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.
Known as the 'giant black parsley'. This fantastic and fast growing plant originates from the island of Madeira. In its first year it will produce large divided leaves that look great in a jungle garden. As the central stem matures it somewhat resembles bamboo. In its final year Melanoselinum decipiens will produce a crown of umbles of tiny white flowers that are loved by pollinating insects.
PACKET CONTAINS 10 SEEDSSOWING TIPS:
Sow the seed to a depth of 3mm. Sow in an unheated greenhouse in early spring to encourage natural germination. Use additional heat (20-24 degrees Celsius) and light to improve germination if sowing out of season.
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.
A vigorous wild banana from Northeastern India. The pseudostem of Musa cheesmanii is a dark reddish brown colour which looks very striking against the large green leaves. Each leaf has a pale green mid-rib. Musa cheesmanii will grow into a medium sized plant that is thought to have similar hardiness to Musa sikkimensis.
PACKET CONTAINS 5 SEEDSSOWING TIPS:
Soak the seed prior to sowing. Sow to a depth of 1cm. Sow in an unheated greenhouse in early spring to encourage natural germination. Use additional heat (18-24 degrees Celsius) and light to improve germination if sowing out of season.
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.
A striking ornamental banana that is said to be cold hardy in the UK. Musa sikkimensis produces striking sail-like green leaves that are streaked with red markings, though these fade on older leaves. Musa sikkimensis s very fast growing once the seeds have germinated and can reach 1.5m in height in its first year. We find the leaves of Musa sikkimensis to be more wind resilient than the delicate leaves of Musa basjoo.PACKET CONTAINS 5 SEEDSSOWING TIPS:
Soak the seed prior to sowing. Sow to a depth of 1cm. Sow in an unheated greenhouse in early spring to encourage natural germination. Use additional heat (18-24 degrees Celsius) and light to improve germination if sowing out of season.
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.
More information below
A beautiful and colourful form of American pokeweed. Phytolacca 'Laka Boom' is a herbaceous shrub that produces green foliage with purple stems and leaf undersides. Striking racemes pink flowers bloom from midsummer to early autumn followed by purple-black fruit in autumn. Phytolacca 'Laka Boom' looks great in garden borders and will also grow well as a specimen plant in containers on your deck or patio.
PACKET CONTAINS 10 SEEDSSOWING TIPS:
Sow the seed to a depth of 3mm. Sow in an unheated greenhouse in early spring to encourage natural germination. Use additional heat (18-24 degrees Celsius) and light to improve germination if sowing out of season.
A fast growing attractive climber that will flower from spring through to the first frosts. Heart shaped rich green leaves up to 8cm across combine beautifully with masses of singular tubular rich purple-black flowers with star cup shaped pink calyces. Rhodochiton atrosanguineus, sometimes called 'Purple Bells' is best grown as a climber against a trellis or as an unusual trailing plant from elevated pots and baskets.
PACKET CONTAINS 10 SEEDSSOWING TIPS:
Surface sow the small seed. Sow in an unheated greenhouse in early spring to encourage natural germination. Use additional heat (18-24 degrees Celsius) and light to improve germination if sowing out of season.
A incredibly fast growing and colourful exotic foliage plant that can reach heights of over 2.5m in one season! Ricinus communis 'Zanzibariensis' is a beautiful cultivar selected for large lush green leaves that can grow up to 60cm across. This amazing plant will grow very quickly from seed and will produce some of the most exotic looking leaves in your garden.
PACKET CONTAINS 5 SEEDSSOWING TIPS:
Sow to a depth of 1cm individually in small pots. Sow in an unheated greenhouse in early spring to encourage natural germination. Use additional heat (18-24 degrees Celsius) and light to improve germination if sowing out of season.
All parts of this plant are poisonous, including the seeds. More information below: