracts. At this stage the whole plant has a pale silvery sheen.

Not invasive. Has a lovely fresh peppermint fragrance too, and can be used in the same way. Any soil.

sold out

Chrysogonum virginianum australe

A terrific small sunflower type making a compact clump of deep green leaves and bright golden flowers over a long period. Very adaptable to a variety of conditions.

This is the southern form of the species and to my mind, definitely the nicer plant – more compact and better colours.
£6

Arthropodium milleflorum

A very pretty and understated plant found growing among the grasses and other herbs under Eucalypts over large parts of south-eastern Australia, where it is very adaptable.

In the UK it will be less adaptable (shade in England is not like shade in New South Wales) but given a well-drained soil and sun or light shade it is quite hardy and the delicate mauve flowers on tall, slender arching stems (to 3ft high) give a fresh, light effect in the border.

£6

Herbertia lahue

A gorgeous little summer flowering Iris relative producing attractively marked violet flowers on short stems just above the ground. Although this is widely distributed in the USA it’s of doubtful hardiness and may need protection, but I recommend trying it in short turf – a technique that works remarkably well with many ‘tender’ bulbs

£6

Dichroa febrifuga

An attractive but tender evergreen woodland shrub with conspicuous heads of pink (or on lime-free soils, blue) star-shaped flowers followed by metallic vivid blue berries - overall very like Hydrangea macrophylla but without the sterile florets.

Apparently most of the plants in cultivation are hybrids between the true Dichroa and Hydrangea macrophylla, but none of the Hydrangea's cold tolerance seems to have found its way into the progeny. Strictly speaking should probably be classified in Hydrangea

Sadly not hardy enough for most UK gardens but worth a try in very mild sheltered sites and will regenerate from the base if cut down by frost - probably not soon enough to flower though. Otherwise a splendid plant for a cool greenhouse
£16

Silphium

A great genus close to the sunflowers that, although often very tall, produce a very compact rootstock and are best displayed among low-growing plants.

Silphium terebinthinaceum

This and S.laciniatum produce among the biggest, most luxuriant leaves of any hardy border perennial.

In this case they are huge and heart-shaped (like a Colocasia or Anthurium?) to 12ins across.

The flower stem is more slender and smooth than laciniatum.
sold out

Silphium simpsonii

A smaller species with simple green leaves and golden flowers
£8

Silphium laciniatum

Leaves to 2ft long and impressively lobed, like some huge tropical fern. The stiff bristly upright flower stem is a bonus.

Easy in any fertile, retentive soil, and best at the front of the border where its stature can be appreciated. Perfect for prairie-style plantings.

sold out

Euonymus obovatus

A North American species - low and creeping, with pale greenish pink flowers followed by pink warty capsules opening to reveal orange seeds. A light growing woodland creeper
£10

Lindelofia anchusoides

Or L.longiflora - the naming of this plant seems very confused. Anyway, an unaccountably little grown Cynoglossum-like plant with intense azure flowers over dense clumps of leaves. Not at all coarse

Hardy and easy in a sunny well-drained place

£8

Spiraea hayatana

A pleasing medium-sized species with strongly red tinged new growth and heads of white flowers tinged pink at the centre in June.

Like most Spiraea it is easy and hardy.
£12

Codonopsis

Rather like a climbing Fritillaria is how I'd describe these unusual herbaceous vines. The flowers have the same bell-shape and a similar green and maroon colour scheme, though without the chequering. The markings are just as interesting however.
Often recommended for woodland conditions but adaptable to a variety of rich and not too dry soils where the vine can grow up through shrubs into the light. Watch out for molluscs early on. To 6ft tall. Flowering late summer/autumn.

Codonopsis lanceolata

A particularly tough easy species with substantial jade and maroon bells

sold out

Codonopsis pilosula Tangshen

A vigorous climber with pale bells, delicately marked with purple inside

£8