For such a handsome plant, this native biennial is much less well known than it should be. The ‘Lesser’ or ‘Small’ Teasel is a cousin of our common teasel. Blooming July to September, the flowers are white with violet anthers The plant is altogether much daintier and the tips of the bristles end in soft hairs.

Nigella “Persian Jewels” bears delicate, old-fashioned flowers of red, rose pink, blue, deep violet-blue and white open a pale colour but mature to their intense, pure shades, each backed by a wispy, bright green ruff. Viewed from afar the flowers look as though they really are floating in a mist.

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.

Salvia Victoria White is a companion to the more well known Victoria Blue. Flowering in less than four months from seed, it produces its white flowers from summer to autumn. Like all Salvia, it brings butterflies into the garden by the dozen, and makes a wonderful cut or dried flower.

A particularly attractive species from the Pyrenees with leaves divided into a shape reminiscent of a Jack Frost pattern on a frozen window, beautifully marked with broad white stripes on the veins, and dense, round, steel blue/grey flower heads.

Native to the Plain States from Canada down to Mexico, the Mexican Hat’s flowers resemble sombreros. This visually striking flower has distinctive, black cone-heads that protrude above drooping petals, they are flanked by fiery, red petals edged in yellow.

Native to the meadows and woods of the mountains of Europe, Centaurea montana flowers from late spring with large flowers that are fringed in an intense violet-blue with deep purple centres and most attractive, very deeply cut petals. Easy to grow, it is an excellent garden plant as well as cut flower.

One of Mother Nature's strangest plant creations, Gourds have been valued for their utilitarian and ornamental value for thousands of years. Small gourds make wonderful decorations and are perfect for Christmas tree decorations and for inclusion in wreaths. They can be dried and preserved indefinitely.

Developed for cutting by James House “Issac House Hybrids” are well stemmed with large flat flower heads. They bloom in a lovely mix of blue, white and lavender and will flower the first year if started early. Their delicate presence is valued for the contribution they make in the garden as well as the vase.

Lavandula angustifolia 'Rosea' is a pretty, dwarf, pale pink lavender that is easy to grow and produces plenty of flowers mid spring to summer. It hedges well and makes attractive borders. It is a wonderful alternative to lilac / purples of the usual lavender but is just as perfumed.

This unusual pink form of pampas grass with tall, pink-flushed, feathery plumes is a real show stopper. In midsummer spectacular plumes erupt above the foliage. The show continues into winter as the feathery plumes persist and the foliage turns golden brown when touched by frost.