British gardeners will go to any lengths to grow plants that really shouldn’t enjoy our chilly, damp climate. Once such plant is the foxglove tree, Paulownia tomentosa, prized for its large ornamental leaves and luscious lilac-coloured flowers. The cool start to the year has ensured that flowers have appeared late, avoiding frosts and guaranteeing a truly exotic display. Pictured here in The Abbot’s Garden, Winchester.
