Gardens are increasingly embracing greener practices, yet many gardeners still seek plants with striking visual appeal to create focal points within their landscapes. Adrian Bloom, a seasoned horticulturist known for his longstanding involvement with the Chelsea Flower Show and his family’s Bressingham Gardens nursery in Norfolk, has recently shared his insights on plants that deliver what he terms a "wow factor" in his new book, *Garden Odyssey*.

Bloom’s recommendations emphasize plants that provide dramatic impact, particularly during less vibrant seasons. One standout example is Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’, a dogwood valued for its vivid orange-red stems in winter rather than its summer foliage or flowers. Pruning the shrub in spring enhances the brightness of its stems, making it a notable feature when many other plants have faded.

The book draws on Bloom’s decades of experience, including the garden he started in 1966 called Foggy Bottom, where he planted an array of conifers and ornamental grasses. Despite initial skepticism about the site’s potential, it has become a testament to his careful selection and patient cultivation. Bloom structures his book to highlight different categories, such as "wow rivers" of perennial drifts, striking trees with notable foliage, and container plants that stand out individually.

Among flowering plants, Bloom singles out several less common varieties. He highlights the crocosmia ‘Spitfire’, a July-blooming orange-scarlet flower bred in 1966 by Bressingham’s team, which he believes deserves renewed attention alongside the more familiar ‘Lucifer’. In the realm of roses, he praises the semi-double floribunda ‘Black Forest’ for its late autumn flowering, though it currently lacks UK availability, while ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is noted for its unusual bluish hue. Irises also feature prominently, with ‘Rajah’ and ‘Mer du Sud’ receiving accolades for their striking colors and resilience during the recent dry summer.

Bloom’s book also emphasizes the appeal of grasses and smaller trees, including Stipa tenuissima, which he describes as a "feathery and undulating carpet" that complements other perennials, such as the dark blue Agapanthus ‘Loch Hope’ and the white-flowering Cotinus coggygria ‘Young Lady’—a relative of the well-known purple-leaved Cotinus ‘Grace’.

While the photographs in *Garden Odyssey* provide artistic inspiration, Bloom’s text occasionally acknowledges the limits of certain visual elements for practical gardening. For example, he shares a deer deterrent tip involving hanging bars of scented soap in muslin bags along vulnerable borders. Though initially effective, the scent quickly fades after rain, limiting its long-term usefulness.

Bloom also reflects on the etymology of the word "wow" and the unrelated Australian slang term "wowser," clarifying the positive connotation he intends for his plant selections. He suggests that while plants with a wow factor are valuable for creating visual excitement, overusing such attention-grabbers can diminish their impact. Discretion, he argues, enhances the overall effect by allowing standout plants to shine without overwhelming the garden.

Overall, *Garden Odyssey* presents a thoughtfully curated selection of plants aimed at gardeners seeking to combine seasonal interest, color, and texture to create memorable and dynamic outdoor spaces.