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.

Arenaria montana is a classic little alpine or rock garden plant, still relatively unknown to many gardeners. The plant forms prostrate mats of evergreen foliage, blanketed by large white flowers. They are at their loveliest spilling over walls and will quickly fill in the spaces between stepping stones.

Armeria Maritima “Alba” is a beautiful white cultivar. One of the easiest grown perennials and a valuable rockery plant, and one that should always be included if choice is restricted. This compact, evergreen perennial grows in low clumps and sends up long stems from which globes of pure white blooms.

Easy to grow, undemanding and very long lived, it is no wonder that our little Thrift has been cultivated worldwide as a garden flower. Armeria maritima “Splendens” is a beautiful dark pink cultivar. With clumps of dark green, evergreen foliage it requires little water and very little maintenance.

Evergreen, undemanding and very long lived, it is no wonder that our little Thrift has been distributed worldwide as a garden flower. With clumps of dark green foliage, and perfect for gravel and rock gardens, it can take light foot traffic and makes a decorative edge along garden paths or down garden steps.

'Snow in Summer' lives up to its name in late spring when the foliage is smothered in luminous white flowers. Beautiful used as a path edging, in a stone wall or cascading over containers. Try it amongst your spring bulbs - tall lily flowering tulips above a dense carpet of white Cerastium… Breathtaking!

Camomile is a most useful plant. It can be used to make beautiful lawns and raised beds, an infusion of the plant is an ideal family remedy, calming and sedative, perfect for restlessness or travel sickness, while cold camomile tea is effective as a spray to prevent “damping-off” of seedlings

Herniaria glabra is a relatively unknown perennial that deserves to be used more often in our gardens. The nursery industry calls it ‘Green Carpet’ and well they should. This lovely bright green creeper spreads effortlessly in all directions. An excellent choice for between flagstones or as a lawn substitute.

Compared to the traditional candytuft, this beefy species offers a decadent flower display. In mid spring, the whole plant disappears under an abundance of flat, light violet to pinkish white blossoms, creating a lasting mound of colour. Iberis gibraltarica is a lovely plant for rock gardens and well-drained borders.

The more I see of this rather attractive little plant, the more I grow to appreciate it. Now I seem to spot it all over the place, in meadows, woodland, road verges and gardens. The bright yellow fragrant flowers can be seen in blossom from the end of April through until mid September.