Pronunciation: (aj-er-ah-tam) Family: Floss Flower, Pussy Foot, ASTERACEAE A member of the daisy family, in spite of its appearance, Ageratum houstonianum is an easy-to-manage annual with many uses according to variety: tall-growing types to 60cm/ 2ft for bedding and cutting, dwarf cultivars for edging and container work. Their colourings, in many shades of blue, mauve, white, make a refreshing contrast when …

Pronunciation: (a-gah-vee) Family: Century Plant, AGAVACEAE The gigantic leaf-rosettes of these splendid succulents rank them among the most popular accent plants for modern gardens. They grow in poor soil, forming 2m/6ft clumps, and need plenty of water to look in top condition. Agave attenuata produces arching spikes of yellow flowers up to 4.5m/14ft long. The closely related Century Plant (Agave americana) may …

Pronunciation: (ag-e-pee-tees) Family: (syn PENTAPTERYGIUM), Flame Heath, ERICACEAE The Flame Heath, Agapetes serpens, is a decorative shrub known for many years as Pentapterygium and often sold under that name. Usually rather squat, it grows to 1.5m/5ft from a tuberous rootstock, sending out slender, weeping branches that are densely hairy and furnished with evergreen 1cm/1/2in red-tipped leaves. The tubular flowers of …

Pronunciation: (ag-a-pan-thes) Family: Lily of the Nile, African Lily, AMARYLLIDACEAE An elderly gardening friend of mine enjoyed for years the incursions of small boys looking for lost tennis balls on his demesne. ‘Beware the agapanthers’ he would roar from the bushes, and then chuckle as the youngsters made off over the nearest fence. But the only thing these gentle summer flowers …

Pronunciation: (eth-ee-on-e-ma) Family: Stonecress, BRASSICACEAE Dainty members of the cress family, the 60-odd species of Acthionuna are found naturally from the Mediterranean area to as far east as Iran. In cooler climates, they are great rock garden favourites, producing masses of tiny flowers like pink candytuft in late spring. They enjoy full sun with a cool root-run among stones which …

Pronunciation: (ees-kin-an-thus) Family: Lipstick Vine, Royal Red Bugler, GESNERIACEAE Midsummer-flowering relatives of the African Violet, Aeschynanthus are succulent-leafed trailers from South-east Asia. They are generally grown in baskets of moist, acid compost and hung in a warm, humid position in semi-shade. They need plenty of water in the warm-weather growing season. The flowers look like an orange-scarlet lipstick poking out …

Pronunciation: (aer-ai-dees) Family: Air Plant, Foxtail Orchid, ORCHIDACEAE As you might expect from both botanical and popular names, Aerides is epiphytic — several dozen species of epiphytic orchids, all except one from Southeast Asia. Away from home, they are rarely seen outside specialist collections for they are very particular about temperature requirements, demanding at least 16C/60F even on winter nights. However, …

Pronunciation: (ae-oh-nee-am) Family: (syn SEMPERVIVUM), Canary Island Rose, Pinwheel, CRASSULACEAE Over 30 species of succulent shrubs from North Africa and various Atlantic islands, the Aeoniums are excellent material for terraces, courtyards and dry, sunny positions. A poor quality, porous soil mixture grows them to perfection if you add plenty of sand and limestone chips. Propagation is easy from cuttings set …

Pronunciation: (ak-mee-a) Family: Vase Plant, Urn Plant, BROMELIACEAE Fancy-dress members of the pineapple family (or Bromeliads) from tropical America, Aechmeas are air- feeders, collecting nourishment from water and decaying matter in the upturned cup of their leaves. They can be grown wired onto pieces of driftwood (the roots covered in sphagnum moss), or supported among clusters of large pebbles in open …

Pronunciation: (o-doh-nis) Family: Pheasant’s Eye, Red Morocco, RANUNCULACEAE A favourite European and American annual not often seen in southern hemisphere gardens, the Pheasant’s Eye (Adonis aestivalis) is closely related to Ranunculus, with feathery, dark green foliage and 4cm/2in flowers like scarlet buttercups. It enjoys light soil, moist and rich: should be sown in situ, late autumn or early spring. Seeds …