Who can resist a plant with a last name like this? Peacockii is an extraordinary Echeveria, seldom if ever, offered for sale and quite distinct from all other species. Forming rosettes of iridescent glaucous-blue leaves that can become tipped in red. In summer they bloom with spectacular clusters of flowers.

Echinacea is a perennial herb that grows up to a metre in height, the purple flower is in the form of a high cone. Echinacea is valued as a short-term stimulant to the immune system. Until the late 1930s, Echinacea angustifolia was the only species used in medical practice,

Echinacea pallida is one of the more rare members of the Echinacea family. They have much longer, ray flowers than those of the more familiar purple coneflower, the plants bloom earlier and continue to bloom sporadically through the autumn months.

Echinacea paradoxa is a true paradox – a rare and highly unusual yellow variety of the much loved “Purple Coneflower”. With large, yellow ray flowers and the classical raised cone, the blooms are slightly fragrant and make excellent cut flowers. Echinacea paradoxa is a beautiful, elegant and easy plant to grow.

Echinacea purpurea is one of the most versatile perennials for the garden. Flowering from early July right through to September, it is sturdy and self-supporting, hardy and easy to grow, undemanding and suitable for both the formal border and the meadow look.

Every garden needs a number of bomb-proof plants that flower over an extended period, need little attention, are attractive to bees and butterflies, are suitable for cutting and drying, and blend happily with almost anything. Echinacea 'White Swan' is a particularly striking dancer in the garden ballet.

This tall skyscraper of a plant is surely something that we could only believe could come from a boldly imaginative architect such as Norman Foster....but no, the hybrid Echium 'Pink Fountain' was bred in Devon. The result is a gorgeous 38cm (15in) wide, tapering tower of delicate pink flowers.

Echium pininana is undeniably an eye stopper, a magnificent inflorescence with dense panicles of deep blue flowers borne above branches of dusty linear leaves. The rosettes of large leaves are attractive even as a non-flowering plant and the flower spire can reach over 4m when grown in mild areas.

Originating from Guernsey, Echium pininana alba, also known as Echium 'Snow Tower' is a rare white form of the Tree Echium. A hardy biennial that grows a large rosette of silver-grey leaves in the first year, and a tall white flower spike up to 15ft high in the second year.

For anyone who wants something different for the border next year, I should like to introduce Echium russicum. A remarkable hardy species that has a unique flower colour for its genus. In July to August multiple throngs of striking upright spires, bearing crimson flowers emerge from a basal rosette of hairy leaves.

Echium vulgare is a valuable native plant and is exotic enough to earn a place in a flower border. The plant is much loved by almost all bee species. If you don’t want plants that honeybees simply visit, but want to select plants that honeybees clearly love, choose Echium for your garden.