"What is That?"

Over the last few weeks a very large number of visitors have walked through the gardens and two plants have caused them to stop and ask us "What Is That?".
The dark succulent, pictured above, has caused quite a stir and has prompted the most questions. The answer is Aeonium arborium 'Schwarzkopf', a dark succulent forming rosettes of almost black, glossy leaves, needing full sun to show off its best colour.

The other plant causing people to stop is Crocosmia 'Lucifer', pictured above. Vibrant red, funnel shaped flowers on long arching stems that rise from mid green peated leaves, a must for any hot sunny border.