Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cestrum nocturnum

Family: (Solanaceae)

(TP) 13′. Lady of the Night. Central America and West Indies.  A night-blooming evergreen shrub with slender arching branches of glossy green, elliptic to oblong leaves. A steady show of one inch long, creamy white to pale green, five-petalled tubular flowers bloom in axillary or terminal panicles. The flowers open at night and perfume the air with an intoxicating jasmine-citrus aroma.   The flowers are pollinated by moths and other night-flying insects resulting in ¼ inch long, ovoid to oblong, white berries.  Lady of the Night is an incredibly useful plant for us – we grow several in clay pots.  We also plant youngsters in the Flower Garden and the Order Beds for their summer display and amazing fragrance on our evening rambles. Sun. 3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Francoa appendiculata

Family: (Francoaceae)

(TP) to 2-½’.  Maiden’s Wreath. Chile. From an evergreen basal rosette of crinkled, wavy-edged, dark green foliage emerge graceful flowering spikes of bell shaped, shell pink flowers marked with delicate red stripes.  Excellent in a pot outdoors for a summer display then overwinter in a cool greenhouse.  Summer blooming.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade. 4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Lepechinia salviae

Family: (Lamiaceae)

Tender subshrub to 3′.  Chile.  A more compact form of Lepechinia hastata with large, blue-green, arrow-shaped leaves that are highly pebbled and pleasantly aromatic.  The flowers are magenta in colour, however in combination with the dark calyx and deep pinkish flower stem they have an overall smokey hue to the magenta. burgundy flowers, held in dark calyces on deep pinkish stems. Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Azorina vidalii

Family: (Campanulaceae)

(TP) to 18″.  Azores Bellflower.  Azores.  Particularly interesting for the cool greenhouse. Thick fleshy deep green leaves give rise to a candelabra of two-inch waxy, dusky pink bells. Sun. 4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Leonotis menthifolia

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(TP) to 2′.  Mint-leaved Lion’s Ear.  South Africa.  Vibrant, warm orange, tubular flowers are held in whorls.  Small, serrated leaves have a pungent, spicy fragrance, reminiscent of Agastache.  A long blooming, compact Lion’s Ear perfect for containers.  Overwinter in a frost-free conservatory.  Summer through to fall.  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Saxifraga stolonifera

Family: Saxifragaceae

(TP) to 6″.  Strawberry Saxifrage.  This sweet Asian native has attractive white blossoms with distinctive pointed petals and bright yellow ovaries. The plant spreads via threadlike stolons, with plantlets taking root in the vicinity of the mother plant. When grown in a pot, the interesting grey-green, mottled foliage quickly crowds the surface and drapes beautifully down the sides.  Easy to grow in average light.  Allow the soil to dry between waterings.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Rostrinucula sinensis

Family: (Lamiaceae)

Tender Shrub to 7′.  China.  Collected by the Sino British Expedition to Guizho Province.  This curious Buddleja relative has grown well for us in pots.  Lovely, soft-green, pointed foliage and large terminal, arching spikes formed of chalky-white, tomentose bracts and buds.  The flower spike opens gradually to reveal fragrant, purple-lavender flowers with many extruding white stamens.  Summer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & 7 for 4 weeks, then T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Limonium bellidifolium

Family: (Plumbaginaceae)

(TP) to 10″.  Alpine Sea Lavender.  Europe.  Matt green clumps of congested, spathulate, leathery leaves with recurved margins.  Sprays of small, pale violet, five-lobed, trumpet-shaped, “everlasting” flowers are held in bunches on wiry branched stems.  Summer blooming.  Sun.  3 & T2, cover and keep dark.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Sinningia sellovii

Family: (Gesneriaceae)

(TP) to 2′.  Brazil. Long terminal panicles of pendant, swollen tubular flowers from bright red to dark salmon-pink.  Several long, arching upright stems arise from a woody, tuberous base.  Pairs of soft textured elliptical, minutely toothed leaves occur along the stems.  An unusual Gloxinia that would make an attractive houseplant for a sunny window.  Blooms late summer to fall.  Sun.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Primula malacoides Mix

Family: (Primulaceae)

(TP) to 18″.  Fairy Primrose.  China.  Stonecroppers are in love with this charming, floriferous beauty as it lights up the End House from December through late spring with its showy tiers of blooms.  Rising from a rosette of soft green, ruffled leaves with shallowly dentate lobes come many slender stems carrying 20 to 30 blooms in tiers.  Deeply notched, five-petalled flowers have a prominent yellow eye.  Seed collected from our plants is a mix of bright pink, mauve and white flowers.  Prefers fertile soil and part sun.  4 & T1