Horticulturist

Paul James Allen developed a keen interest in growing unusual and rare plants in his teens. He had been breeding tropical butterflies since the age of 9 and as the caterpillars were very specific eaters Paul started growing the relevant foodplants from seed and cuttings to sustain them. This led to a world of rarely seen, weird and wonderful plants and here the passion for horticulture literally blossomed. The 2 hobbies went hand in hand and would lead Paul into a career where plants and butterflies married perfectly. 

Paul managed plant sections and Butterfly houses in various Garden Centres and Nurseries building a stellar knowledge of plants and propagation and always obsessed over the elusive exotics and curiosities rather than the mainstream conveyer belt plants. 

In 2012 Paul started his own organic Nursery in Chobham specialising in unusual and hard to find plants and those specifically suitable for butterflies and pollinators so fusing his 2 passions and Butterfly Jungles was born. 

He had by then also honed his garden design skills and won Silver for his first ever show garden at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. He was invited back in 2013 to design a large feature garden for which he won best in Show.

In 2014 he relocated the business to Hall Place in Bexley and opened the Butterfly Jungles Experience and Plant Centre. Paul sold an impressive range of unusual plants and people came from miles around to grab some of the specialities. 

Sadly when Covid hit in 2020 Paul lost the business but he is planning his next move and striving to get back into the business he loves. 

His ultimate goal now would be an Unusual Plants Nursery with Abutilons at the forefront of the operations. He is currently looking into the feasibility and seeking investors. 

In 2022 and 2023 Paul opened his new Unusual Plants garden in Dorset to the public for the National Garden Scheme raising thousands for charity. With hundreds of plant obsessed visitors Paul had grown a wide range of unusual and rarely seen plants from cuttings to sell from the specimens showcased in the Garden. 

Out of this broad spectrum planting Salvias and Abutilons were taking centre stage and Paul realised another obsession was taking over! Abutilons!!! 

In 2022 Paul set up the 'Unusual Plants UK' Facebook group, a friendly space for like minded gardeners growing the Unusuals! The group really took off with some amazing content from contributors far and wide and now has 8000 members and growing. Every day there's something new to discover and it's a very exciting and engaging platform. 

In September 2024 he set up the sister group 'Abutilons UK' to satisfy his new fast growing obsession with this amazing group of plants and he's not alone. Members joining are showing off their hybridization skills and this is definitely a platform to watch!! Paul has 52 different Abutilons in his Dorset garden!