Pseudopanax

Native to New Zealand.  I first saw them on a visit to The Eden Project, but they were unlabelled, and I failed to identify them using Google.  We then saw them during our visit to New Zealand last year, at which point we finally discovered what they were.  Ever since, I've had a hankering for one.  It was only during our recent research that we realised there are two varieties*.

So, now that we are digging yet another flower bed (W has made good progress whilst I've been away) we decided that central to this would be one or more Pseudopanax (otherwise known as Lancewood).  We've not seen any in our usual garden centres, and W was looking on the internet.  We then thought that if anywhere local had them, it would be Urban Jungle.  

So today we visited Urban Jungle, and came away with these, and a lot more.  It really is a lovely Garden Centre, and has developed enormously in the 12 years or so since I first visited - I see they have now opened a branch in Beccles.  It is several years since we last visited, and it has changed considerably even in that short period.  We could have spent a lot more money than we did, and I am sure it will not be long before we are back there.  They even had a well grown Wollemi pine, which was lovely to see - great to know that ours could look like that in 10 years or so.  

* There are actually lots more varieties, but only these 2 with this distinctive foliage - which is only on the immature trees - once the trees are mature - maybe 15-20 years - the foliage and the tree changes to a somewhat more conventional appearance.