a more resilient plant that is less affected by changes in humidity and temperature. With its striking burgundy, red and silver striped foliage, Begonia ‘Stellar Storm’ adds a touch of drama to any space. Its large, spiral-shaped leaves boast unique spiked edges, making it a distinctive addition to any collection.
‘Lindsay’ has large deep purple/blue star-shaped flowers which clothe the plant from base to tip in May, June and July and repeat-flowering in September. It grows between 90cm- 120cm, so is ideal for a pot and pruning is simple, as you just reduce stems down to 15cm above soil level in late winter or early spring.
8. Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Yulika’ (Burncoose Nurseries; available from Burncoose after Chelsea)
This robust garden hydrangea with beautiful double pink lace-cap blooms flowers on new and old wood, so will always reward you with flowers every year, which are white and red when in full bloom. Easy to prune in spring, it’s also very winter hardy (to -15C).
6. Mahonia eurybracteata subsp. ganpinensis ‘Meteor’ (Available from Hillier Garden Centres and online at hillier.co.uk)
This beautiful upright, evergreen, compact shrub which forms a tidy, rounded bush with dark green leaves provides year-round interest, as the new leaves are deep red in spring, followed by a flush of yellow flowers from August to November. The compact habit makes it suitable for a wide variety of spaces, trouble free and easy to grow.
9. Scabiosa incisa ‘Kudo Blue’ (Walter Blom Plants; available from Sarah Raven)
Entered for the RHS Chelsea Plant of the Year, this fully hardy and compact scabious bears many larger-than-average bright blue pincushion flowers from spring to autumn. Easy to grow in well- drained soil in a bright and sunny position, it makes a fantastic choice for a mixed herbaceous border, gravel garden or container planting scheme. The flowers are wonderful for cutting and the blooms are loved by pollinating insects.
7. Begonia ‘Stellar Storm’ (Available from Dibleys Houseplants)
Fancy a new houseplant? Multi-award-winning houseplant nursery Dibleys should get heads turning with this large, spiral leaved begonia with exceptionally cut up, spikey-edged foliage. Bands of burgundy, red and silver repeat from the outer edge to the leaf’s heart. Bold and vibrant, this plant has everything. A new style of colourful-leaved begonia. Similar in style to Begonia Rex but with several different species introduced into the breeding line (at Dibleys) to create a tougher and
The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2024 runs from May 21-25.
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