Description: Stunning and always popular succulents grown for their flesh, geometrically patterned foliage. A. ‘Schwarzkopf’ is the most sort after, with dark maroon stems that become woody at the base and at the tips tight whorls of thick, purple-black leaves, shimmer in hot sun. If the tip is pinched out they become bushier and less leggy.

Hardiness: Unfortunately not hardy, though will take temperature down to just above freezing. Over winter plants dry and frost free, where they will mostly defoliate, though they will come back into growth in the spring when watered.

Height: 30cm to 1m

Position: Full sun essential for best growth and colour

Soil: Exceedingly well drained, fairly poor soil essential

Water: once established they have good drought resistance. Mulch with gravel to reatain moisture

Usage: Excellent in containers and more arid parts of the garden. They work well in containers where they also take drought well

Description: Highly attractive lily with large, lush, lustrous green arrow-shaped leaves. The flowers appear at the top of tall stalks from spring into early summer and are in the form of a modified leaf called a spathe, enfolding a fleshy yellow spike. ‘Green Goddess’ is a very desirable cultivar with green flowers.

Hardiness: Takes several degrees of frost if well mulched during cold snaps. The foliage dies to the ground in the autumn. In very cold areas the tubers can be dug up and stored frost-free. Can also be planted in a pond as a marginal and works well in containers which can more easily be kept moist in dry weather.

Height: 50cm-1m

Position: Full sun to dappled shade

Soil: Moisture retentive soil preferred, so best mulched well in dry periods

Water: Water well to establish, mulch, then sparingly after that if they go floppy, otherwise plant as a pond marginal

Usage: Good for brightening up dull corners, where the flowers really stand out

Description: This must be one of the best known plants in the world, so why not try one in your garden! It is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial with long stalked, tough, leathery, blue-green leaves. The large beak-like flowers have three brilliant orange sepals and three vivid purple-blue petals in boat-shaped red-edged bracts from winter to spring. For the rest of the year it is a glorious and very tropical looking foliage plant.

Hardiness: Will take a few degrees of frost, for very short periods only, hence is excellent in warmer cities like London, especially if planted in a favourable location that is protected from desiccating winds. Otherwise, enjoy it flowering in your house/conservatory during the winter months, and then give it a holiday outside for the summer.

Height: 1-1.5m

Position: Full sun

Soil: Well drained gritty poorish soil preferred. In containers, they are best left to get pot bound for the best flowers. Given lots of food they won’t flower

Water: Tolerates drought well and will get enough water from summer rains

Usage: In a position that shows off its colour and architectural shape for best effect

Description: Beautiful and essential, fast growing evergreen to semi-evergreen climber with attractive, palmate, dark green leaves. The delectable flowers are white with a blue or purple banded corona from summer to autumn followed by ochre yellow egg-shaped fruits. ‘Constance Elliot’ is an attractive white-flowered cultivar.

Hardiness: Hardy to -10C and probably lower

Height: 3m plus

Position: Best on south or west facing wall or fence away from desiccating winds

Soil: Any well-drained soil with added organic matter

Water: Comparatively drought tolerant once established

Usage: Good for covering ugly objects in the garden or bare walls

Description: Their brilliant flowers and bold ornamental foliage are an essential part of any exotic garden, giving a very tropical feel. They are fast growing especially if well fed, where they can grow from 50cm to a staggering 2.5m depending on species and variety. Most Cannas available are hybrids with flowers up to 15cm across held at the tops of the erect stems. Leaf colours range from bright green to dark purple, while some are deliciously variegated.

Hardiness: Most Cannas will take several degrees of frost if well mulched and kept on the dry side in winter. If you live in a cold area with ground penetrating frosts, it is advisable to dig up and store the tubers in boxes of bark chips and stored in a frost free location until spring.

Height: 50cm to 2.

Position: Full sun to dappled shade

Soil: Any garden soil with added compost or manure

Water: Cannas do like water, so mulch well during the growing season to retain as much moisture as possible.

Usage: As part of a border or as feature plants, where they look best planted in drifts. Excellent container plants

Description: Very easy and essential exotic annual. Branching shrub that can grow to staggering proportions in one season. Sown in April it will reach 2m by late summer with large Fatsia-like, dark bronze-purple leaves 30cm and more wide. From summer to autumn produces clusters of small flowers followed by spikes of brilliant scarlet pods.

Hardiness: Non-hardy perennial treated as a fast growing annual in our temperate gardens.

Height: Up to 2m

Position: Full sun for best results though will tolerate some shade

Soil: Any well drained soil

Water: Once established, fairly drought tolerant

Usage: At the back of the border or as an accent plants for wow factor. There are several other hybrids worth trying with some that get even bigger!

Description: Although often considered as old hat, many never-the-lesses make great exotic garden plants because of their exuberance in flower, colour, and shape - but also for the dark almost black leaved forms that are now readily available. These garden delights were much vaunted by the late Christopher Lloyd, especially ‘Ellen Houston’ with green foliage and large intense orange flowers that keep going right into the autumn.

Hardiness: They will take several degrees of frost if well mulched, otherwise dig up the tubers and store in a frost free place during the winter months, ready to plant out again in the spring.

Height: From 50cm

Position: Full sun preferred for best growth

Soil: Any well-drained garden soil with lots of added organic matter

Water: Water well to establish. They can take dry conditions well once established especially if well mulched

Usage: They work equally well in borders and containers, though are best staked to stop them falling over in high winds

Description: Absolutely fabulous exotic with enormous leaves up to 30cm across by 90cm long and all in one season! The leaves are held on thick stalks a meter or more above the ground. More unusual varieties can be purchased from specialist grows such as ‘Black Magic’ which, as its name implies, has deliciously purplish-black leaves.

Hardiness: Borderline hardy taking several degrees of frost if well mulched otherwise dig up and store over winter like potatoes.

Height: 1-1.5m

Position: Full sun to dappled shade

Soil: Any well-drained garden soil with lots of extra organic matter

Water: Water well to establish and mulch heavily to keep moisture in

Usage: Stunning plant for a really full-on jungle effect. Takes well to container growing

Description: An absolutely fabulous and exceedingly tropical looking plant. (Do not bother with supermarket ginger roots as they produce inferior plants) This ginger is very garden-worthy, growing up to 1.5m tall with stiff, upright stems and alternate 3-5cm wide mid-dark green leaves up to 30 cm long. The terminal flowers spikes are bright orange and highly scented, flowering from August to September.

Hardiness: If well mulched will take lows of at least -8C

Height: 1-1.5m

Position: Full sun to dappled shade

Soil: Any well drained garden soil with added humus

Water: Water well to establish then mulch well to keep moisture in

Usage: As part of a border or in containers

Description: Clump-forming tuberous begonia with red-branched stems up to 50cm tall with broad fleshy, typical begonia shaped leaves, pale green above, flushed red with prominent veining beneath. Delicate pink flowers are produced from the leaf axils in nodding clusters from midsummer to autumn.

Hardiness: Hardy to at least -5C in a sheltered, moist location.

Height: 50cm

Position: Dappled sun preferred in a woodland situation or shade by other plants

Soil: Any well drained soil that remains damp

Water: Prefers a moist situation for the best growth

Usage: Good for lighting up dingy corners bringing a sparkle to the garden

Description: Well known garden plants grown for their large, imposing and often beautifully variegated leaves. H. ‘Frances Williams’ is a delightful mid-sized Hosta with large heart-shaped, glacous bluish-green leaves with irregular yellowy-green markings. Off-white, bell-shaped flowers are held above the foliage in summer, which are much loved by bees.

Hardiness: Very hardy though probably worth mulching in a really cold snap.

Height: 60cm when

Position: Full sun to shade position where the leaves are bigger out of direct sun

Soil: Any well drained garden soil

Water: Water well to establish. Heavily mulch to retain moisture in dry periods and water sparingly if under stress

Usage: At the front of borders and in woodland settings where they will slowly spread. Excellent as container plants

Description: Eucomis bicolor is the most commonly available; having large soft leathery leaves up to 30cm long, rising up from a large partly-submerged bulb. The flower-spike up to 60cm tall is topped with a column of loosely packed star shaped greenish flowers, somewhat resembling a pineapple head. Eucomis ‘Sparkling Burgundy’ is a beautiful form with dark purple leaves and pinkish-purple flowers.

Hardiness: Much hardier than they look taking at least -4C in their stride. In colder locations cover with mulch or dig up and store the bulbs frost free over winter.

Height: Up to 60c

Position: Along the side of paths, under south facing walls and billowing over the edge of large terracotta pots

Soil: Any well drained soils that is rich in humus

Water: Water well to establish and mulch well to retain as much moisture as possible in hot weather

Usage: Along the side of paths, under south facing walls and billowing over the edge of large terracotta pots

Description: Way over the top and absolutely essential banana for the garden. This fairly resent introduction can be bought as a small plant from 50-70cm tall in spring. It will romp away producing a plant up to 2m tall by October with large purplish-green paddle-like leaves 30cm or more wide.

Hardiness: Unfortunately not hardy and has to be dug up in late October and kept above 7C. It can be over wintered in a cool living room for the first year. After that either give it away or start again as it will take over your life!

Height: 1-4m and t

Position: At the back of a border or as a specimen plant on its own. It works well as a container plant though it will grow more slowly.

Soil: Any well-drained garden soil with added compost or manure

Water: Water well to establish and much well to retain as much moisture as possible

Usage: As a future plant to give a jungle effect or in a large container

Description: Very exotic looking climber with stunning flowers. Eventually growing several meteres high and wide it becomes a prominent feature when in flower. The tough stems are covered in atractive green pinnate leaves. From late summer into early autumn, trumpet-shaped flowers, in shades of yellow orange or red are bourne. The stems cling to their supports via aerial roots.

Hardiness: Hardy in most locations, though best planted in a sheltered location in full sun for best growth and flowers.

Height: 3m and tal

Position: Against a south or west facing wall or fence and on pergolas

Soil: Well-drained soil with added organic matter

Water: Water well to establish, then fairly self sufficient after that, although a good mulch would be beneficial

Usage: Stunning when in full flower, hence should be planted where it can be easily seen when in full bloom

Description: Ludicrously tropical house-plant that is well worth trying in your garden. These wonderful trailing houseplants come in a dazzling range of colours and variegations, so the world is your Oyster. Plant out after the last frosts, usually in May.

Hardiness: Although considered ludicrously tender, they don’t seem to know that! Plant under the canopy of a tree or large shrub to give maximum protection. The first frost will cut them to the ground, though as long as the ground doesn’t freeze, they will return perennially for years to come. Mulch if needed after the leaves have died down.

Height: Up to 30cm

Position: The mildest part of your garden protected from severe weather

Soil: Any well-drained garden soil with add organic matter

Water: Water well to establish, then fairly self sufficient, especially if it still has its winter mulch to keep in moisture

Usage: Fantastic as a fast spreading ground cover in a dappled shade position