A rarer variegated form of this reliable tropical style evergreen shrub. Large palmate glossy green leaves are adorned with a really attractive variegation, making Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' a great addition for shaded areas of any garden. A relatively fast growing shrub that can reach heights of 2m+, but tolerates hard pruning well. Fatsia japonica 'Variegata' has survived -6°C in the Grow Paradise garden and continues to thrive. In autumn white ivy-like flowers are produced and are followed by dark berries, providing food for pollinators and bird life.
Current size: 40cm tall, including pot.
Dramatic deeply divided palmate leaves and a bushy exotic evergreen habit. Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ is a relatively new introduction to gardeners here in the U.K. Fatsia polycarpa originates from the shady hillsides of Taiwan where it was once a rare plant to find. Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ is a tough exotic shrub and should be hardy in most UK gardens, but it will benefit from a bit of shelter from the most severe cold. Well worth growing for it’s amazing deeply lobed foliage, giving this Fatsia a much more tropical look than the regular Fatsia japonica.
Fatsia polycarpa ‘Green Fingers’ is best grown in partial shade where it can reach heights of up to 2m. In late autumn and winter it produces Ivy-like flowers that provide valuable nectar for pollinating insects.
Current size: 60cm tall, including pot.
Tropical looking orange-red tubular blooms hang in clusters against a backdrop of dark foliage. Fuchsia triphylla ‘Thalia’ combines superbly with many popular plants for tropical style gardens. This beautiful Fuchsia produces foliage that is tinged with a richmetallic purple. Try planting Fuchsia triphylla ‘Thalia’ with complementary dark purple foliage plants such as Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' for a perfect foliage combination with the added bonus of beautiful flowers!
Rich ruby foliage with hot pink leaf veins make this colourful plant a fantastic addition to any garden. Iresine herbstii 'Brilliantissima' grows equally well in a container or in a mixed border. This easy to grow colourful plant that makes a great foil for flowering plants. Iresine herbstii 'Brilliantissima' will tolerate shade well, making it a great plant to fill the gaps beneath your larger shrubs in the warm summer months.
Current size: Sold as jumbo plug plants.
A compact, clump-forming grass-like perennial with glossy evergreen leaves. Liriope mascari 'Purple Explosion' is an incredibly useful plant in UK gardens, providing a lush evergreen edge to your borders or pathways throughout the year. We use Liriope mascari 'Purple Explosion' as an evergreen foil for deciduous shrubs in the Grow Paradise garden. From late summer into autumn these resilient evergreen plants produce spikes of small deep purple flowers followed by very ornamental spherical black fruit that is loved by birds.
Current Size: 2ocm, including pot.
A very architectural plant with bold exotic foliage. Melianthus major has large silvery-green leaves with serrated edges. Commonly called the ‘Honey Bush’, this plant makes a fantastic addition to exotic gardens. In mild areas it will remain evergreen and produce peculiar red flower spikes in summer/autumn. The seed pods that follow the flowers are very long lasting and add further winter interest. When the leaves of Melianthus major are touched they release a lovely aroma that is similar to peanut butter!
The choice for commercial Banana fruit growers! The yellow 'Chiquita' banana fruits that are widely available in UK supermarkets are produced by this plant. Musa acuminata 'Grand Nain' is a very fast growing species that can produce huge fruit crops in a single season when grown in optimal conditions. This tropical species will need to be grown as a houseplant through winter to protects it from cold weather.
Current Size: Supplied as a plug plant.
Extremely fast growing hardy banana plants. Musa basjoo is always popular for exotic gardeners with its gigantic jungly leaves and reliable hardiness in British winters. A must have plant for gardeners looking to achieve the 'tropical style' garden with high impact. This banana plant will quickly multiply and produce 'pups' from the base (baby banana plants).
Current size: 30-40cm tall including pot.
An absolutely incredible Banana with red striped foliage on mature plants. Musa sikkimensis ‘Bengal Tiger’ is thought to have similar hardiness to Musa Basjoo, surviving -5ºC with a light wrap of fleece in the Grow Paradise garden. Musa sikkimensis ‘Bengal Tiger’ grows rapidly and can reach a height of 2.5m tall and 1m wide within 2 seasons. A fantastic specimen plant.
Please note: The red leaf markings are variable and will appear as the plants get larger and are exposed to more light. These plants have been cut back and are now pushing out their first leaves of the season. Current Size: Supplied as a jumbo plug plant.
This is a wonderful variegated evergreen grass-like perennial. Each of the narrow leaves is mostly white with a thin green stripe through the centre, making Ophiopogon intermedius 'Aztec Grass' a brilliant plant for brightening up those dark areas in your garden. This resilient plant grows equally well in shade as it does in full sun making it a very versatile addition to any garden. In July and August this plant will produce spike of tiny white flowers followed by dark berries. Ophiopogon intermedius 'Aztec Grass' is very hardy, though some foliage may get frosted back in severely cold weather. This variegated form of Opiopogon is one that is not seen for sale in the UK very often.
Current Size: 25cm tall, including 8cm diameter pot.
A hardy evergreen plant commonly called 'Mondo Grass' or 'Lilyturf'.Ophiopogon japonicus 'Minor' is a very attractive and compact low growing plant that forms tight mounds of short narrow leaves and very occasional pale lilac flowers. This grass-like perennial makes a fantastic ground cover plant to fill in those difficult shaded spots underneath larger shrubs and trees. Kew Gardens use this plant to great effect in their Japanese inspired garden.
Current Size: 10cm, including pot.
Eye-catching triangular leaves emerge maroon-purple in spring, turning green and developing distinctive purple markings. In late summer each stem is topped with a profusion of white pom-pom flowers. Persicaria ‘Purple Fantasy' is a vigorous plant that quickly establishes itself in any garden. Try planting this beautiful foliage plant around the base of your shrubs as a really interesting foil plant.
Current size: Supplied as a jumbo plug plant.
Incredibly versatile foliage plant that is extremely hardy. Persicaria 'Red Dragon' thrives when grown in both sun and shade making it the perfect colourful gap filler. Each leaf of Persicaria 'Red Dragon' is a rich maroon colour with a silvery chevron marking on the upper surface. In summer this fleshy stems are topped with clusters of tiny white flowers. You'll love the summer-long colour this easy to grow plant will provide.
Current size: Supplied as a jumbo plug plant.
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A Salvia that will provide blooms for your summer garden and will continue to flower all the way through to the first hard frosts. Salvia 'Amistad' produces dark purple flowers that continually emerge from numerous stems and will happily combine well with ferns in a semi-shaded location. This Salvia grows well in both sun and part shade so feel free to experiment with where you choose to plant it in your garden. Pollinating insects will be drawn into your garden as a result of it's attractive purple blooms.
Current size: Supplied as a plug plant.
A beautiful frost hardy evergreen ground covering plant, with tiny white flowers on tender upright stems that dance on a gentle breeze. The unassuming Saxifraga stolonifera is a delightful plant with intriguing silvery veined olive toned leaves with a reddish-purple underside. It is commonly known as the strawberry begonia. Saxifraga stolonifera is semi-hardy and is not often seen growing outside. Although dainty this plant has survived -5ºc in the Grow Paradise Nursery Garden. Take inspiration from its use as a house plant and place on the edge of pots and hanging baskets, for an abundance of foliage at eye level. Saxifraga stolonifera is a perennial that would be a perfect addition to a wide variety of planting schemes with its array of complimentary tones.
Current size: Sold in a 9cm pot.
An eye-catching evergreen variegated plant that will produce clouds of orchid-like blooms in summer. Saxifraga stolonifera 'Tricolour' is a spreading perennial that produces masses of rounded hairy leaves with a broad pink to white margin. In mild gardens is will remain evergreen, providing a unique and colourful ground cover throughout the year. It can also be grown in a hanging basket or container, where it's spreading stolons and young offsets will hang down providing visual interest. In summer delicate flower stems are held 30cm high and are covered in flowers that resemble miniature white orchids. We have used Saxifraga stolonifera as ground cover in the Grow Paradise garden for years, with it surviving a dry -6ºC unscathed.
Current height: 10cm, including pot.