Half Hardy Annuals

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 'Hot Biscuits' is a rather splendid ornamental addition to the garden and the vase. This gorgeous and graceful amaranth feature bold spikes of coppery-bronze branching plumes. They make an excellent cut flower and make exciting vase material that hold their colour longer than other amaranths.

Amaranthus tricolour is grown for its beautiful foliage. 'Summer Poinsettia Mix' is a colourful mix of tropical splendors. Juicy colour combinations: deep green leaves topped with creamy chartreuse, vivid yellow, purple with red, and a tricolor mix of red, green and gold.

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.

The herb borage is a well known annual. Not so well known is the equally beautiful form 'alba' which boast pure white, perfectly star-shaped flowers. Each flower is centred by five black stamens which heighten the drama. The flowers are edible, garden visitors can be converted to herbal advocates simply by offering a taste of its white flower.

The herb borage is a well known annual with beautiful blue flowers. Not so well known and not often written about is the equally beautiful form 'alba' which boast pure white, perfectly star-shaped flowers. This mixed pack of seeds gives both blue and white forms.

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.

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.

This wonderfully intriguing annual makes a great companion plant for showier flowers in the garden or the vase, the blooms of chartreuse green bring out the colours of other flowers, especially bright ones. Easily grown from seed, it is a particularly unique dried or cut flower.

Callistephus chinensis ‘Benary’s Princess' is a professional quality series developed especially for use as a cut flower. 'Princess Salmon’ blooms with glorious pink-orange blooms that open up to 8cm in diameter and the sturdy stems reach around 90cm tall. From sowing to flowering takes just 90 days.

Callistephus 'King Size Appleblossom’ produces pale pink to purple-pink blooms which fade to cream at the centre. Sow at any time from January to July for flowering April through to October, sowing to flowering takes just 90 days. Plant successively over several weeks to stretch out your flowering season.

Callistephus chinensis 'King Size Apricot' is an unusual light soft peach-apricot Aster with large, fully double flowers with slightly curved petals up to 8cm (3in) in diameter and sturdy stems to 100cm tall. Showy without being garish they are perfect for today’s specialty florists, cut-flower farms and farmers markets.

Callistephus chinensis can be relied upon to produce vivid and enticing displays of abundant, fully double, large blooms throughout the summer. 'King Size Pink' produces large, fully double flowers with softly curved petals of the creamiest pink. Sow at any time from January to July for flowering April through to October.

Callistephus ‘King Size’ is a professional quality series developed especially for use as a cut flower. The large fully double White Aster is a must as a wedding flower or just to look great in the border. They can be relied upon to produce vivid and enticing displays of abundant, fully double, large blooms throughout the summer.

Developed specifically for the cut flower market, Callistephus 'Matsumoto Apricot' will be a very fashionable addition to any garden or vase. Easy to grow, from sowing to flowering takes just 90 days, producing tall, sturdy stems with large heads of beautifully soft, semi-double Apricot blooms.

Developed specifically for the cut flower market, Callistephus 'Matsumoto Scarlet' is a premium variety that can be sown at anytime from January to July for flowering April through to October. Producing tall, sturdy stems with large heads of beautifully soft, semi-double flowers, it is an excellent choice for the cutting garden.

Blooming from late summer to well into autumn, Asters are invaluable for beds and borders, are easy and fast to grow and make an excellent cut flowers. Callistephus chinensis 'Ostrich Feather' produces large voluptuous blooms with re-curved petals in rich boudoir colours.

Callistephus chinensis 'Nova Unicum' is a form that is also known as a Needle or Spider Aster for its unique spider-like flowers. Unicum, meaning 'Unique' produces the largest flower size in this class. Extra large, double quilled blooms in a multitude of firework colours.

Callistephus chinensis 'Tiger Paw Pavlova' Mix has to be a contender for the title of 'The Most Elegant Aster' in the garden or in the vase. It boasts huge blooms with brightly-coloured, fine petals, each arranged in a swirling pattern. These large-flowered Asters with their unusual form, make a spectacular bouquet all by themselves.

This beautiful highly versatile, aristocratic border plant has become very much in vogue in recent years. Oval, fleshy blue-green leaves spiral up the stem with tightly packed, sea blue bracts - and then the finale - small clusters of rich purple-blue tubular, nodding flowers which are adored by bees.

Cleome provide long lasting, big beautiful swathes of colour that makes a dramatic statement in any garden. 'Cherry Queen' series produce open, airy, cherry-red blooms on large flower heads that can measure 20cm in diameter. The have a strong scent and will bloom throughout the summer until first frosts.