The Agapanthus or Blue African Lily is one of the aristocrats of the late summer garden. Requiring only the minimum of care, the exotic combination of graceful foliage and stunning flowers is equally impressive in the border or large planter. This is a lovely plant to grow and they are very easy from seed.

With its pure white bark, shiny green leaves and yellow autumn colour, the Japanese White Birch is one of the most ornamental birch trees. There are many landscape uses for this beautiful specimen, including an excellent lawn tree, shade tree, specimen for showy bark or near a patio.

The rich, rusty copper-bronze, fine leaved foliage of Carex Red Rooster is very popular with designers. With an upright arching form, the tips of the thin linear leaves curl as they mature and flex gracefully in the breeze, giving colour, texture and movement in the perennial garden.

The fountainous habit of Carex "Bronze Curls” adds a nice weeping look to mixed containers, and its bold colour contrasts beautifully with nearby green-leaved plants. With pink tints through spring and golden-amber till frost, when the new foliage emerges in spring it is as coppery-bright as a new penny!

Amazon Mist is a graceful ornamental grass with arching silver white evergreen foliage, each ending with a slight curl. The flowing mounds of fine textured are lovely spilling over slopes and walls. It adds colour and texture to both summer and autumn displays.

As a young plant the copper fine-textured leaves of Carex flagellifera “Auburn” are tufted and erect in growth, as it matures the leaves arch over to the ground and are are very attractive and at their most effective when planted close together. Hardy, low maintenance and evergreen in mild climates.

Carex Prairie Fire is an outstanding specimen plant. In spring the attractive green bronze, fine leaved foliage erupts into colour like burning embers. In late summer, panicles of rosy flowers appear just above the foliage

'Black ball' flowers are a lovely rich milk-chocolate hue, almost black on cloudy days! These beauties grow well as border plants and are wonderful in a cutting garden; they look fabulous clustered among other contrasting flowers such as roses.

Cephalaria gigantea is a gentle giant that has an informal look that is perfect for looser planting styles. With pretty pale butter-yellow scabious shaped flowers, use it as you would Verbena bonariensis planted at the back of a mixed or herbaceous border. The stems are tall but airy and "see-through".

Unlike most others, the foliage of Coleus Carefree resembles oak leaves, with big, lobed foliage in dazzling rich shades.This pleasingly unique Coleus reach just a foot high and wide, and thanks to their self-branching habit, never need pinching to encourage side shoots

The Rainbow variety is one of most popular of coleus. This very special blend includes a complete colour range, from cream to deep scarlet. Very easy to grow from seed and of even height, growth and size of leaves. Given a modicum of care, they will flourish from spring until frost.

Cyperus alternifolius is a very popular both as a house plant and pond plant. The bracts are symmetrically arranged in an umbrella formation and held atop elegant stems that sway with the breeze, giving a tropical touch to the garden. They are also excellent when used in fresh or dried floral arrangements.