Plant Library

Explore our extensive archive of guides to species and cultivars of popular or useful plant genera by HortWeek's own technical editor, Sally Drury, one of the UK's leading plantswomen, Miranda Kimberley and leading plantsman Bob Askew. Featuring expert tips from supplier's on how to use or sell them.

Go direct to Landscape Plant Library
Go direct to Retail Plant Library

Magnolia stellata ‘Rosea’

Plant Focus: Stars of the 2026 Chelsea show gardens

LANDSCAPE PLANT FOCUS

Plant Focus: Liquidambar

Liquidambar

Plant Focus: Miscanthus

Miscanthus

Plant Focus: Jasminum

Jasmine

Water lilies

Escarboucle

Phlox

Rosa 'Pastell' - credit all pictures: Floramedia Database

Fragrant foliage

Elsholtzia stauntonii has slender spires of lilac or pale purple from August until the end of October - credit all images: Floramedia Database)

Pyracantha

Pyracantha Soleil D'Or

Carnivorous plants

Each Dionaea muscipula plant has six or more leaves, varying from green to red, ending in a hinged trap flushed green/pink or red inside - all images: Floramedia Database

Nerine

Nerine Mansellii is one of the older hybrids in genus - credit all images: Floramedia

Cotinus

Cotinus coggygria. European smoke bush produces bright-green leaves and 20cm-long flower plumes that eventually turn a smoky grey - credit all images: Floramedia

RETAIL PLANT FOCUS

Plant Focus: Agapanthus

Agapanthus

Christmas trees

Christmas trees

Fruit

Korona strawberries

Fragrant white Clematis

C. × triternata ‘Rubromarginata’ has reddish-purple edges - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Bergenia

Eden’s Magic Giant: noted for its attractive mid-pink flowers on deep-red stems for many weeks in spring as well as large crumpled leaves - credit all images: Floramedia

Forsythia

Forsythia Spectabilis - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Flowering houseplants

Mandevilla Rosea has pink flowers with a yellow throat - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Foliage for the home office

A. Sprengeri: looks good cascading from pots - credit all images: Floramedia Database

Herbs

Herbs are ideal for retail because they smell gorgeous, taste fantastic, have medicinal properties and can be used fresh or dried and stored - credit all images: Floramedia

Echeveria

Echeveria Agavoides - credit all images: Floramedia

NEW PLANTS RADAR

New Plants Radar: Spring shrubs

Bloombux

New Plants Radar: Californian Spring Trials

Michael Perry with Better Boxwood in California

New Plants Radar: Choice picks from the Plantarium Groen-Direkt trade fair

Plantarium Groen-Direkt

New Plants Radar: First look at the stars of IPM Essen 2026

New plants at IPM Essen

New Plants Radar: Rochfords International Rose Trials

Rochfords International Rose Trials

New Plants Radar: Top picks from Europe’s horticultural trade events in 2025

Best of 2025

New Plants Radar: Seven standout edible varieties from Prudac

Michael Perry with Honey Drops Dara

New Plants Radar: Seven summer annuals from Selecta one

Seven summer annuals from Selecta one

New Plants Radar: Minimum effort, maximum blooms

New plants

New Plants Radar: Ball Colegrave trials

New plants

NEW PLANTS WITH GRAHAM RICE

Cosmos Apricotta

New Plants: Fleuroselect 2023

New Plants: Awards and trials

Fleuroselect: red zinnias compared in trials

New Plants: Lavender - old favourites are now improved and new options stand out

Phenomenal is good for hedges or long-stemmed cut flower - credit: Plantipp

New Plants: Brunnera - resilience and exciting introductions stoking fresh interest

Brunnera 'Alexandria' totally silvered

New Plants: Delphiniums - progress made in seed-raised and tissue-cultured series

Delphinium Centurion is among the best seed-raised series

New Plants: Buddleja - developments include a neater plant size and sterile flowers

Buzz Series, popular with home gardeners / Miss Series: tall plants that are very prolific - credit: Thompson & Morgan/ Graham Rice

New Plants: Sedges - EverColor range offers versatility and colourful foliage

Everest is the top-selling variety in the EverColor range and has green and white variegated leaves

New Plants: Philadelphus - Developments see significant extension to flowering season

Pearls of Perfume recently introduced philadelphus is the first to flower all summer long

New Plants: Rudbeckia - Spectacular plants and unique colours hitting the market

Rudbeckia 'American Gold Rush'

New plants: Choisyas - Three breeders dominate the market for choisyas in Britain

Little Honey Bee has white flowers and golden leaves

New plants: Impatiens - breeding disease resistance into new Impatiens

Impatiens Beacon

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