SALVIA
Sun-loving salvias flower all summer, thriving on being cut back to produce new growth and more flowers. Aromatic foliage is a bonus.
caerulea - Big, dark green crinkled leaves and long spikes of sky blue flowers in persistent mauve bracts. 18ins.
guaranitica ‘Blue Enigma’ - The bright royal blue flowers appear from dark bracts, in long sprays. It is tall and striking with large green leaves and even when cut to the ground by a harsh winter, shoots from below ground. Good drainage and a sheltered spot, do not cut down before spring, 3-4ft.
- ‘Purple Majesty’ - As above but the dark bracts set off deep velvety regal purple flowers. Flowers really late, still flowering outside in November with me but not as hardy as Blue Enigma, 3-4ft.
macrophylla ‘San Carlos Festival’ - Quite shrubby and spreading with small, grey-green, wrinkled leaves and bright raspberry pink flat faced flowers into autumn, 2-3ft.
nemerosa ‘Amethyst’ - Deep green, wrinkled leaves and typical spires of lilac-pink flowers with darker bracts. Repeat flowers well into autumn, 2ft..
SANGUISORBA
canadensis - Even id the leaves weren't good, [which they most certainly are] the spectacular stems of white fluffy flowers would make this a must have back-of-boeder plant. Do not be scared of the height, the stems are very light and airy/see through. Good in leaf, bud, flower and seedhead! 6ft/2m
obtusa - A giant salad burnet with great attitude! The large, lush, pinnate leaves are wonderfully glaucus and the branching flower stems have the most unusual flowers - 2ins long sausages which develop fluffy stamens in shades of pink, like slightly droopy bottlebrushes. Full sun and good border soil, 2-3ft.
officinalis ‘Pink Tanna’ - Whilst the flowers are smaller and rounder there are more of them on long wiry branching stems. Usually red , these are a charming shade of pink, lovely. Typical pinnate foliage with very toothed leaves, 2ft.
SCABIOUS
drakenbergensis - A South African perennial with big soft leaves and masses of creamy white scabious flowers on strong branching stems. Flowers for ages and always draws comment but will not like cold heavy soils, or completely drying out - awkward madam! 2-3ft.
lucida - The new, spring leaves are rounded and then later growth is very cut and lacy, which sets of the branching stems of pale violet-blue flowers a treat. An uncommon, native wildflower that can more than hold its own in the border, 18ins. / 50cm
ochroleuca – Very airy and simple, soft creamy white scabious flowers dance from wiry, branching stems. Flowers from late spring until the frost sets in, seeds about. 2ft / 60cm.
SEDUM
Sedums are much undervalued for their usefulness in the garden. From the moment the first leaves unfurl from fat fleshy buds to the decorative skeleton seed heads silvered with frost they look good. New varieties offer different heights and both leaf and flower colour - complimentary or contrasting - so please try them, you won’t be disappointed.
‘Bertram Anderson’ - Very decorative dark plum-purple leaves, on a prostrate plant. The flowers open to dark rich red, 12ins.
hybrid ‘Morchen’ - Dark maroon/purple leaves, quite tall and upright with very dark maroon red flowers, dramatic, 18ins.
telephium ‘Hab Gray’ - A compact plant with pale pinky-grey leaves and pink buds opening to cream flowers, 12ins.
'Purple Emperor' - Considered one of the best dark leaved sedums, semi trailing with really large dramatic red/purple leaves and pinky-red flowers. Responds really well to the 'Chelsea Chop'! 18ins/50cm.
‘Vera Jameson’ – Very like ‘Bertram Anderson’ in habit and colouring, but the leaves have a glaucus grey glaze on them. The flowers open to dark raspberry red, 12ins.
SIDALCEA
If you like the idea of hollyhocks and malvas but not the height or the rust, grow sidalceas. The big leafy clumps produced spire after spire of open malva-like single flowers over a long period in summer and in many shades of red and pink.
Candida – Tall spires of open white flowers, repeats well if dead-headed. 3-4ft / 1m+
‘Loveliness’ – Ruffled shell pink flowers on tall branching stems. 3-4ft / 1m+
‘William Smith’ – Dark raspberry pink flowers, big branching clumps. 3-4ft / 1m+
SISYRINCHUM
Very easy perennials for warm, well drained spots in full sun. Some are very short, some are quite tall, all need to be divided every other year to maintain vigour.
bermudianum alba - This little gem will seed itself gently about and your friends will all be more than happy to take some home with them. Typical grassy leaves and repeating flushes of yellow centred white starry flowers from May, 12ins.
‘Biscuitella’ - A strange mixture of lavender buff and pink in the quite large flowers. Makes a good clump, split to increase as it does not seed much, if at all, 12-18ins.
‘Devon Skies’ - Very compact plant with huge bright sky-blue flowers, 6ins.
‘Marion’ - As above in size and habit but the leaves are broader and the blue flowers much darker and veined, 6ins.
palmifolium – So different, so special. Tall stems topped with fanned sprays of large starry, bright yellow flowers for most of the summer. Makes substancial clumps
SMILACINA
racemosa - When first emerging in spring, the leaves of this lovely shade-loving perennial look very like its close relative, solomon’s seal. The dense heads of tiny white flowers look like meadow sweet, but have an intense lily of the valley scent and are followed by red berries, 3ft.
stellata - More delicate than racemosa, with larger, more spaced racemes of starry white flowers in early summer, 3ft.
SOLIDAGO
Golden Rod had gone out of favour but recently introduced cultivars have improved a valuable autumn flowering perennial. Removing the spent flowers avoids unwanted seeding around.
caesia - Long slender sprays of golden yellow flowers sets off the glaucus foliage, 2ft.
STACHYS
macrantha rosea - Good dark green crinkly leaves, topped by long heads of pale rose-pink flowers, 2ft.
STOKESIA
These easy and reliable perennials all have fresh green leaves and large aster-like flowers on strong stems. Very useful as a front of border plant and flowering over a long season in summer, they prefer a sunny site, not too dry but will tolerate part shade.
laevis – Mid blue flowers 18in / 45cm
- ‘Alba’ - Large white flowers with feathery edges to the petals, stunning 18ins.