Diarmuid Gavin: Five of my favourite garden showstoppers

The town hall is an elegant example of Art Deco civic architecture and the plaza in front is expansive. Two magnificent specimen Canary Island date palms, Phoenix canariensis, their large green fronds vivid against the bright blue sky, added a touch of glamour and escapism.

I was curious to their origin and was fascinated to learn that this was once the site of a vast, heated glass house. Built by the Loddiges family of nurserymen, for 100 years, the glass house was home to a large collection of exotic plants, trees and flowers, including rare orchids. The two beautiful date palms that stand in the town square today were placed in celebration of that history.

I love a bit of drama — plants that shoot for the stars, that have something different and stand out from the crowd. The garden showstopper is the one that gets people talking, and because of our climate, we can grow lots of these wonderful oddities in most parts of the country. Here are some of my favourites.

Schefflera taiwaniana was discovered by the intrepid contemporary plant explorers Medwyn and Sue Bleddyn in a jungle in Taiwan. If you’re familiar with the lovely indoor ‘Umbrella’ plant, this is a hardy outdoor version with gorgeous big wheels of foliage.

I used it in my lollipop garden in Chelsea 2004 and now grow it at home where it has shrugged off several bad seasons of snow and minus-zero conditions. You can pinch it out when young to form a shrubby plant or let it grow into a small tree. Grow in sun or semi-shade in a sheltered position for best results.

Melianthus major, the honey flower, is grown for its dramatic, jagged foliage (which unusually smells of peanut butter if you rub it) and, when it’s happy, it will grow to over six feet tall. It produces wonderful if slightly weird flowers — I think they look a bit like ET’s fingers. Without pruning, this bush can become too leggy, so prune back in spring and, in winter, a good warm mulch will help protect from frosts.

Giant cardoon, Cynara cardunculus, is a perennial that flounces upwards in spring with grey regal foliage and produces large, artichoke-like flowers. Reaching around six feet in height, it likes to be grown in full sun in fertile soil and is fairly easy to grow. You can leave it overwinter where it remains a striking ghost of itself and birds will enjoy its seeds.

Cardiocrinum giganteum, the giant Himalayan lily is the largest of all lilies and certainly the most spectacular when in flower. It’s a bulbous perennial and is best bought and planted in spring as a pre-potted bulb. You will need to be patient as it can take a few years to build up and flower but is definitely worth the wait.

They can reach up to three and a half metres and, from below, you can admire the large white trumpet blooms which emit a delicious vanilla fragrance. This showstopper is best grow in humus-rich soil with a little shade — ideally a woodland-type setting to give protection from wind and scorching sun.

Finally, the simple sunflower, when it reaches maturity and those big yellow happy heads peep over garden fences, is always a delight. Start sowing in pots now for transplanting outdoors in June into a good sunny spot. Watch out for slugs, which like young seedlings, and support larger varieties with canes — a weekly feed will ensure yours are the tallest in the neighbourhood.

Plant of the week

Fritillaria meleagris – ‘Snake’s head fritillary’ With its distinctive purple checkerboard pattern, this spring bulb will make you look twice. The pendant flower shape brings to mind a Tiffany lampshade and the unusual pattern adds to its unique qualities. Perfect for a rock garden or naturalised in grass, but make sure it doesn’t dry out in summer as it prefers moist soil. Like other bulbs, allow the foliage to die down naturally so the bulb can replenish.

Reader Q&A

How do I look after a Venus flytrap? I want to re-pot it but am not sure what type of compost to use? Mary

Venus flytraps are bog plants that thrive in wet, low-nutrient conditions. To replicate this, use a peat-free ericaceous compost and ensure it doesn’t dry out by keeping it well-watered using rain water.

Submit your gardening questions to Diarmuid via his Instagram @diarmuidgavin using the hashtag #weekendgarden