This ever-popular annual is perhaps more versatile than you might imagine – good in the border, most effective as a cut flower in arrangements, a good pot-plant and, not often appreciated – if carefully dried, the colour of the spikes remains unchanged for a considerable time.

Amaranthus paniculatus 'Oeschberg' is a rather splendid ornamental addition to the garden: an erect annual, it bears showy red spikes of flowers that not only decorate the border but, fresh or dry, make exciting vase material as they keep their colour when dried.

Amaranthus tricolour ‘Early Splendour’ is grown for its beautiful foliage, the large bronzy-green leaves turn to rosy red leaves as the season progresses. Also known as ‘Summer Poinsettia’ due to the similarity of the bracts, this highly ornamental plant is easy to grow and fast to flower.

Aquilegia 'Double Rubies' is one of the really exceptional doubles forms, highly prized for its deep ruby red flowers and graceful upright habit. Stylish and elegant, they grow to around 80cm tall when in flower and will produce many stems. This superb Aquilegia makes an ideal cut flower.

The 'Star' series was bred to have “upward facing” flowers. With bright red sepals and creamy white centres, 'Red Star' has elegant long spurs and tidy mounds of fern like foliage. A superb and reliable Aquilegia variety that makes an ideal cut flower and herbaceous border feature.

'Hadspen Blood' is a beautiful variety is probably the deepest, darkest, blood-red form of this plant. Sultry, dark red button flowers, surrounded by a ruff of near-black bracts are produced from June to August above deeply lobed, dark green leaves with almost imperceptible black margins.

Astrantia major “Primadonna” is a splendid and most attractive cultivated variety forming bushy plants, good for ground cover, and bearing long, loosely-branched stems of very lovely flowers in various shades of wine to deep red. The papery bracts remain presentable for months, rustling in every breeze.

Bellis Perennis are real 'grow anywhere' flowers. The Pomonette Red will provide lovely bright red flowers on small (15cm) plants in beds, borders, windowboxes and even in shady areas.

Centaurea are a favorite annual flower and cottage garden staple. Very easy to grow, a single cornflower looks like a burst of fireworks. Red Ball is a very fine, old variety, the rosy carmine-red flowers with ruffled petals and dark centres appear from early to late summer.

Coleus Wizard Series is an excellent example of new developments in breeding and the best seed raised strain for bedding and containers. “Wizard Mosaic” is the most recent introduction to the series, it features green foliage with splashes of burgundy red and cream.

“Wizard Scarlet” is of the most popular colourways from the series, it features rich bronze-red, heart-shaped leaves, each with delicate pale green serrated edges. Excellent in full sun, they work well alone making distinctive container plants and combine well with the warmer colours in the border.

The Wizard Series is the ultimate seed raised coleus. “Wizard Velvet Red” is of the most popular colourways giving plants with rich deep velvet red leaves, its compact size and neatly serrated edges is a distinctive work of art.

“Royal Ensign” Red is a dwarf form of Morning Glory with lovely carmine red blooms. The mounding habit makes it perfect massed in large beds, the trailing growth also looks great in large containers and window boxes. A prolific bloomer which will flower from early summer and right through autumn.