CLIANTHUS PUNICEUS

The exotic lobster claw plant is flowering well after our mild winter - it must have reached 6' on a sheltered south facing wall.

ILLICIUM SIMONSII BWJ 8024

This, seemingly hardy, evergreen shrub is flowering now at the beginning of March.
The beautiful waxy yellow flowers have a strong fragrance reminiscent of Magnolias.
My plant was grown from seed collected by the legendary Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones of Crug Farm Plants

CLEMATIS NAPAULENSIS

Clematis napaulensis is a delightful climber and has flowered here happily at the end of January for the last 12 years. It aesivates in June (sheds it's leaves and goes dormant).It comes into leaf again in the autumn and the fresh new foliage shows off the lovely cream flowers and purple stems.

SARCOCOCCA WALLICHII BSWJ 2291

Few plants seem as though they mean to flower in November - you may find a few washed out roses, an unfrosted Salvia or a freak clematis but these seem as out-of-season as strawberries in Tesco at Christmas.
This wonderful shrub ,collected by the incredible Bleddyn Wynn-Jones in Northern India, looks pristine (even now) and even flowers against a shady, north facing wall. The white flowers smell delicious.

DESMODIUMS

These superb wall shrubs have flowered well this year. They enjoy the heat of a sunny wall behind them to encourage flowering. All seem hardy here - including the, reputedly tender, Desmodium praestans which survived -26 in 1981!

MONARDAS

Monardas are the mainstay of my late July border.
Sometimes referred to as 'the punk hair-do plant' they seem to enjoy my well-drained soil which gets some water during the summer. Dead heading extends their flowering season well into August.

COUNTRY LIVING ARTICLE - August 2006