The Agapanthus or Blue African Lily is one of the aristocrats of the late summer garden. Requiring only the minimum of care, the exotic combination of graceful foliage and stunning flowers is equally impressive in the border or large planter. This is a lovely plant to grow and they are very easy from seed.

The Agapanthus is one of the aristocrats of the late summer garden. 'Peter Pan Blue' is a fine dwarf hybrid with neat clumps of leaves and large clusters of light- blue flowerheads. The exotic combination of graceful foliage and stunning flowers is equally impressive in the border or container.

For most of the year Ajuga is a pleasant, quiet achiever, a very versatile low growing ground cover, with evergreen, rosette-like foliage that hugs the ground like an evergreen carpet but those weeks in spring when the blue flowers appear are simply quite magical.

Aquilegia alpina is a species-columbine that rivals the fanciest cultivars and has been grown in gardens for as long as the idea of gardening has existed. It is a clump-forming perennial with deep blue-green, downy foliage and vibrant violet blue nodding flowers in late spring and early summer.

The 'Star' series was bred to have “upward facing” flowers; it is similar to the Mckana varieties but in single colours. With violet-blue petals with a pure white corolla, this early summer cottage garden favourite produces striking, long spurred blooms year after year.

Aubretia at its bluest. It forms a low cushion of evergreen leaves, literally smothered by blue coloured flowers for several weeks. Perfect for a rock garden in sun or part shade, used as a ground cover, growing over rock walls or in alpine troughs and other containers.

Borage is one of the most reliable sources of blue flowers, often flowering lavishly for weeks after sowing. The beautiful blue star-shaped flowers are edible and very important for bees, providing pollen and nectar in prodigious amounts.

Campanula persicifolia is an old-fashioned cottage garden flower of great charm. From late spring to early summer the tall stems of wide-open blue bell flowers appear regularly. With tall, straight stems they are ideal for cutting.

The Cupid's Dart, 'Catananche caerulea', is a charming heirloom plant, used for centuries in 'love' potions. “Amor Blue” produces blooms of lavender-blue, star like flowers each with a dark eye and unique papery petals. The blooms rise on single stems above neat clumps of grey-green foliage.