Begonia plants originate from tropical and sub-tropical climates and fall into different categories: the fibrous-rooted small bedding types, the house plants with rhizomatous roots grown for their foliage, and the dashing tuberous types which can’t fail to impress in containers and borders.

Prized for their summer displays, one of their main benefits is that they will happily perform in shade. Flowers of the tuberous begonias are often huge, the male and female blooms are born on the same plant with the males putting on the greatest show.