Tradescantia zebrina ‘Burgundy’ is a charming, naturally trailing, sprawling plant with silver and burgundy striped leaves. Leaf colour will vary on individual plants according to the light levels and different growing conditions the plants experience. Plants grown in areas that enjoy brighter sunlight, which are only watered when their growing media has begun to dry out will display more vibrantly coloured foliage with a more vivid purple colouring than plants grown in poorer quality sunlight.
I must confess that I am a little doubtful that my Selaginella plants that you can see in my photograph above are actually true Selaginella apoda. However, for more than three years I’ve seen exactly the same type of Selaginella on sale at various nurseries and chains of garden centres and all of the plants were labelled as Selaginella apoda – and so I may well be wrong and this maybe the correct name for this plant.
Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Bingo Cupido’ (‘Spapril’) (PBR) is a regular sized Peace Lily plant that has been bred to produce larger sized flowers. This plant displays a more floriferous habit with a greater number of flowers held during each flowering period, as well as more frequent flowerings. Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Bingo Cupido’ plants grow up to around 70cm (2.2ft) tall.
Grow Spathiphyllum wallisii ‘Bingo Cupido’ in a warm room, where your plant will enjoy stable temperatures that are unlikely to drop much below 15C (59F).
Erigeron annuus is a charming plant which is sometimes called Tall Fleabane. In the UK, Erigeron annuus plants produce tall sprays of small white-petalled, yellow-centred daisies from June to the end of October (early summer to early autumn). These plants display a relaxed and floaty air, which is always welcome in my garden. Erigeron annuus has that gorgeous meadowy vibe! Plants have a naturally open habit, which allows us many opportunities to see what other plants are growing amongst them.
I bought this endearing little plant about ten years ago. For me this is a truly charming terrarium plant. I adore Goeppertia micans leaves; their foliage may appear to be lovely, but fairly ordinary plain green, narrow leaves, but when you touch this foliage it’s a delightful surprise to discover that these leaves are sumptuously soft! The undersides of every leaf are smooth and silky, they feel like the softest velvet.
Juniper is also known by its botanical name, Juniperus communis. Juniperus communis is an evergreen conifer with spiky needles. Plants are very hardy and they flourish in exposed and sheltered locations. These plants need a bright and sunny position; Juniperus communis is happy growing in almost any moist but well-drained soil, including stony ground and chalk. When choosing where to plant Juniperus communis, avoid shaded areas and soils that are prone to water-logging.
Goeppertia warscewiczii is a handsome tender plant that hails from the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. This Goeppertia produces absolutely fabulous, velvety, bottle-green coloured leaves, which are beautifully enhanced by their jade-green variegation, and nicely set off by the leaf’s contrasting claret-coloured undersides. With regular care, warm, even temperatures, high humidity levels, and bright, filtered lighting, this stunning plant will grow successfully inside our homes.
Lepanthes matamorosii is a mini miniature orchid species from Costa Rica. This incredible little plant produces brick-red-orange coloured flowers which are astonishingly large in comparison to the size of the plant; they’re very cute!
In the wild, Lepanthes matamorosii can be found growing in regions at around 2750m, in The Cordillera de Talamanca mountain ranges of south-eastern Costa Rica. This is a wonderfully diverse habitat that’s home to a range of plants and wildlife, including oak (Quercus costaricensis and Quercus copeyensis) trees that are endemic to this part of the world.
Maxillaria acutifolia is a small and compact orchid species from: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Leeward Islands, Mexico, Venezula, Trinidad and Tobago. From winter to springtime, mature Maxillaria acutifolia plants produce these very cute yellow-orange coloured flowers, which are fragrant and have a nice scent. The blooms are held low down at the base of the plant, underneath the leaves; however the blooms aren’t completely obscured and the flowers can be easily admired.
Stelis tridentata is a miniature orchid species that grows as an epiphyte – instead of growing in the soil – this orchid grows upon other plants. In the wild, Stelis tridentata plants can be found growing upon trees in the rainforests of Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, and Costa Rica. Stelis tridentata grows in cloud forests, where these plants flourish in this humid environment.
French beans (known by their botanical name, Phaseolus vulgaris) are such lovely vegetables to grow. These plants are both productive and decorative, with attractive flowers. French beans are super plants that will truly enhance your garden; the beans they produce taste delicious, too!
Firstly, take care to select the type of French bean you want to grow. There are two types of French beans: tall climbing French beans (often called ‘Pole Beans’) that grow up to 8ft (2.5m) tall (and taller!)
I love growing blueberries! Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum and Vaccinium angustifolium) are deciduous shrubs that produce sublime tasting berries. These handsome plants produce tasty fruit but they bring added interest to the garden with their intriguing white, bell-shaped flowers, which are adored by bees in springtime and their vibrant autumn leaves. In autumn, blueberries deliver stunning leaf colours, turning vivid shades of orange and red before falling.
Callisia repens is a low growing, tender herbaceous perennial plant from Mexico, North, Central, and South America. Plants thrive in partially shaded conditions, in shallow, free draining, acid soils. This easy-to-grow plant readily adapts to a range of circumstances; tolerating both brighter and more shaded environments, as well as moist, humid, and drier conditions and neutral compost and soils; making Callisia repens a superb houseplant, thats hard to kill!
Chilli peppers (also known as chillies, chile peppers, and by their botanical names of Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum pubescens, and Capsicum chinense) are a group of tender vegetables that flourish in warm and sunny conditions. Gardeners can grow green, white, red, yellow, orange, purple, black, and indigo, coloured chillies. Chilli peppers are decorative and handsome plants that can enhance your garden as well as producing peppers to compliment your meals.
Sweet pepper plants (also known as peppers, bell peppers, Capsicums, or by their botanical name of Capsicum annuum) are tender vegetables that thrive in warm, bright and sunny areas. When all risk of frost has passed, sweet pepper plants can be grown outside in the garden, but until then the seedlings need to be grown in a warm, protected environment – a greenhouse or conservatory is ideal.
Courgettes, also known as Zucchini (and by the botanical name of Cucurbita pepo), are tender vegetables that are very productive and rewarding to grow. Courgettes vary from one variety to another; you’ll find seeds of yellow courgettes (like my plant in the photograph above), pale forms of courgette that are such a soft green they’re almost white, as well as light green, very dark green courgettes, and striped courgettes.
Ilex is the latin name for the genus of plants we often refer to as hollies. This is an interesting and diverse group of plants, that includes evergreen and deciduous plants, that form small shrubs, tall trees, and everything in between – depending on the Ilex species or cultivar grown.
Ilex are native plants of the United Kingdom, Europe, the Mediterranean, the Americas, China, North America, South East Asia, and other areas around the globe.
I love Blechnum spicant, it’s such a handsome, charming little fern, with its narrow, dark green coloured pinnate fronds. Depending on this fern’s particular stage of growth, Blechnum spicant may form low growing rosettes with the sterile fronds leaning out horizontally, or if the fertile fronds are more predominantly growing, plants will appear as more upright and erect in their habit.
Monstera deliciosa can be found growing in the wild, in the damp, humid rainforests of Panama, and Mexico. The rainforest is a competitive environment. Monstera deliciosa plants grow towards and then climb up nearby trees, to reach the sunlight.
Monstera deliciosa is a tender evergreen climbing plant, that favours growing in a location where it can enjoy bright, but indirect light, or partially shaded conditions.
Masdevallia nidifica is a miniature epiphytic and lithophytic orchid species, which is widespread: this species originates from Nicaragua, Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia, where this plant can be found growing in areas of mountainous forest and cloud forests.
Given cool to intermediate temperatures, a shaded environment and a moist environment Masdevallia nidifica is a reliable and floriferous orchid species. This plant requires very high humidity and constant growing conditions all through the year to succeed, when it will grow into a rewarding plant that can flower at any time of year.
