Gazania or African Daisy – Vibrant Hot Colours

Gazania or African Daisies are bold, bright flowers with hot colours that are suited to sunny, dry climates. Although being in the same family, they are a different genus to Osteospermum plants that are also commonly referred to as African Daisies. These plants are drought tolerant and like to have full sun to be at their best. Being in the shade will make the flowers close and may then grow thin taller stems unable to support the large flower head.

Rank

Genus

Names
Scientific name:	Gazania
Common Names:	African Daisy, Treasure Flower
Genus:	Gazania
Family:	Asteraceae
Related Plants:	Aster, Daisy, Sunflower

Growing Conditions
Position:	full sun
Soil Type:	sandy, loamy
Soil pH:	weak-acid, neutral, weak-alkaline
Moisture:	dry, well drained

Camassia quamash

Camassia quamash is a herbaceous perennial that resembles Bluebells and Hyacinth. That’s because it belongs to the same family Asparagaceae. Native of North America they are hardy in non-extreme climates. They readily spread if not contained to fill up any welcoming environment.

Rank

Species

Names
Scientific name:	Camassia quamash
Common Names:	camash
Genus:	Camassia
Family:	Asparagaceae
Related Plants:	Bluebells, Hyacinth

Growing Conditions
Position:	full sun, partial shade
Soil Type:	chalky, sandy, loamy
Soil pH:	acid, neutral, alkaline
Moisture:	moist, well drained

Allium – Ornamental Onion – Bold Architectural Blooms

The Allium is a tall pompom flowing plant of the Garlic-Onion family. Predominantly purple or white with a globe head of fine star-shaped flowers. They are easy to grow but like the sun and good drainage as the bulbs can rot in heavy wet soil. They do stand out when isolated in a border but also look very good when planted in large swathes. The name Allium is Latin for Garlic and is thought to derive from the Greek word meaning avoid.

Rank

Genus

Names
Scientific name:	Allium
Common Names:	Ornamental Onion
Genus:	Allium
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Related Plants:	Garlic, Amaryllis, Narcissus

Growing Conditions
Position:	full sun
Soil Type:	sandy, loamy, chalky
Soil pH:	acid, neutral, alkaline
Moisture:	moist, well drained

Agapanthus – African Lily – Tall Globe Shaped Flower Heads to Lift a Summer Border

Agapanthus plants are tall with a globe of flowers on a single stem, not unlike their cousins, Alliums, and Amaryllis. Predominantly blues, purple and white with bigger more dramatic flowers than Alliums. Native to Southern Africa, and commonly called African Lilies although they are not Lilies at all. They love the sun, well-drained soil but can also stand some drought. Ideal for keeping in pots as you can control spread and concentrate the flowering.

Rank

Genus

Names
Scientific name:	Agapanthus
Common Names:	African Lily, Lily of the Nile
Genus:	Agapanthus
Family:	Amaryllidaceae
Related Plants:	Allium, Amaryllis, Narcissus

Growing Conditions
Position:	full sun
Soil Type:	sandy, loamy
Soil pH:	acid, neutral, alkaline
Moisture:	moist, well drained

Acacia dealbata – Silver or Blue Wattle – Mimosa

Acacia dealbata is a evergreen shrub or tree that will flower early in the growing season in warm and temperate climates.

Plant Family – Part of the Fabaceae family or Legume family that includes peas and beans.
Native to – These flowering plants are native to southeastern Australia.
Common Names – include Silver wattle, blue wattle or mimosa.
Flowers – The flowers are bright acid-yellow that grow in clusters of small round balls.
Foliage – The foliage is fern-like and green with a blue or silvery grey hue.
Height and Spread – these tree/shrubs can grow quickly to a height of 30 metres, or 100ft tall with an equally wide spread.
Position – These plants thrive in full sun with a well drained soil, more on the acidic side, but neutral is fine. This makes them ideal in a sunny but sheltered location with a southern aspect and a reasonably mild climate.

Overall, a striking plant that will look attractive all year round with a splash of colour in the early seasons.

Rank

Species

Names
Scientific name:	Acacia dealbata
Common Names:	Silver Wattle, Blue Wattle, Mimosa
Genus:	Acacia
Family:	Fabaceae
Related Plants:	Legumes, peas and beans

Growing Conditions
Position:	full sun
Soil Type:	sandy, loamy
Soil pH:	acid, neutral
Moisture:	well drained

Spear Thistle – Cirsium vulgare

Spear Thistle – (Cirsium vulgare, family: Asteraceae), also known as Common Thistle. This tall flowering biennial plant has a very distinct shape and is commonly accepted as the ‘flower of Scotland’. Considered by many people to be a weed and certainly be called so if you get a prick from its spear shaped thorny leaves. One of the types of plant that was said to proliferate outside the ‘garden of eden’.

In flower it is one of the best nectar providers in the UK and loved by the pollinators. Native to most of Europe, Western Asia but also naturalised in many other parts of the world it is part of the large Asteraceae or daisy family.

Once the flowers have died back it produces a woolly seed head that gives further visual interest but also acts as an efficient seed dispersal mechanism used by many plants, shrubs and trees.

Aeonium Arboreum – Tree Houseleek – Succulent Plant with Large Colourful Rosettes

Aeonium arboreum or Tree Houseleek is a subtropical succulent plant native of the Canary Islands and Madeira but has spread to the Iberian Peninsula and North African coast. They make good houseplants and can be grown in patio pots in a sunny position. They should be covered or brought indoors when temperatures fall.