The Gardens are full of wonderful blooms at this time of year, but one unusual plant that stands out, particularly because it comes from the Mediterranean climate region of South Africa, is the Melianthus major.

Many botanical treasures may be found in the Glass Pavilions, including the spectacular cacti collection in the West Ridge and Furrow walkway. One of the most impressive cacti seen is a very large Echinopsis.

The heavenly scent of the beautiful flowers of this stunning plant will be noticed before you come upon it in the east ridge and furrow Pavilion, the Asian and Himalayan section. These multi-petalled, pure white flowers develop in the leaf axils along the stems over many weeks, from buds covered in copper coloured, velvety hairs.

Jacquemont's birch has a presence year round on the lawn of the Rock and Water Garden (Area H), its gleaming white bark visible from all around. B. utilis, Himalayan birch, was found by Nathaniel Wallich, Director of the Botanic Gardens of Calcutta, in the early 19th century, and introduced by Hooker in 1849.

This may be considered a most unusual choice for Plant of the Month in December, but the group of Fuchsia 'Mrs Popple' greeting you as you come through the Grand Entrance is still looking really good and brightens up the dull, damp, winter days.

Cornus 'Norman Hadden' provides a stunning display of beautiful flower bracts, thickly layered along the branches from May to July. They slowly change from white to various shades of deep pink.

Salvia uliginosa originates from moist places of southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, and is often referred to as the bog sage. It was described and named by English botanist George Bentham in 1833, (ulignosa meaning of swamps and marshes), but was not introduced into cultivation in Britain until the early part of the twentieth century.

At a time of year when few shrubs are in flower, this rarely seen ornamental pomegranate surprises with its display of bright shiny buds and showy flowers. The glossy mid-green leaves make a good foil for the double orange-red flowers, streaked and edged with white.

This is a particularly beautiful American elder, related to our common elder of hedges and copses. This plant was one of the 'Restoration plantings' of 2004, and is situated on the edge of Osborns Field (area J).

Not exactly a plant of the month, the latest carpet bedding - in the Victorian Garden below the cafe and the beds in front of the Pavilions - has been beautifully executed and is well worth a visit.

The best place to see these plants at their most spectacular is on Las Canadas del Teide, Tenerife's largest volcano. Snow capped from November to March, Mount Teide is the highest mountain on Spanish territory. It is quite amazing to see the Echium wildpretii in full flower in Sheffield.

This beautiful shrub, a bramble relative, has long arching canes carrying 2-inch pure white flowers with golden stamens, along the entire length.

In April, when there are so many beautiful blossoms in the Gardens, from the magnolias, cherries, rhododendrons and camellias, one can be forgiven for missing this rather odd, but pretty Chilean vine clambering up the north wall of the Pavilions.

C. mas is one of the Cornaceae (dogwood) family). It produces dainty sprays of up to 25 four-petalled flowers in little yellow puffs, all along its leafless twigs.

The winter flowering honeysuckles (Lonicera) are planted throughout the Gardens, and the ones near the Grand Entrance (area D on downloadable map) are flowering well.

This large bushy shrub has responded to the hot summer by flowering very profusely. The fine evergreen foliage with up to 40 leaflets on each 6in pinnate leaf provide a good foil for the bright yellow, pea-like flowers.

Found scrambling up the wall outside the Robert Marnock Garden is the most beautiful winter-flowering clematis with hundreds of flowers and buds ready to flower throughout the winter months.

At the top of the West Lawn, in front of the pavilions, a dense clump of overgrown hollies and shrubs has recently been cleared, resulting in much improved vistas and the dramatic revealing of a fine oak, Quercus x hispanica 'Lucombeana'.