Plant of the season:

(larger image)

Edgeworthia chrysantha
This large chinese shrub is sweetly scented and normally flowers in February and March. It seems best grown in a sunny sheltered spot and has survived here for the last ten years here against a warm wall.

Previous images:

(larger image)

Sycopsis sinensis
This splendid large evergreen shrub produces these yellow flowers in February or March. Even during this very cold winter it has suffered no frost damage.

(larger image)

Chimonanthus praecox
A deciduous shrub with very fragrant flowers from November to March. Best grown against a wall.It is in full flower now and has been since November.The smell seems to travel, even in the dullest weather.

(larger image)

Abeliophyllum distichum
A deciduous shrub, related to Forsythia, which produces fragrant flowers in February and March. Although perfectly hardy it performs better against a sunny wall. It can be pruned hard after flowering and is a useful host plant for a late flowering clematis.

(larger image)

Skimmia Laureola
A superb low evergreen shrub which flowers well in sun or shade.It produces sweetly scented creamy flowers in spring.

(larger image)

Magnolia wilsonii
This superb small tree is flowering well at the moment. The flowers are 3-4 inches wide and pendulous, with a delicious lemon scent. It seems to grow best in half shade.

(larger image)

Clematis fusca
This intriguing little clematis will scramble through a shrub to a height of about 6 or 8 foot. It's fleshy pitcher-shaped flowers are an unusual dusky colour. It requires no special attentions and seems to prefer to be pruned hard in the spring.

(larger image)

Cobaea pringlei
This superb herbaceous climber was brought back from Mexico by John D'Arcy, James Compton and Martyn Rix and seems hardy here. The exotic white trumpets are 3-4" long and produced in great profusion in late summer. A stunning sight for a hot dry spot, it can reach 20' in a season

(larger image)

Jasminum mesnyi
An evergreen shrub 6-10' high. Bright yellow semi-double flowers from March to May. It grows best in a sunny sheltered spot but seems to survive fairly cold temperatures.

(larger image)

Stauntonia hexaphylla
A wonderful evergreen climber for a large, sunny, warm wall. This year these rather insignificant flowers were already open in late April and fill the area with an exotic and delicious scent more reminiscent of the Mediterranean than Kidderminster!

(larger image)

Desmodium Callianthum
Flowering here for the first time this deciduous shrub grows against a sunny east wall and seems perfectly hardy. If it flowers for as long as other Desmodiums it should perform for many weeks!

(larger image)

CLETHRA BARBINERVIS
A useful august flowering shrub for a lime-free soil. It has a superb scent and has enjoyed the wet season here.

(larger image)

Araujia sericofera
A curious and beautiful climber with scented flowers in late summer. It likes to grow on a warm sunny wall and will not survive a cold winter- but it was undeterred by -9 degrees C last winter.

(larger image)

PSORALEA GLANDULOSA
A bushy shrub up to 10' high and best grown against a sunny wall. It survived last winter in Kidderminster but has not yet been tested by a really nippy one!
The white-blue pea like flowers last for some time and the leaves can be made into a refreshing drink!(Known in Peru as the Jesuit's tea tree!)

(larger image)

VITEX AGNUS-CASTUS LATIFOLIA
This aromatic plant - the Chaste tree - loves a hot summer and this year came into flower almost a full month later than in 2006.
It likes to grow against a sunny wall, and seems to prefer a well drained soil.

(larger image)

Atherosperma moschatum
An attractive evergreen tree which has grown to 15' here against a fairly sheltered east wall.
It produces these lovely white flowers every February. It has survived at least 20 years here - including some severe winters!
It deserves to be more widely grown.

(larger image)

Atherosperma moschatum
An attractive evergreen tree which has grown to 15' here against a fairly sheltered east wall.
It produces these lovely white flowes every February. It has survived for at least 25 years here and lived through some quite nippy winters, it deserves to be more widely grown!

(larger image)

Prinsepia sinensis
A delightful and very hardy shrub from Manchuria.
It's spiny stems are covered in tiny yellow flowers in mid March.

(larger image)

Hibbertia aspera
An evergreen shrub from New South Wales, best grown as a wall shrub here and even then probably quite tender. It ha survived the last few winters here and has been flowering well against a sheltered south facing wall near Kidderminster for some weeks.

(larger image)

Buddleia colvilei 'Kewensis'
This spectacular shrub flowered superbly this June against a sunny, high wall. Definatly worth a try if you have a suitable place for it.

(larger image)

Cionura oreophila
An evergreen climber for a sheltered wall with fragrant white flowers in summer. I have lost it here in the coldest winters but that was when the temperature fell well below -10.

(larger image)

Albizia julibrissin rosea
A small tree from northern china with wonderful soft pink flowers in August. The flowers seem to perch on top of the foliage like little cotton wool balls. I have grown this plant here for many years and it has survived some quite low temperatures. It is now about 12' high.