Important For Bees

Anthriscus sylvestris is most characteristic of hedgerows, road verges and woodland edges. Our native Cow Parsley has a sophisticated form, with delicate, open, white lacy umbels, that from mid-spring to early summer look as though they're erupting from a well shaken champagne bottle!

In addition to having one of the most unusual names, Antirrhinum braun-blanquetii, is also one of the few hardy perennial species of snapdragon. Named for Josias Braun-Blanquet an influential 20th century Swiss botanist it bloom the first year from seed producing numerous spikes from which delicate yellow, large snapdragon blooms appear.

Antirrhinum majus ‘Appleblossom’ offers soft, pastel-toned blooms in peach, apricot and soft pink that are beautifully blended so that each ruffled flower looks as though it has been delicately hand painted. The densely packed spikes bloom in succession from early summer right through to mid-autumn.

Antirrhinum majus are one of the most reliable flowers for the garden. Superb for contrast and for giving height to the border, 'Canary Bird' has excellent vigour, the densely packed spikes bloom in succession, providing months of deep yellow flowers on strong stems that are great for cutting.

Antirrhinum majus 'Kimosy' is a lovely dwarf variety of Snapdragon with a tidy, compact habit. An all-around excellent garden performer, the plants perform well in containers, in beds or in borders. In a wide range of colours they flower from early summer right through to mid-autumn.

Antirrhinum majus 'Ruby' produces densely packed spikes that bloom in succession with voluptuous, ruby red flowers. Superb for contrast and for giving height to the border they also make an excellent cut flower. After they are done blooming, trim the plants back, and they will quickly be blooming again.

Worldwide, Antirrhinum is one of the most important 'summer cut-flowers', grown year-round in greenhouses they are adored by florists and gardeners alike. An all-around excellent garden performer, 'Snowflake' produces densely packed spikes that bloom in succession with pure white flowers.

Antirrhinum majus ‘Tetra Mix’ produce tall, stately plants with ruffled blooms in a rich variety of colours. The robust plants grow to around 90cm tall. Superb for contrast and for giving height to the border, they are grown year-round by florists as a cut flower and are an all-around excellent garden performer.

Arabis is a very popular and useful plant and one of the best for the rockery. It is related to Aubrieta and is used in a similar fashion. 'Grandiflora Rosea' is a pink flowered cultivar that makes a good groundcover, it can be used in borders and is excellent for trailing over the edges of containers, over stones or down walls.

This pretty little wildflower is a slow growing, long-lived plant with attractive spikes of rich pink-mauve flowers that are very attractive to bees and butterflies as a nectar source. The flowers, which rise from dark green crinkly leaves, keep their colour throughout summer and look stunning when growing en-masse.

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.

Calamintha nepeta is a very attractive bushy, perennial that should be in every garden. Clouds of tiny, lilac-mauve flowers appear in early summer and flower continuously from early June right through to late September. The leaves exude a lovely minty scent when crushed and the flowers are true bee pasture.

Cheerful and bright, use Calendula in beds, borders or containers. Calendula is prolific and durable, and like most hardy annuals it is easy to grow, simply sow where it is to flower. It is currently one of the top herbs used for medicinal use. Sprinkle salads and decorate cakes with the edible tangy petals.

Calendula officinalis ‘Ivory Princess’ is a tall show stopper with giant buttery flowers. The petals are a mix of creamy buff-yellow with tips of the serrated, buttercream petals having the tiniest outline of brown, giving a ruffled, lacy effect which beautifully compliments the dark brown eye.

The Boy Series, which all feature double flowered blooms on tall stems for garden or cutting, are available in many colours. These beauties grow well as border plants and are wonderful in a cutting garden. 'Black ball' flowers are a lovely rich dark-chocolate hue, almost black on cloudy days.

A favorite annual flower and cottage garden staple, Centaurea 'Blue Boy' has piercing, bright blue flowers with ruffled petals and violet-blue centres. The blooms appear from early to late summer. These beauties grow well as border plants and are wonderful in a cutting garden.

The Ball series, also known as the Boy series, feature double flowered blooms on tall stems for garden or cutting. This pink flowered cultivar boasts wonderful full flowers on densely branched upright plants and produces many flowers from early summer until frost. Well suited for cutting, drying, and pressing.

Cornflowers are great plants for the cutting garden or border, and this fine cultivar is no exception. Centaurea 'White Boy' is a double flowered cultivar with wonderful fluffy, white flowers on densely branched upright plants. This is the white member of the series which is also known as White Ball and Snowman

Today cornflowers are rare in the wild, they flourish instead in our gardens. They are the most splendid of annuals. Aside from their electric blue, which is breathtaking when they're grown in dense drifts, they are easy to grow, they flower all summer, make great cut flowers and bees adore them.