Julia and Mike’s top exotics

Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’

This dazzling orange and yellow, freckled alstroemeria has the added bonus of bronze foliage and almost black buds. It’s a real showstopper right through June and July. H: 75cm (2½ft), S: 60cm (2ft).

Agapanthus ‘Blue Peter’

With sky-blue flowers opening from deep blue buds, the striking large flower heads on this plant produce a two-tone effect from June to September and look great in pots. H: 90cm (3ft), S: 40cm (1ft 3in).

Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’

The showy red Abyssinian banana looks amazing when the sun shines through the leaves. Ours finally fruited last year, but sadly, the tiny purple bananas didn’t ripen enough to eat. H: 5m (16ft 4in), S: 4m (13ft).

Begonia luxurians

We plant many begonias for their fiery blooms, but we grow this one for its amazing foliage that looks like cascading green umbrellas with pink undersides on red stems. H: 1.5m (5ft), S: 50cm (1ft 6in).

Fuchsia boliviana

Eye-catching clusters of 5cm (2in) long, tubular, scarlet flowers are produced from August to October on this scrambling fuchsia that can be trained upwards or used as exotic ground cover. H: 4m (13ft), S: 1m (3ft 3in).

Mandevilla Sundaville Series

Hailing from Brazil, these climbing perennials are ideal for a conservatory or greenhouse and produce huge flowers in a range of colours from white to pink and deep red. H: 2m (6½ft), S: 50cm (1ft 6in).