Commonly known as holly olive, the juvenile, spiny-edged leaves, shiny and leathery, of this evergreen shrub in the Oleaceae (olive) family, grow opposite on the stems rather than alternately as Ilex aquifolium (common holly) does. But as can be seen on this lovely specimen, planted in the Asia Garden in 2003 (near the sweet chestnut  trees,  west of the Rose Garden) the mature leaves can be smooth-edged, entire.

With their distinctive and strange appearance, the Colletias will never be mistaken for other plants.

The scarlet river lily is a really great garden plant, giving very long lasting colour into late autumn.

Those who designed the Four Seasons Garden along the path leading from Brocco Bank to the back of the Pavilions no doubt chose the site for the Autumn Bed because of the pre-existing magnificent specimen of Parrotia persica. The beautiful reds and golds of the foliage at this time of year make a lovely background for the colourful display of the perennial planting and several brilliant maples.

The Chinese plumbago is a deciduous shrub, grown for its bright blue flowers, and bronze-red autumn foliage.

Nerines are South African bulbs from the East Cape Province and the Drakensberg Mountains, growing on cliffs and rocks. Although there are many species, it is only Nerine bowdenii that is reliably hardy, and only when some consideration is given to the siting when planting.

Salvia uliginosa originates from moist places of southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, and is often referred to as the bog sage. It was described and named by English botanist George Bentham in 1833, (ulignosa meaning of swamps and marshes), but was not introduced into cultivation in Britain until the early part of the twentieth century.

A native of South Africa, in the Cape Province from Olifants River to Cape Town, amaryllis is a flowering bulb found growing on rocky hillsides, in scrub and near rivers.