Spotted Laurel. This has to be one of the best variegated Aucubas. It has large leaves boldy spotted with gold, making an excellent foliage plant. Suitable for a shady position, whether in the ground or in a conatiner. Forms a dense bush to around 2 metres in height.

A very hardy large shrub from Japan, tolerant of shady positions due to its native woodland habitat. Glorious glossy dark green leaves, slightly larger than normal Aucuba, with a slight rough serration. Would make an excellent container plant or a very good backdrop to a border.

Common Box. Bushy, rounded shrub or small tree with glossy, dark green leaves, which are notched at the tips. Evergreen. All our specimens are clipped and shaped into either a cone or a sphere.

Mexican Orange Blossom. A very attractive rounded shrub with clusters of glossy greeh leaves reaching between 2 and 3 metres in height. Very heavily scented flowers are produced at the beginning of the summer and can sometimes come again in the autumn. Happy in both sun and shade and suitable for conatiner cultivation.

Winter's Bark. Highly sought after large shrub from Chile with large mid-green leaves which have striking near-white undersides. Loose clusters of fragrant white flowers are produced in late spring. This is a hardy and fast-growing shrub, much under-used in the garden in our opinion.

A vigorous shrub with glossy, dark green leaves, silvery beneath. Tiny fragrant creamy white flowers are produced in late summer followed by orange speckled silver fruit. This is one of the best shrubs for coastal exposure and makes an excellent hedge. Water and feed well until established.

A brilliant shrub growing to about 2 metres in height with jungly foliage. It looks great planted in semi-shade and associates well with ferns and Hostas. It is tolerant of coastal conditions and is perfectly hardy, with only the young foliage at risk from late frosts. Large white flower spikes are produced in the late autumn; an often seen shrub that never loses its appeal.

Sweet Bay. A conical evergreen tree or large shrub with glossy, dark green, aromatic leaves. Will respond very well to pruning, producing lovely dense foliage. This plant is suitable for all types of soil and does well in coastal situations. Immediately reminiscent of the Mediterranean and very under-rated as a hedging plant.

Sacred Bamboo. A much under-rated evergreen shrub from China which isn't actually a bamboo. It reaches no more than 1.8 metres in height and is covered in masses of tiny leaves. After a good hot summer and a couple of frosts, the foliage takes on wonderful reds, oranges and purples. Make sure you look out for pretty white flower spikes followed by red berries.

False Olive. A compact, rounded evergreen bush of medium size. Interesting narrow dark green leaves are complemented well in early summer by clusters of small, fragrant, creamy yellow flowers. Will succeed in all types of soil and is an excellent plant for coastal exposure.

An upright, evergreen shrub with dark green leaves which are bright red when young. This variety was first raised in New Zealand. Small white flowers are sometimes followed by bright red fruit. Tolerant of most soils and conditions, doing equally well in a sunny or shady spot. Makes an excellent container plant or specimen for the garden.

An evergreen shrub from the Mediterranean with glossy, deep green leaves and wonderfully scented creamy-white flowers. This is an excellent shrub for coastal conditions and will also grow well in a container. A light prune once a year will help to retain a dense, bushy habit. Very versatile can even be planted to make a wonderfull glossy fragrant hedge. Plant in full sun and free draining soil for best results.

Cherry Laurel. A fast growing, evergreen shrub with large glossy green leaves. Sprays of white flowers are produced in late spring followed by black berries. It makes an excellent hedge or screen but also works very well as a stand alone specimen. Regular pruning helps to maintain a good dense structure.

One of the craziest plants we grow! When young, P.crassifolius has magnificent lance-like leaves held stiffly on slender stems making a narrow architectural and slightly sinister shrub. In its native New Zealand when it reaches 3 metres or so, a transformation takes place and glossy green oval leaves are produced and it develops into a pretty lollipop-shaped small tree. What more can we say ...... buy one and see for yourself!

Savage Lancewood. Wow, what a plant! Surely one of the weirdest plants we can grow in U.K. gardens. With its elegant slender stems topped with brutal looking lance shaped leaves, dark brown in colour with jagged toothed margins. Can reach 3 ometres tall or more and looks stunning planted in groups underplanted with grasses.

Kangaroo Apple. Spectacular fast growing shrub from New Zealand. Has large trident shaped leaves and pretty violet flowers which are bourne in profusion from spring until autumn. These are followed by bright orange fruits the size of a pheasant egg which are held into midwinter. A 30cm tall plant can reach 3 metres in one summer. Unfortunately only fully hardy in town and coastal gardens but worth growing as a jungly 'annual' elsewhere.