Dig into the joy of a life outdoors
Find peace and purpose by reconnecting with nature, creativity and the joy of making things in your own patch of paradise.
Discover extraordinary, unusual, and beautiful plants from around the world — each with growing and care tips to help you cultivate these weird and wonderful species in your own space.
Farfugium japonicum ‘Aureomaculata’
Gold-spotted leopard plant
An evergreen perennial with glossy, rounded leaves boldly spotted gold, followed by yellow daisy flowers in…
- Partial shade
- 40–60 cm (16–24 in)
- H3 · Zone 9
Eucomis bicolor
Two-coloured pineapple lily
A summer bulb with wavy strap-shaped leaves and a pineapple-topped spike of pale green flowers edged…
- Full sun
- 40–60 cm (16–24 in)
- H4 · Zone 8
Embothrium coccineum
Chilean fire bush
An upright evergreen shrub or small tree smothered in narrow, tubular scarlet flowers in late spring.
- Full sun, Partial shade
- 4–8 m (13–26 ft)
- H4 · Zone 8
Dahlia imperialis
Tree dahlia
A giant tree dahlia with bamboo-like stems reaching several metres and, in a long warm autumn,…
- Full sun
- 2.5–4 m (8–13 ft)
- H3 · Zone 9
Cuphea insignis
Large-flowered cigar flower
A tender sub-shrub with large tubular red and white flowers over a long summer season.
- Full sun, Partial shade
- 40–80 cm (16–31 in)
- H2 · Zone 10
Colocasia esculenta ‘Blue Hawaii’
Blue Hawaii elephant’s ear
A vigorous elephant’s ear with large blue-green leaves marked by near-black veins.
- Full sun, Partial shade
- 1–1.8 m (3–6 ft)
- H2 · Zone 9
