Unusual and rarely available to UK gardeners, Parrotia persica 'Persian Spire' (also known as Persian Ironwood) will amaze averyone who sees it, whatever the time of year. With its purple shoots in spring, your garden will be filled with gorgeous colour, then in summer, the leaves of Persian Spire turn to dark green with a striking purple border. Then, in autumn, its foliage will turn yellow/orange/red before falling in a fiery display of colour to reveal its delicately coloured bark. An award-winning shrub, this new form of Parrotia has narrow, upright growth and its more compact size makes it a perfect specimen for containers and small gardens, adding vertical interest and taking up little room wherever it is planted. Hardy to -30°C you don't have to worry about protecting it over the winter and the bare branches produce dainty flowers in February and March before the leaves appear, giving added interest to your early spring garden. Easy to grow, this really is a plant that anyon