Eucomis - Geum (excluding Galanthus and Geranium)

Eucomis
The Pineapple Lilies are summer growing bulbs, suited to sun or dappled shade in borders which don't become excessively cold, and to pots. When pot grown, repot in February, before the roots grow. For a superb gallery of Eucomis pics, go to www.theafricangarden.com.
Eucomis autumnalis £4
Ultimately a stout, broad leaved plant with clean white flowers of real substance, but well shorter than pole-evansii. Hannah, the budding plantswoman among our kids, when asked which of our many Eucomis was her favourite, immediately selected this.
Eucomis comosa 'First Red' £4
No implication of earliness here, it's first as in foremost, although it isn't. Lost? Not as deep a colour as 'S.B.' but the leaves are a pretty light carmine, paler near the midrib.
Eucomis comosa selected for spottiness £4
The whole plant, leaves, stem, flowers and large tuft is a pretty reddish pink. Red spotting is clearly visible through this on the leaf bases, hence our tag, but it's the colour that wins.
Eucomis comosa var. striata £4
The red spots on the undersides of the leaves, and leaf sheaths join up to make pin stripes. Attractive all the time it's in growth
Eucomis 'Frank Lawley' £4
Short, white flowered, with crinkly edged pale green leaves. Not flashy, but highly satisfactory.
Eucomis pallidiflora £4
A smaller species, with spikes of greeny white flowers with pink-tinged ovaries and a small tuft. Finely spotted stems and leaf backs.
Eucomis pole-evansii £4
Pale green leaves with crinkled edges, hefty inflorescences with pineappley tuft of leaves on top, which can exceed 1m. Like the others, for a reasonably large pot (repot each February, before the roots get going) or a warm sunny border.
Eucomis vandermerwei £4.50
One of the smallest pineapple lilies, but rather exciting. Flat rosettes of pointed, crinkly edged leaves heavily speckled with maroon on the upper surfaces. 20cm spikes of dark red flowers, even on quite small bulbs. Perhaps less hardy, and best in a pot.
Eupatorium arnottianum RCB/Arg - L2 £4.50 FROM SPRING 2010
A wiry stemmed Argentinian, distinctive for its amazing Ageratum-like powdery lavender-blue flower heads. 1m tall. New in cultivation, perhaps not very hardy.
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Craigieburn' £5
An even darker version of the classic 'Purpurea', apparently less prone to mildew. The contrast between the yellow-green of the flowers and the rich purple of the bracts is a delight when caught by spring sunshine.
Euphorbia 'Blue Haze' £5
A short (to 40cm), very blue leaved hybrid (seguieriana niciciana x nicaeensis - the two classic glaucous spp) selected by Robin & Sue 'Blackthorn' White. 'Prune hard in August for compact blue foliage all winter' - I'd do what Robin tells you if I were you.
Euphorbia rigida £4.50
The spirals of short, broad, pointed leaves around thick stems recall the well-known E. myrsinites, but instead of flopping around they stand upright in a branching 50cm bush. Yellow green flowers at the stem tips early in the year (from late January here). The leaves near the tips turn a lovely red brown towards summer. A great favourite of ours for a sunny well drained spot, perhaps on the edge of a low wall.
Filipendula ulmaria 'Rosea' £4
The scarce pink flowered form of our native meadowsweet. Most reds/pinks belong to other, taller species.
Francoa appendiculata red form £4
Tall spikes of long-lasting red-pink flowers from late summer.
Freesia lactea (=alba) £4
Winter growing corm with plenty of white flowers marked yellow and purple. What a powerful fragrance! It's the right fragrance too, the sweet delicious one, not the peppery scent of some cut freesias you buy. Dry summer dormancy; sun, shelter - perfect for a pot.
Freesia (Anomatheca) laxa / grandiflora hybrids, pink £4
Larger flowered than the familiar laxa, taller too, in a deep pink. Best in a pot almost frost free. At its best, a real attention grabber.
Freesia (Anomatheca) viridis £3.50
The green flowers, like little skeletal hands grasping at you, would suit a horror film. Winter growing, tenderish small corm for a pot.
Galega 'His Majesty' £5
Spreads to make a splendid mound of glaucous pea foliage, topped by long spikes of strongly bicoloured violet flowers in early summer. Height to 1m at end of flowering. Extremely satisfactory.
Galega orientalis £4
Very distinct from the usual officinalis/hartlandii varieties in its upright spikes of indigo blue pea flowers. Pale green foliage, loosely spreading habit. Height to 1.2m. Sunny site.
Galtonia princeps £4
Creamy-green bells in summer on a 60cm plant. Winter dormant.

Geum
Geum coccineum 'Eos' £4
Kevin Marsh's eyeboggling selection of the true violently orange flowered coccineum. This one has bright yellow leaves. Has to be seen to be believed, but not nearly as tasteless as you might imagine. A real hot dog.
Geum hybrids: classic border plants for any normal soil in sun or part shade. All these are summer flowering, and 30-40cm tall in flower.
Geum 'Abendsonne' £4
Soft orange flashed burnt orange. Effective.
Geum 'Bell Bank' £4
Very pretty semi-double pink.
Geum 'Diane'  £4
Big upward facing bright yellow flowers on a very short plant. Excellent.
Geum 'Farmer John Cross' £4
Lovely nodding lemon yellow flowers on red stems.
Geum 'Herterton Primrose' £4
Nice nodding flowers with yellow petals (brighter than 'Lemon Drops') contrasting very well with the red sepals and flower stems.
Geum 'Mandarin' £4
Tall (50cm) with very big coppery orange flowers late in the season. Excellent but slow to propagate. A Cally special.
Geum 'Mrs W. Moore' £4
Nodding flowers in pastel red.
Geum 'Sigiswang' £4
Small but plentiful, somewhat nodding, flowers the colour of ripe oranges.
Geum Unnamed Hybrid £4
A seedling from capense: single, very pale yellow flowers fringed pink, giving a peachy effect. Thanks to Kevin Marsh, again.