Hedges

Perennial sunflowers typically don’t grow quite as tall and large as their annual friends. However Helianthus maximiliani is a wonderful exception. It grows slowly through the summer months as a group of short stems, until late summer when the stems bolt and the flowers head for the sky.

From the Tian Shan Mountains of northern China comes this tough little subshrub that is among the finest expressions of silver foliage to be found. Helichrysum thianshanicum is a superb silver leaved evergreen, subshrub that forms a tight mound of eye-catching silver foliage.

Munstead Lavender is a fragrant robust English lavender that, due to its short size and tightly held blooms, makes a great hedge. It flowers profusely in the spring, after which a good pruning will provide an attractive grey bush with highly aromatic leaves.

'Ellagance' are first year flowering lavenders, 'Ellagance Ice’ is the white flowered variety. The deliciously perfumed, pure white blooms make an enchanting informal aromatic hedge in the garden. The flowers are produced from July onwards and are highly attractive to bees.

“Ellagance” are first year flowering lavenders, boasting large flowers and a compact bushy form. 'Ellagance Purple’ with compact foliage, its dwarf habit makes it suitable for borders or patio containers. The deliciously perfumed, rich purple blooms make an enchanting informal aromatic hedge in the garden.

Fragrant, free flowering and heat and drought tolerant. Lavandula angustifolia ‘Vicenza Blue’ bloom the first year from seed. This especially fine lavender has bold clustered flower spikes of deep lavender-blue from mid July to early September.

The wild rose bursts with lightly scented, usually flesh pink flowers (though they can be pinker or whitish) in summer. They are followed by a terrific show of bright red hips, they can be used to make jam, jelly, syrup, marmalade and wine. Delicious and an excellent natural source of vitamin C.

Rosemary can be used for ornamental, culinary and medicinal purposes. The aromatic, evergreen shrub, native to the dry hills of southern Europe and North Africa, can be grown as a clipped hedge, along the edge of a retaining wall, pruned and shaped as topiaries and as a container patio plant.