In spring, the tiny white, vanilla-scented flowers of Sweet Woodruff hover above whorls of star-like leaves. Valuable as an under-planting, the plants add texture and spark to a deeply shaded part of the garden.
Salvia verticillata 'Purple Fairy Tale' is a spectacular first year flowering perennial. The irresistible deep purple petals gather like raindrops in tiered pools to form whorled flowers.
Daucus carota 'Purple Kisses' is a large flowered chocolate coloured Queen Anne’s Lace, with delicate, lacy, flat-topped clusters that bloom for most of the summer from just one planting, they pair well with almost anything in the garden or the vase.
Malabar Spinach is valued for the brilliant fuchsia-purplish colour of its leaf stems and veins as well as its mild flavour. Juicy and crisp, the flavours of citrus and pepper accompany the succulent leaves.
A hardier, more robust variety, Gaura lindheimeri 'Summer Breeze' produces open, willowy, vase-shaped plants, with long graceful stems that suspend numerous little, dainty, butterfly shaped flowers at their tips.
Spectacularly draped with long, velour-like cerise tassels. Persicaria ‘Cerise Pearls’ is a modern-day, low growing variety. Tall enough to give the same airy effect, yet so much easier to place in the garden.
Gardeners are often looking for good solid perennials that will have attractive flowers, be easy to take care of, grow nicely but not take over the garden. One group of plants that should be considered is the Veronicas.
The 'Gourmet Salad Mix' is a blend of the very best tasting and most beautiful lettuces, each variety has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit. They can be grown all year round for a continuous supply.
Sometimes referred to as Perilla 'Britton' and called ‘Hojiso’ in Japan, this less typical form has beautiful bi-coloured leaves. The serrated, red-veined leaves are green on top and deep purple-red underneath.
Spinach ‘F1 Banjo’ is one of a series of modern varieties named after instruments. With greater resistance from going to seed and to disease, they are suitable for spring, summer and autumn production.
Thalictrum delavayi is invaluable for providing height without density in the border. The pure white form ‘Album’ is exquisite. Open sprays of pure white flowers create a delicate snowy haze that wafts above other late summer perennials.
'Black Magic' is an improved Italian Black Kale, more cold tolerant, vigorous and slower-to-bolt than other Italian kales. They form an easy-to-harvest rosette of very dark, savoyed leaves with a flavour that is rich and mild.
