Evergreen

The Kniphofia hybrids have extended both the flower colour and height range. The usual fiery reds and oranges work particularly well in a planting scheme based on 'hot' colours - use them to light up sultry August borders. The cooler yellow, cream, ivory and sometimes green flowers is more restful.

Lavendula angustifolia is an excellent plant for low informal hedging and as a specimen evergreen for borders and formal gardens. Flowering generally begins from mid to late June to early July. The flowers have a rich sweet scent and are highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects.

Despite its American provenance Panicum virgatum was originally taken up by German landscapers and gardeners. Renowned for its steely coloured blue-grey to blue-purple leaves, but it is the contrast between the rigid, stainless-steel foliage and purple-pink froth that really charms.

'Emerald Chief' is a good Panicum virgatum selected seed strain. Hardy with sturdy upright deep green growth and great autumn colour. The panicles open red pink in late summer and its foliage turns from green to a lovely deep gold. This chief stands up tall throughout the winter months.

A Passiflora that produces very fragrant, unusual flowers. The flowers are white, except the base of the corona which is purple; the filaments are curly, as long as the petals, 5 to 7cm across. The edible fruits possess pleasant flavour, kind of sweet and a little tart.

Rosularia is a rosette forming succulent that closely resemble other Crassulaceae such as Sempervivum and Echeveria. It distinguishes itself in spring time when the small green clusters change to a vibrant rich reddish tone. Rare yet hardy, they are seldom seen other than in specialist nurseries or rock garden collections.

Delicate in appearance and yet very cold hardy, Sedum acre is beautiful from the first stirrings of early spring to the twilight of autumn. Hardy and very easy to grow. Started early it will form a nice dense ground cover the very first season. If the weather is favourable it will flower within six months.

Sedum album is one of the most popular forms of sedum, known for its dense foliage as it changes colour throughout the seasons. The leaves emerge a coral-salmon in spring, change to bright green in summer and then to reddish bronze with the arrival of cooler temperatures. In summer the plants explode in masses of tiny, white star-shaped flowers.

Sedum forsterianum ‘Silver Stone’ is one of the more unusual textured species, with whorls of silver-green foliage. In late summer bright yellow star shaped flowers appear. This low-growing succulent plant grows to a height of 15 to 20cm, extremely hardy it can cope with temperatures down to minus 34°C.

If you’re looking for a beautiful plant that thrives with virtual neglect, Sedum reflexum just might fit the bill. The small bushes spread over the ground and the foliage resembles mini spruce branches. They are at their loveliest spilling over edges of walls and rocks to create the illusion of a living waterfall.

Sedum spurium coccineum is the most robust sedum, with deep crimson blooms and bronze-green leaves. Low maintenance, durable and interesting, they enhance the appearance of green roofs, rockeries and containers. In July, dense clusters of showy crimson blooms smother the evergreen plants.

Sedum spurium 'Voodoo' is a stunning little perennial groundcover for hot, sunny locations. The intense dark mahogany foliage that provides a stunning contrast to the almost neon, luminous rosy-red flowers which appear June through August.

Sedum Ruben's Lizard is a low-growing sedum that has tight, rosy-green cushion of needles with reddish tips. Throughout the summer the plant is covered with many tiny, star-shaped white flowers. Drought and heat tolerant or low maintenance, whatever you want to call it, 'Lizard' takes a lot of abuse.

A mixture of many attractive low-growing sedum varieties representing a wide range of foliage types and flower colours. Low maintenance, durable and interesting, grow them on walls or banks, as a ground cover or as a green roof. Sedum strut their stuff where many other plants dare not venture!

Sedum Roof Garden Mix is a formula mixture of many important varieties for roof gardens in full foliage and flowering colour range. Low maintenance, durable and interesting, grow them on walls or banks, as a ground cover or as a green roof. Sedum strut their stuff where many other plants dare not venture!

Whether planted in large numbers or used as a single specimen Sempervivum are both beautiful and enduring. A selection of winter hardy species, the sheer variation of colour, texture and size of these fascinating succulents is almost infinite and their tendency to produce offsets makes for easy increase.

Thymus serpyllum is one of the most versatile groundcovers. Forming dense evergreen cushions of flowers these low maintenance plants don’t require mowing, watering or care, and can take a lot of abuse. Its leaves can be used as a culinary herb and its uses in the garden are almost unlimited.