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 caudatus viridis is the green form of the popular drooping amaranthus. The lime green flowers, which slowly fade to cream as they age, form dramatic tassel-like panicles which can grow to 60cm long and seem to drip from the branches in profusion throughout summer and early autumn.

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.

Designing a garden with the focus on flowers is missing half the fun, this fiery colourful foliage will add dimension to any planting scheme. ‘Illumination’ is a stunning tricolour variety of Amaranthus, with upper leaves that are a spectacular scarlet and golden orange set atop olive green foliage.

Fabulous foliage adorns this easy and fast growing annual. Also known as Joseph's Coat, this highly ornamental plant adds an explosion of colour to the garden in bright, stable tricolour blends of red, yellow and green. It is utterly breathtaking in mass plantings and very useful as a temporary shrub.

‘Mariska’ is a little known but hardy and compact variety of Dill. With starry bright yellow flower heads, abundant foliage and growing to only 60cm, this well behaved smaller dill is an excellent variety for use as a cut flower filler and is a great variety for the kitchen garden, windowsill or container.

The Magic Carpet Snapdragon is a dwarf, low-growing plant that has a trailing habit that makes it excellent for containers or in window boxes. They are rust resistant and reliable, the blossom-laden flower heads bloom in spring to early summer in a range of exquisite colours.

Arctotis was born to play a starring role, they are among the most brilliant of all flowers. “Harlequin” is a beautiful strain with large, brilliantly coloured flowers with many different combinations, some with contrasting tones and all with a luminescent sheen. You'd be hard-pushed to find better performing plants.

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.

This white flowered form of borage is not often written about. My first introduction was at the celebrated 'white' garden at Sissinghurst in England. The flowers are edible, garden visitors can be converted to herbal advocates simply by offering a taste of its white flower.

Brachycome is a care-free annual that forms clouds of soft colour. It is one of the most profuse and long-flowering annuals. Cheerful little pinwheels and are held above pale green, feathery foliage. It flowers so heavily that the foliage is often obscured.