OMPALOIDES
verna alba – Easy and good ground cover in part shade. Looks rather like a dwarf brunnera in leaf but then sprays of charming open white flowers appear and last for some time during early spring. 4in / 10cm
PENSTEMON
The range of penstemons is ever expanding and I try and stock a representative range, but I will always have those listed below as they are favourites and reliable. All like a well drained sunny position, do not cut the old growth down ‘til spring to protect the crown of the plant.
babartus coccinea - This has slender stems with long slender flowers, red and yellow, likes sun, 2ft.
- praecox – Altogether more compact than the above, with typical penstemon flowers in varying shades of pink, purple and blue and glaucus foliage. 18in / 45cm
digitalis ‘Huskers Red’ - Leaves and stems are flushed with beetroot red and the sprays of flowers are the most delicate shade of mauve tinged white, 3ft.
PERSICARIA
Even without the striking flowers, the bold mats of foliage would be a welcome addition to any border. The flowers, like miniature foxglove spikes, stand well above the leaves on strong tall stems. Tolerates drier soil than one would expect, but not drought conditions.
amplexicaulis alba – Greener leaves and pure white flower spikes into autumn. 4ft / 1.2m
- ‘Inverleith’ – Shorter than above with deep reddish pink flowers. 3ft / 1m
- rosea – Impressive flower spikes in a soft , pale pink. Really nice in part shade. 4ft / 1.2m
- 'Summer Dance' - I am absolutely determined to propagate this variety for sale this year! It is my favourite having deep salmon pink flowers over a long flowering season from July through into Oct/Nov. 3ft/1m.
filiformis virginiana – Big marked leaves all spring and summer followed by spires of bright red starry flowers on tall thin stems. Striking and easy. 3ft / 1m
PETROHAGIA - if the seed germinates we'll have it!
saxifraga - Forming a mat of fine trailing stems with fine leaves and delicate pink flowers throughout summer. It looks like it should be a gypsophlia but it is in fact a dianthus family member and as such would appreciate a nice sunny bank or wall to drape over, 6ins.
PHLOMIS
The leaves of these mediterranean sub-shrubs are wrinkled and coarse textured, frequently downy and well suited to the open sunny site in well-drained soil they prefer. The two-lipped flowers are borne in whorls around the stems.
longifolia - A super alternative to 'Jerusalem Sage', but much less thuggish. This is a shrub with long crinkly leaves, soft grey underneath, aand whorls of free-range eggy yellow flowers in summer. Not invasive or overpowering, must have sun and a well-drained soil but copes well with windy sites; I think it would really like being by the seaside! 3-4ft/1m +
russelliana - This has large dark grey/green leaves and sends up tall stems with tiers of deep yellow flowers. The decorative seed heads make a striking show well into winter, 3ft.
PHLOX
Border phlox paniculata in full flower is one of the glories of mid to late summer. The huge panicules of scented flowers come in every shade of red, blue and white and combinations of all these, to suit any colour scheme. Newer varieties are more mildew resistant and good garden soil is all that is necessary for sucess.
paniculata ‘Creme de Menthe’ - Deep green edged white variegated foliage and large heads of small pale lilac/pink flowers with a dark eye. Sounds a bit chintzy but isn’t, 2-3ft.
- 'Luc's Lilac' - Lots of small flowers in big corymbs on top of tall stems. The scent is gorgeous and the soft lilac blue colour never clashes. An oldy but still a goody! 3ft/90cm
- ‘Fujihama’ - Small but perfect pure white flowers sweetly scented, 3ft/90cm.
- 'Starfire' - I have a weakness for rich bright flowers and good dark foliage and this variety delivers both in spadefuls, with scent as well. Stems and leaves are dark green shot through with plummy purple which admirably set off the heads of large rich red flowers, each with a startling cerise pink eye - wow. 3ft/1m
POLEMONIUM
reptans - A tough, hardy, perennial 'Jacob's Ladder' with masses of violet-blue flowers on branching stems from May. Keep dead-heading to prolong the show. The evergreen foliage is tinged with plum when young and it makes a good clump without seeding too readily like its bigger, coarser relatives. 18ins/50cm
- ‘Stairway to Heaven’ - From May-July this is a sea of blue flowers but from early spring the interest is the charming purple/pink flushed cream edged foliage. This is robust and disease free and therefore very choice, 18ins/50cm.
'Northern Lights' - The same bushy habit as the above but with sky blue flowers and slightly smaller leaves. 18ins/50cm.
POTENTILLA
Useful, tough mat-forming perennials for a sunny site, tolerating quite poor soils.
argyrophylla – The silvery foliage would be enough to give this plant border space but the golden yellow flowers, each with a red eye, on branching stems make it a must. 2ft / 60cm
hopwoodiana - Give this the right site - open, possibly a bank, good drainage - and it will grow 3ft high and the same around, smothered in soft strawberry pink flowers for most of the summer. 3ft / 1m
nepalensis ‘Miss Wilmott’ - Dark green foliage and sprays of pink/red flowers with dark centres. The stems are flushed red too. An oldy, but a goody, 18ins.
- Ron McBeath - Smaller bright pink flowers with dark centres, looks wilder, 12ins.
recta ‘Warrenii’ - Nice fresh green foliage and long sprays of large lemon yellow flowers. Easy and prolific, 2ft.
thurberi ‘Monarch’s Velvet’ - Compact and upright, with branching stems of small, bright, deep raspberry flowers and a velvety red centre, 18ins.
PRIMULA
All the primulas listed below prefer a moist, retentive soil, but will tolerate good border soil, not growing as tall or as lush, providing it does not completely dry out in summer.
beesiana - Typical candelabra primulas, the whorls of flowers reaching 2ft from rosettes of soft green spoon-shaped leaves. Colours range from soft lilac to bright cerise pink.
‘Francisca’ – A fascinating find from Canada, with proper lime green flowers, freely produced in big sprays, for most of the year with me! Try it! 12in / 30cm
poissonii – Neat rosettes of shiny green leaves and then typical dark cerise primula flowers in whorls round the stem. Flowers well into summer and is not as moisture sensitive as other varieties.
viallii - This does not look like a primula, most people think it is an orchid! The pokers of red buds open from the bottom into startling liac/pink flowers. Subtle it isn’t, but strangely not garish either, 12ins.
PULMONARIA
Essential to any shady/woodland border and much more than just ground cover. The flowers now come in white, blue, pink, red, purple and several combinations as well, lasting from late winter until late spring. A quick trim soon brings fresh new foliage all with typical silver spotting or flashes to last through autumn.
‘Cotton Cool’ – A flat rosette of silver leaves and blue flowers that fade to pink. 15in / 40cm
‘Diana Clare’ - In the spring the handsome violet blue flowers, veined purple, are set off beautifully by the elegant long silver leaves. Later in the year these leaves are a wonderful silver accent in the garden, 12ins.
RANUNCULUS
Not all buttercups are invasive thugs to be ripped out of the border. Some enhance the scene and form neat clumps.
Acris floraplena – Tall, airy sprays of small buttercup yellow double button flowers, from late spring through into June. Clump forming 2ft / 60cm
RUDBECKIA
deamii – Soft green foliage and tall branching stems are topped by masses of fine petalled yellow daisies with black centres. 3ft / 1m
fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ - Big sprays of golden yellow daisies, black/brown cones, on strong stems, dark green foliage, 3ft/90cm.
speciosa - Big spreading rosettes of long slender leaves and branching stems of typical yellow daisies with dark centres. Very like deamii but smaller in all its parts and consequently shorter. Still good though! 2ft-ish/55cm
subtormentosa 'Henry Eilers' - This variety looks like deamii 'til it flowers and the extraordinary quilled petals appear. A native wild flower from the Idaho prairies, tough and hardy. As an added bonus, the leaves release a vanilla scent when touched; as I said, extraordinary. 3ft/1m.