Another variety from Kyoto, ‘Romance’ has deep mauve blue or deep pink flowers depending on soil acidity. ‘Romance’ will flower from mid-spring until late summer. It is dwarf in growth habit making it suitable for small gardens and pots. Best in light shade.
This Hypericum cultivar is a chance seedling that was found in the 1940s in Rowallane Garden, now the headquarters of the National Trust in Northern Ireland.
The Echo in its name refers to this plant’s repeat flowering habit. 90cm tall stems carry deep coral-red buds opening to softer coral with flower scapes measuring nearly 20cm. If dead headed regularly it will flower from late spring until mid-autumn.
The flowers of 'Green Jade' are green in bud and open to cream giving a distinctive cool bicolour effect. The 150cm tall flower stems are produced from late spring until well into summer. Foliage mound 60cm tall and 90cm wide.
This diminutive very cool red hot poker was raised by Beth Chatto at her famous nursery in Essex more than thirty years ago. I’ve grown it off and on for 25 years. Ivory white flowers cover the top half of its 50cm tall freely produces stems.
This new red hot poker produces rich coral-red flowers on strong 80cm tall stems for most of the warmer months. The narrow foliage is dark green and makes arching clumps. Tough and drought tolerant when once established.
Whilst not fully frost hardy this plant has grown in a protected spot in our garden for twenty years although it is never as grand here as coastal specimens. During summer and autumn whorls of long tubular white flowers are produced on new season’s growth.
This strain of lupin was bred over a period of two decades between the first and second world wars by George Russell, a maintenance gardener from York in the north of England. They have entranced gardeners for the last 80 years and are likely to do so for another 80. Strong tall stems are closely packed with flowers from late spring into summer. To thrive they need good deep soil, regular watering and planting in a sunny spot. They make spectacular cut flowers. We can only offer mixed colours as single colour strains are unavailable. They make splendid cut flowers.
If planted during autumn our plants will flower next season.
This most beautiful of all the feather grasses is a hybrid between Miscanthus sinensis and M. transmorrisonensis. From early in the new year until winter arching feathers on slightly arching leafy stems gives ‘Fallingwater’ elegance, movement and form.
A new selection of variegated Miscanthus much smaller growing than M. ‘Zebrinus’ and unlike the latter is neat and tidy. It has a rigidly upright growth habit and its dark green leaves are heavily banded with gold. It impressed visitors to our garden last summer and autumn.
This German selection carries large silver plumes over stiffly upright stems of dark green leaves banded with pale yellow. Perhaps the most strongly vertical of all the Miscanthus.
This new catmint is much neater than older varieties making a tidy mound of grey leaves topped for most of the late spring summer and autumn with lavender-blue flowers. It will grow 30cm tall by 40cm across. Trim spent flowers from time to time to extend the season.
One of the tallest of all catmints making a strong upright plant some 120cm tall by 100cm wide. It produces spikes of ethereal mauve blue flowers from spring until the autumn. A drought tolerant sun loving perennial.
We have grown this in our stock beds for ten years or more and it has consistently made a terrific display of autumn colour turning crimson, pink and lemon during April.
One of my favourite Penstemon with the loveliest blue-mauve white throated flowers beautifully poised on long pedicels. Flowering as it does from late spring until winter it has been a mainstay of our double borders for many years.
Deep violet-purple tubular flowers are carried on 90cm tall stems from late spring until late autumn. Glossy, dark green foliage adds to the affect. Plant in any sunny or lightly shaded spot. Removing spent flower stems will keep the display looking fresh.
Like all of these hybrid Penstemon this variety is very tough and drought tolerant. This clone is one of the tallest of its kind growing up to 120cm. The top third of this carries charming lilac pink, white-throated tubular flowers. 120cm x 90cm.
This Penstemon has bright reddish-purple flowers over glossy leaves, from spring until winter. It is an evergreen plant, needing only a winter tidy up, and a sunny spot. 70cm x 70cm.
This is one of the most famous of all the Penstemon. Vita Sackville-West had it growing at Sissinghurst for many years. It has soft green, amethyst and blue, narrowly tubular flowers. 70cm x 60cm.
Another superb white penstemon with all the virtues and showing just the most delicate blush of pink as the flower ripens. One of the best white flowering perennials for use in a border.
This beautiful little plant was collected near the Tizi-n-Test pass in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco about 2000 metres above sea level. It is tough, drought tolerant and long flowering. Flowering begins in early spring and goes on into the summer.
We have lined a broad brick path, which leads to a beautiful old garden seat, with ‘Mozart’ which is a fairly new variety. I think it is by far the best rosemary I have ever seen. The glossy dark green leaves, on upright stems, make a perfect foil for the deep blue flowers.
