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

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Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Araujia sericifera

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(TP) to 6′. Cruel Plant.  South America.  This twining, woody climber is another unique member of the Stonecrop plant collection.  The softly hairy, stalked leaves and loose cymes of waxy flowers belie its sinister relationship to its pollinators.  The five-petalled, white flowers are striped with two pink lines on each petal that act as a track to guide nocturnal moths toward the centre.  The sticky pollen then traps moth’s proboscides and holds them until they either escape or perish, ensuring the transfer of pollen within the flower.  An invasive species in many parts of the world, Araujia is not hardy here and thus can be safely cultivated as a handsome specimen for the warm glasshouse.  We bring our Araujia outside in the summer to enjoy its fragrant and showy flowers, and in the winter we enjoy the unique fruits under glass.  The large, leathery pods contain seeds tipped with a tuft of silky hairs, which give the plant its Latin species name of sericifera, meaning silk-bearing. Sun.  3 &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): Gomphocarpus physocarpus (syn. Asclepias physocarpus)

Family: Asclepiadaceae

(TP) to 4′.  Bladder Fruit.  Narrow, lanceolate leaves and attractive, hanging, pendant clusters of cream to green-white, starry flowers.  However, the main attraction follows with huge, inflated, spherical, spiny seedpods that are pale green blushed maroon in colour.  They are terrific fresh or dried in flower arrangements.  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Francoa sonchifolia

Family: Melianthaceae

(TP) to 2.5′.  Maiden’s Wreath.  Chile.  Graceful, long-lasting spires of pale rose-pink flowers.  Deeply lobed, spoon-shaped leaves form attractive, evergreen rosettes.  Extremely decorative and unusual foliage.  Best grown in pots and overwintered in a cool greenhouse.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Summer blooming.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Francoa ramosa

Family: (Melianthaceae)

(TP) to 3′.  Branched Bridal Wreath.  A native plant of Chile that Miss Jekyll loved to grow in pots.  Many slender spikes of dusky rose, sessile flowers rise above scalloped basal foliage.  Early summer bloomer.  Try it in the cool greenhouse and follow Miss Jekyll’s lead.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Eucomis zambesiaca

Family: Asparagaceae

Tender bulb to 12″.  South Africa.  Narrow racemes of open, creamy white flowers.  The first Eucomis to bloom, producing flower spikes as early as late spring.  Easy to grow.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Habranthus tubispathus (syn. Habranthus texanus)

Family: (Amaryllidaceae)

Tender bulb to 8″.  Rio Grande Copper Lily.  Argentina and Uruguay.  Flowers have a copper-coloured exterior and are golden yellow within.  The solitary, upward facing blooms are 1½ inches in length and about the same diameter when open.  Blooms in the spring, but often, there is another flush in the fall.  Leaves appear after flowering.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Puya mirabilis

Family: (Bromeliaceae)

(TP) to 5′. Argentina and Bolivia. Silvery-brown, finely toothed leaves. Delicate, three petalled, chartreuse-green flowers with golden anthers appear intermittently on stalks up to five feet tall. A very distinct looking Puya. Choice. Sun. 4 & T2, keep moist

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Bellevalia romana

Family: (Asparagaceae)

Tender bulb to 10″.  Roman Hyacinth.  Southern Europe.  This unusual treasure blooms in our Pit House in April.  Purple-flushed stems hold tight, conical spikes of buds that open from the bottom up into flared, six-petalled, waxy white blooms with a pale green dab on the tepals and attractive, contrasting, navy blue anthers.  The flowers are lightly scented with hints of vanilla, especially towards evening.  The leaves are strappy and dark green, and more slender than a garden Hyacinth, but of similar form. 3 & ∆, then T1