June

With most sunflowers, the beauty is in the flower petals, but the multi-layered, green outer calyxes of Helianthus 'Sunfill Green' create the show. This fast growing annual source of cut fillers for bouquets produce geometric flower heads for use as bouquet greenery. Sow successionally, mid spring right through to mid summer.

Helianthus 'Sunfill Purple' is a novel purple sunflower with sumptuous dark centers and petals tipped with edged hints of purple. These fast-growing sunflowers produce geometric flower heads for use as bouquet greenery. Just 50 days to maturity, sow successionally, mid spring right through to mid summer.

Heliopsis ‘Summer Nights' is a special selection made by Dale Hendricks of North Creek Nurseries, USA. Introduced in 2004 it produces a profusion of single blooms in early to mid-summer, with rich, deep golden-yellow petals and deep mahogany centres. The foliage is red-tinted and the stems are tinted dark burgundy.

Based on hybrids bred by the doyenne of the Hellebore world, Helen Ballard, these must be some of the finest and most beautiful of the race we have to offer. Large flowers are produced in a variety of colours from dark purple to white - often extravagantly mottled and marked.

Herniaria glabra is a relatively unknown perennial that deserves to be used more often in our gardens. The nursery industry calls it ‘Green Carpet’ and well they should. This lovely bright green creeper spreads effortlessly in all directions. An excellent choice for between flagstones or as a lawn substitute.

Gorgeously scented pure white flowers are held above rosettes of dark green leaves. Like all sweet rockets it is highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects, the fragrant flowers perfume the air in late spring and early summer evenings. The night-scented stock is a close relative.

Dames Rocket produce flowers varying in colour from deep rich purple, through all the paler lilac shades to white. Highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects, the fragrant flowers perfume the air in late spring and early summer evenings.

Dames Rocket was the favorite flower of Marie Antoinette. The genus name Hesperis is Greek for evening, a reference to this plant's aroma becoming ever more conspicuous towards evening. The fragrance is as sweet as a violet's. The night-scented stock is a close relative.

Hyssopus officinalis 'Alba' is a much less well known variety of hyssop. Also known as 'White Hyssop' the plants sport bright white flowers from July to October. Widely used as a 'taste enhancing' herb or wildlife plant, the plants are a dark, vibrant green with a spiky, upright habit and narrow tongue-like leaves which have a peppery scent when stroked.

Hyssop, once recognised as a medicinal herb is enjoying a revival with home gardeners. An aromatic herb similar to rosemary or lavender, it makes an excellent low hedge and more unusual alternative to box. The plants are a dark, vibrant green with a spiky, upright habit and narrow tongue-like leaves. 'Pink' Hyssop sports vibrant, pink flowers.

Hyssop is a strong-flavoured aromatic herb which is enjoying a revival with home gardeners. An ideal plant for use in containers or as a low hedge or border within the herb garden. Highly attractive to bees, it makes excellent honey and is a must for any wildflower garden.

An extremely easy to grow, hardy annual plant, Iberis umbellata is quick to grow and is in bloom within two months from a spring sowing. This beautiful lilac form has glossy green leaves and the familiar clusters of fragrant flowers which are attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects.

Iberis umbellata 'Rose-Cardinal' is quick to grow and is in bloom within two months from a spring sowing. Extremely easy to grow, they are invaluable for underplanting and for use in rock gardens and containers. They are considered one of the best plants grown for edging purposes.

Iberis umbellata is a popular and easily-grown annual plant that is perhaps more versatile than you might imagine. Considered one of the best for edging purposes, they are also invaluable for underplanting, for rock gardens and containers. Easy to grow and fast to flower, this fragrant hardy annual will quickly cover any unsightly bare spots in the garden.

'Melton Pastels' is a great border plant, densely flowering plant with strong stalks of pin cushion flowers in shades of shades of pink, cherry red, mauve and purple. The tall stems make excellent cut flowers and are good for the middle of the border, giving a succession of blooms through till autumn.

The Kniphofia hybrids have extended both the flower colour and height range. The usual fiery reds and oranges work particularly well in a planting scheme based on 'hot' colours - use them to light up sultry August borders. The cooler yellow, cream, ivory and sometimes green flowers is more restful.

Persian Cress or Ornamental Cress is a trendy filler green among floral artists and they keep it in regular demand. This easy to grow filler foliage grows upright, sturdy branches decorated with tiny, silvery seed pods by the thousands.The flower stems are durable and age well, turning golden at the end of the season.

Liatris spicata ‘Goblin’ also known in Europe as ‘Kobold’ is a dwarf, compact cultivar. Growing to just 60cm, it is a valuable addition to perennial gardens as a vertical contrast to mounded or broad-leaved plants and look particularly attractive when planted in large sweeps or drifts in informal settings..

With tall spikes of pink and mauve tiny flowers, Linaria ‘Canon J Went’ is an undemanding hardy perennial. Bone hardy, long-lived and drought-resistant, they are wonderful in the perennial border, for naturalised planting schemes, mass plantings or gravel gardens and a great choice for cut flowers.

The more I see of this rather attractive little plant, the more I grow to appreciate it. Now I seem to spot it all over the place, in meadows, woodland, road verges and gardens. The bright yellow fragrant flowers can be seen in blossom from the end of April through until mid September.

Honesty is a dual purpose plant, grown partly for its fragrant purple - pink flowers in spring and summer, but also for its unique seed-heads. Oval and translucent, gleaming with an eerie silver light and coveted by flower arrangers. It is a vital nectar plant and therefore popular with bees and butterflies.