Hardy Perennials

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.

Centranthus 'Snow Cloud’ produces airy clusters of white flowers that appear from July to October on tall, fleshy stems with glaucous leaves. Very long flowering, sweetly-perfumed and easy-to-grow from seed, given an early sowing Centranthus will flower from July right through to October.

Centranthus ruber is a Cottage garden favourite that’s made it into the style books. Sweetly-perfumed, dense clusters of reddish-pink flowers appear from July to October. They are ideal for attracting bees and butterflies and other pollinating insects into the garden and lovely when used as a cut flower.

Cephalaria gigantea is a gentle giant that has an informal look that is perfect for looser planting styles. With pretty pale butter-yellow scabious shaped flowers, use it as you would Verbena bonariensis planted at the back of a mixed or herbaceous border. The stems are tall but airy and 'see-through'.

'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 for gardeners the tea is effective as a spray to prevent 'damping-off' of seedlings

Actaea cordifolia comes into its own late in the season, when multiple stiff and stout stems emerge from the base of the plant. It displays impressive long racemes of chalky-white blooms that are composed of numerous, tiny individual star-like, fragrant flowers.

Actaea simplex 'Atropurpurea' is an exceptionally beautiful selection, valued for its large Astilbe-like leaves of purple black. Its dark hue makes a wonderful backdrop for colourful foliage and flowering shade plants. In late summer, long, fluffy spires in pale pinkish-white, rise above the dark foliage.

Cordyline Atropurpureum make a strong vertical shapes, the deep purple colouring contrasts well with silver foliage and can be an excellent foil for the lush foliage of other exotica. They look equally at home in more conventional and hardy ornamental borders.

The 'Cornish Palms' make fantastic points in containers or borders: their evergreen leaves provide interest throughout the year. The long slender leaves and a slow-growing trunk make this an architectural plant that lends itself to modern interiors.

Delphinium 'Magic Fountains Cherry Blossom' is an elegant delphinium with densely packed flower spires of large, semi-double blooms. In a gorgeous vintage shade of dusky, cherry-blossom pink, each bloom has a white centre known as the 'bee'. The sturdy spikes are very attractive to bees and make a wonderful cut flower.

The Fountains series is a vigorous-growing strain that if sown early will flower in the current year. Delphinium 'Magic Fountains Dark Blue' has densely packed spires of dark blue flowers each with a dark bee. It is ideal for borders and can be grown as a container plant.

The Magic Fountains series is a delightful delphinium that grows 75 to 90cm tall. The plants have a good compact habit and because of their short stature and healthy thick stems, does not require staking. 'Magic Fountains Lavender' is a a gorgeous lavender, each bloom has a white centre, called the 'bee'.

The Fountains series is a vigorous-growing strain that is more heat tolerant and less fussy than most other varieties and if sown early will flower in the current year. Delphinium 'Magic Fountains Lilac Pink' is an elegant delphinium with densely packed flower spires, each bloom has a white bee.

Delphinium 'Pure White Fountains' is an elegant delphinium with densely packed flower spires of pure white blooms. The Fountains series is a vigorous-growing strain that if sown early will flower in the current year. The sturdy flower spikes are very attractive to bees and make a wonderful cut flower.

Belladonna 'Bellamosum Dark Blue' has beautiful single dark violet-blue flowers. Very popular with florists, they are suitable for greenhouse, field or garden cut flower production. When the blooms are over, cut back the plants and they will re-bloom until frosts.

Belladonnas are informal delphiniums that are good for the border as well as useful for flower arranging.'Casablanca' has beautiful single snow-white flowers on strong stems. These good natured delphiniums have good mildew resistance and are very hardy, able to withstand temperatures down to minus 30°C.

No other blue quite measures up to the almost iridescent hues of Delphinium “Cliveden Beauty”. The multi-branching plants grow to just 75 to 90cm tall so are suitable for most gardens and do not need staking in most situations. The many individual blooms are clear light blue, each with a white centre.

Astolat is a rare and unusual delphinium colour; it blooms with spires of soft blush to deep rose-pink flowers, each with a dark central ‘bee’. It is a stunning delphinium that looks gorgeous planted in bold clumps for a dramatic statement.

Delphinium 'Black Knight' produces gorgeous spires that are laden with intensely coloured deep purple flowers. These dark-eyed delphiniums are stunning when planted in bold clumps in the garden and are one of the most spectacular cut flowers you can grow.

Delphinium 'Cameliard' blooms feature spires of Lavender blue flowers each with white bees. They will bloom the first year from an early sowing. Bring a touch of nostalgia back to the garden - They are excellent for cutting, ideal as feature plants and are worth almost any effort to grow because they are so beautiful.

In the Arthurian legends Sir Galahad is renowned for his gallantry and purity, he is perhaps the knightly embodiment of pure virtue. In the garden, Delphinium 'Galahad' is a subtle and beautiful delphinium with spires of elegant white blooms.