May

Provide the best of all worlds for the gardener, Spencer Modern sweet peas have exceptional scent, combined with large ruffled petals and long stems that are perfect for cutting. With big, prolific flowers on long stems, 'Pulsar' produces fragrant, ruffled white flowers rippled with delicate lilac stripes and flakes.

Sweet Pea 'Wiltshire Ripple' is an old variety, recently rediscovered and is a particularly heavy and long blooming vine. A unique colour combination in the fashionable ripple pattern of claret to chocolate colouring over white scented blooms. With long strong stems, they are ideal for cutting, exhibition and garden decoration.

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..

Coveted by crafters and arrangers, every devotee of dried-flower arrangements is no doubt familiar with Statice. This perennial variety is a stunning spectacle when in bloom, producing clusters of silvery white frilly flowers that last all summer. Delicate and exquisite, they look like they are made from paper.

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.

Lupin 'Noble Maiden', occasionally called Fraülein, feature soft ivory white buds that open to pure clean white. The flowers open from the bottom up making for a longer blooming period. Stunning in the border or in a vase.

George Russell developed his Lupins aiming for, and achieving a central stalk or spike totally obscured by colourful flowers. 'The Governor' is one of the most popular from the series and features deep ultramarine blue blooms each with white flag.

Each small flower of Band of Nobles ‘Chandelier’ is a glorious shade of golden yellow, and the standard (the upper petal) is often a shade or two lighter. They have been bred for a long flowering period and give unbeatable garden performance.

The magnificent vertical stems of Lupin ‘My Castle’ produce vibrant red blooms bringing height and grandeur to summer borders. The intense colour of this robust variety makes a real statement when planted in drifts, or dotted among other perennials.

Bred for a long flowering period with unbeatable garden performance, George Russell developed one of the most popular and distinctive plants in history. Magnificent vertical stems of densely packed soft pink flowers each with a white flag. The Chatelaine’ provides that rare combination of power, poise and subtlety.

Ragged robin is found growing naturally in damp meadows and woods in Europe, It has the typical, flat flower-heads of Lychnis, but these are loose, with only a few individual flowers. They may vary from purplish pink to white and are star-shaped, with deeply cut petals.

Recently introduced to gardens and a hit Chelsea Flower Show, Lysimachia ‘Beaujolais’ feature flower spikes of deep claret which bloom continuously from May to September. The plants give a good effect used in tight drifts through grasses and other perennials. Ideal for cutting, the dark flowers are adorable in bunches.

Considered by many gardeners to be the most desirable of the Malva species, this rare white-flowered form is even lovelier than the normal rose-pink Musk Mallow. Flowering throughout the summer, the pure white, scented flowers contrast beautifully with the ferny foliage.

Malva 'Bibor Felho' feature velvety, plum-purple flowers with deep purple veins which emerge from distinctive purple flower buds. A short-lived perennial that is often grown as a biennial or as an annual, this electric, willowy plant mingles well in the herbaceous border with plants of equal stature.

Florists’ bouquets often include stocks. They enchant us with the soft colours of the double flowers and with their intensely sweet scent. The Miracle series is specifically cultivated for cutting. With extremely large flower heads and upright strong stems, they do not branch but grow neatly to about 70cm tall.

Florists’ bouquets often include stocks. They enchant us with the soft colours of the double flowers and with their intensely sweet scent. The Miracle series is specifically cultivated for cutting. With extremely large flower heads and upright strong stems, they do not branch but grow neatly to about 70cm tall.