Beds & Borders

“Imagination’ is a verbena cultivar that is noted for its profuse bloom of violet-blue flowers, its spreading-trailing stems and its deeply cut foliage. A heat and drought tolerant plant, easily grown it performs well in hanging baskets and containers in full sun.

Veronica longifolia prefers a position in sun or part shade in moist well-drained soil. The sophisticated blue spires bloom in midsummer and last for several months. They make a strong vertical statement and are an excellent contrast to more traditional flowers shapes when positioned at the front of the border.

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. They provide some of the clearest, truest blues in the perennial border.

To garden with an Oudolf-esque plant like Veronicastrum, it is not necessary to turn your outdoor space into a prairie: you are allowed to keep your flower beds. Naturalistic planting travels well, and Veronicastrum holds its own in a formal border as well as in the middle of a lawn which has turned into a meadow.

Viola 'Sorbet F1 Honeybee' is a real heartbreaker in a six-petal suit. They bloom with rich mahogany and warm golden yellow petals - rather like sunlit honey. Near the centre there's a soft black whisker pattern. Perfect for use in beds or containers and for attracting pollinators to the garden.

A delicate lavender kissed with rosy pink undertones, the top petals of Viola 'Sorbet F1 Lavender Pink' lean a little more to lavender, the lower ones more pink, giving it a subtle watercolor fade. Refined, elegant and easy on the eye, they flower abundantly and are ideally suited for both spring and autumn use.

Well-regarded in horticultural circles, Viola Sorbet XP Neptune F1 is a premium cultivar, for its consistent performance across a wide range of climates and seasons. 'Neptune', displays striking blooms characterised by a soothing blend of soft blue and cream petals, often with a delicate yellow center and a faint blue picotee edge.

Early-blooming and reliable, Viola Sorbet remains compact in both heat and cold, making it a standout performer in spring and autumn. One of the most striking colour combinations of the series, 'Orchid Rose Beacon' has a rose and purple-pink face, dark whiskers and a golden eye. Absolutely gorgeous, it can be slipped into almost any gaps where you need a little brightness.

The Sorbet series is the premier series of Violas. Bred to have more blooms and less stretching, it is a standout performer in both spring and autumn. Sorbet F1 ‘Pink Halo’ have petals that are a crisp white. At the centre there's a raspberry-pink halo that fades outward and dark whiskers that radiate from the centre.

Sorbet 'F1 Raspberry' has tricolour patterns with cap, face, whiskers and eye colours, with luscious deep raspberry red upper and lower petals with dark whiskers and a golden eye. It is a stunning new colour pattern, with a bright face that seems to be basking in the spring or autumn sunshine

Xeranthemum 'Lumina' is a hardy annual and one of the prettiest of all the everlasting flowers. The attractive double crested paper-like blooms stand gracefully aloft strong stems, they are simply charming in borders with an abundance of dainty blossoms in white, lilac, rose-purple and violet.

With papery, double-crested blooms that stand gracefully on wiry, branching stems Xeranthemum ‘Superbissimum Purpureum’ has been bred for its uniform deep rich purple, double-crested blooms that have a metallic silvery sheen that shimmers in sunlight and remain open even in dull weather.

Popular wonderful flowers, reminiscent of Dahlias on tall robust plants, Zinnia elegans 'Dream' are extremely easy to grow from seed. They provide lavender to rose blooms from mid-summer to autumn and with thick straight stems that are less likely to bend when being cut. They are perfect for cut flowers.

Popular wonderful flowers, reminiscent of Dahlias on tall robust plants, Zinnia elegans 'Exquisite' bloom from mid-summer to autumn, they open carmine red and age to a delicate soft pink tone. With thick straight stems that are less likely to bend when being cut, they are perfect for cut flowers.

Reminiscent of Dahlias on tall robust plants, Zinnia elegans 'Miss Willmott' is named for the Edwardian plantswoman and gardener Miss Ellen Willmott. Soft salmon to lavender pink blooms from mid-summer to autumn and with thick straight stems perfect for cutting. Bees and butterflies will be attracted to them too.

In Zinnias, 'Dahlia-flowered' means multi-petaled, piled up, dome-shaped blooms that really do resemble dahlias. 'Dahlia-Flowered Salmon' feature gorgeous, large 8 to 10cm (3 to 4in) salmon-pink blooms. Extremely easy to grow from seed, they provide colour from mid-summer to autumn.

So named for their unique spiky appearance, Cactus Flowered Zinnias have semi double, large blooms each with re-curved, quilled and twisted petals, they bloom in a wide range of colours. Growing 75cm tall, with thick straight stems, they are perfect for a bouquet or for the vase.

A slightly eccentric variety of Giant Cactus Zinnia, 'Señorita' produces wonderful large, peach, cherry and salmon-pink blooms each with ruffled, ribbon-like petals. These reliable plants produce a bumper crop and the more you harvest, the more they bloom, providing colour from mid-summer to autumn.

Years of breeding have brought striking new colours, shapes, sizes, and growing habits to the humble zinnia. Zinnia elegans produces large golden yellow blooms, atop thick straight stems that are less likely to bend when cut. They make wonderful cut flowers and have a long vase life.

Zinnia are back in fashion with a vengeance. They are extremely easy to grow from seed and provide colour from mid-summer to autumn. They are the perfect flower for beginners and are a favourite flower of gardeners and florists around the world. 'Illumination' feature large 10 to 12cm (4 to 5in) pink blooms.

Zinnia elegans 'Isabellina' is a beautiful soft cream-yellow zinnia, this heirloom zinnia originally introduced in 1955. Recently re-introduced, this densely-petaled variety makes a long lasting cut flower. An elegant addition to borders of pastel-hued flowers, or for the white garden. Extremely easy to grow from seed.