Half Hardy and Summer Patio

A hybrid with very dark leaves, offsets freely to make spreading clumps.

A beautiful cultivar with large pink/purple wavy leaves.

Name uncertain. Syn. Pachyphytum hookeri

Slowly spreading rosettes of thick blue-grey leaves with delicate white markings, making an attractive plant in a shallow bowl.

A large half-hardy shrub with 30cm long spikes of electric blue flowers in early summer. Should survive outside in mild areas in well drained soil. Short lived, but replacement plants can be grown from seed.

Syn 'Deutsche Kaiserin'. Reported to be a more robust form of Disocactus (Nopalxochia) phyllanthoides. On mature plants masses of pink flowers, up to 10 cm long, appear on long trailing stems in spring and summer.

Image believed to be correct

A small tree in its native South America, here it makes a shrub to around ten feet with prickly stems from which hang racemes of red flowers in summer. Needs a sheltered spot away from hard frosts.

Tender shrubby perennial with shiny green leaves and clusters of large, long-stalked bright yellow daisies summer to autumn.

A half-hardy shrubby perennial with grey to green leaves and clusters of large, bright yellow daisies summer to autumn.

Despite its specific name this shrub is pretty tough, taking temperatures down to just above freezing with no problem, so it would probably survive in mild gardens as a mature plant. Small pale mauve flowers appear mainly in summer.

An unusual spreading/trailing fuchsia with small green leaves yellow upward-facing flowers with red stamens and blue pollen. Can be used as a mat-forming plant for the front of a border or it will trail over edge or a pot, basket or low wall

Unusual Fuchsia with small pale green leaves, each with an irregular white margin, on spreading/trailing stems.

Related to the Agave, and with a similar habit (though less spiny!), this much sought after plant grows for several (many) years before producing a giant flower spike up to 40 foot tall.

From the Channel Islands of California, this unusual half-hardy to hardy shrub has masses of vivid red flowers in summer. Ideal for a sunny Mediterranean or tropical style garden.

Stunning Geranium from Madeira with a huge dome of mid pink flowers and dark pink eye, early-mid summer. A specimen for an exotic garden. Needs winter protection

The white form of this Geranium from Madeira with a huge dome of white flowers early-mid summer. A specimen for an exotic garden. Needs winter protection

A member of the Gesneriad family, forming spreading mounds of fresh green leaves which set off the beautiful vivid orange-red tubular flowers. May be hardy in a sheltered garden in very well drained soil and a thick mulch to protect the underground tubers. If in doubt overwinter indoors. Can also be grown as a trailing houseplant.