A to Z for genus list
Click on genus for plants
Key to symbols
A
ACANTHUS
Deeply cut, slightly hairy leaves. Spikes of greeny white flowers with creamy white lower lips, from July to September.
ACHILLEA
A low mound of grey foliage with fairly sparse daisy flowers in summer. Prefers well-drained soil.
Flat heads of deep wine-mulberry coloured flowers, from midsummer. Prefers well-drained soil.
A low mound of silvery-green foliage with flat heads of primrose-yellow flowers, during the summer.
ACONITUM
All Aconitum are poisonous. Prefers not too dry a situation.
A climbing Aconite. Good blue hooded flowers, larger than A. hemsleyanum, peep through, in late summer.
Tall spikes of blue monkshood flowers in autumn, a valued splash of colour for the borders at that time of year.
A climbing Aconite. If grown through other plants adds an element of surprise, small pale mauve hooded flowers peep through, in late summer.
Tall spikes of violet-blue flowers, for weeks from late June.
Tall spikes of creamy Monkshood flowers in summer.
ACTAEA
Deep purple divided foliage with stems of pinkish-white bottle-brush flowers in autumn. Prefers neutral to slightly acid moisture retentive soil. Harmful if eaten and can be an irritant to the skin.
ADONIS
Rich yellow flowers nestle in a crown of feathery leaves, during early spring. A slow growing woodland plant.
AETHIONEMA
Pretty rich pink flowers, over glaucous foliage, in late spring and summer. Prefers well-drained soil, in sun.
AGAPANTHUS
Best grown in a sunny position and mulched well in winter, often flowers better if grown in a container. We thought it might be helpful to give some tips on how to get your agapanthus to flower, especially in containers. We keep them dry over winter, put them in a shed or cold greenhouse. In about February – March they get a really good watering and then they are left until they start to shoot. After that, they are given fairly frequent watering (without drowning them!) during the spring, with a liquid feed of something like tomato feed every so often.
Large heads of blue flowers, from August to September.
Round heads of deep blue flowers, in July. A nicely compact plant.
Sturdy stems of round-headed dark blue flowers, for weeks, in summer.
A showy agapanthus with large round heads of bicolour flowers, blue with palest blue, almost white centres, in July and August. (PBR)
Large heads of pale blue flowers in summer, on shortish stems. Consistently good flowering.
We do not know the correct name. Seems a good hardy Agapanthus with white flowers in late summer.
AGASTACHE
Anise Hyssop. An upright, aniseed-scented perennial, with downy leaves, whitish-green underneath. Dense spikes of purple-blue flowers, from June to September. Prefers sun and a fairly sheltered position.
Aromatic foliage with pinky-red flowers for weeks, from July. It does prefer well-drained soil. (PBR)
Aromatic foliage, with orange flowers for weeks, from July. It does prefer well-drained soil. (PBR)
AGERATINA
Good dark purple foliage, with small white flowers in autumn. Prefers moisture-retentive soil.
ALCHEMILLA
Palmate, glossy green leaves with a silvery looking outer edge. Small sprays of yellow flowers.
Slightly more glaucous leaves than A. mollis – otherwise very similar, only in miniature. Sprays of tiny yellow flowers in summer. Self-seeds gently.
ALLIUM
These plants are in the onion family. All have that distinctive smell when the stems are crushed or cut. The ones listed below thrive in a sunny, fairly well-drained soil, unless stated otherwise.
Very dense heads of violet-pink flowers on tall sturdy stems in May and June, a showy allium.
Thin grassy foliage with slightly nodding heads of blue flowers in late summer. Prefers well-drained soil. Only a few.
A more herbaceous clump-forming Allium with nodding umbels of dark pink flowers during summer. Does well in a sunny, dry situation. Self-seeds.
Giant heads of starry purple-pink flowers on fairly short stems in summer – very dramatic! Slow to increase.
Wonderfully large heads of violet-purple flowers on tall stems, in early summer. Lasts for weeks, as the new flowers cover the old ones when they go over. Clumps up well.
Slightly twisted, glaucous linear leaves with rounded heads of lilac-pink flowers in late summer. The flowers are attractive to Small Tortoiseshell butterflies.
Egg-shaped flowers of deep crimson-purple, from mid to late summer.
A real gem for late colour in the rockery.Thin grassy leaves with slightly nodding heads of lavender pink flowers in October and November. Prefers well-drained soil.
ALSTROEMERIA
Peruvian Lily. Upright stems, with green and dark red tubular flowers, for weeks in midsummer. Prefers a fairly sheltered situation, in good soil. The sap can be a skin irritant.
ALYSSUM
(syn. PTILOTRICHON SPINOSUM ‘ROSEUM’)
A slightly prickly mound of small silver foliage, covered in masses of tiny pink flowers in summer. Prefers well-drained soil.
AMSONIA
Similar to an herbaceous Phlox, with ice-blue flowers in midsummer. Seems to run a bit.
ANACYCLUS
Feathery grey foliage, with crimson-backed white daisy flowers, for weeks from spring. Prefers well drained soil.
ANDROSACE
This genus is impervious to cold but dislikes winter wet, so plant in a well-drained, gritty soil in full sun.
Hairy grey leaves on trailing stems. Pink flowers with a darker eye from mid to late summer. Very pretty.
(syn. A.SARMENTOSA ‘SALMON’S VARIETY’)
A mat of hairy rosettes of leaves with deep pink flowers in early summer.
ANEMANTHELE
Arching habit of leaves which are a mixture of olive green, rusty brown and orange. Looks wonderful with the sunlight shining through the leaves. Will grow in dry shade but leaves will be more green.
ANEMONE
All anemones are poisonous.
BLANDA
These corms are ideal for growing under deciduous trees; they have sunlight during their flowering period and then the shade from the trees is ideal through the summer when they like to be kept more dry. It must be said though that they are very good-natured plants and will thrive almost anywhere.
Blue flowers from February to the end of April.
White flowers with a pink flush to the back of the petals, from March to May.
Semi-double, deep blue anemone flowers in late spring, early summer.
HUPEHENSIS and HYBRIDA VARIETIES
These are wonderful gently spreading plants for late summer and autumn flowering. They do like their roots in the cool, so are ideal for shady situations – but if their roots are shaded by shrubs or paving, they will grow happily in the sun.
Single, reddish-pink flowers from late July onwards.
Rich-pink, double flowers with prominent golden stamens from August onwards.
Single white flowers from August onwards. Brightens up a shady corner.
(syn. A. X HYB.WIRBELWIND)
Semi-double white flowers from August onwards.
Neat clumps of palmate leaves, with upturned cups of creamy-yellow flowers in spring. Forms cotton wool seed heads in midsummer.
Large daisy flowers in spring and early summer. Grown from seed so various shades, mostly pink. Goes dormant in summer.
Branching stems of white flowers with blue backs to the petals, from May to July. Prefers moisture-retentive soil.
‘Snowdrop windflower’. Like a dwarf version of white Japanese Anemone, only it flowers in early spring, and then again later on. Quite a vigorous spreader.
ANTENNARIA
(syn. A. DIOICA ‘ROTES WUNDER’)
Ground-hugging mat of silver foliage, with pinky-red flowers in late spring.
ANTHEMIS
Mat-forming with dense silky-grey leaves. Solitary yellow daisy-like flowers from May to July.
Low hummocks of silver-grey divided foliage covered in white daisy flowers from early April to autumn. It is worth trimming once or twice during the season to stop it getting straggly.
Cut-leaf green foliage, with primrose-yellow daisy flowers throughout summer.
Cream daisy flowers, for weeks in summer. Will flower for longer if dead-headed.
ANTIRRHINUM
Rounded and hairy glaucous leaves on rather brittle stems. Pink snapdragon flowers in summer. Needs a well-drained, sunny and sheltered situation. Often self-seeds in gravel.
AQUILEGIA
Dainty-looking plants with attractively divided foliage. They seed themselves enchantingly amongst other plants. Harmful if eaten.
Dark blue flowers from late spring to early summer.
A lovely little columbine with deep violet flowers in early summer. Gently seeds itself about in the gravel, on our raised bed.
Short spurred, orangey-red flowers with dangling yellow stamens, from late spring. Likes fairly damp soil.
White flowers which lighten a shady corner.
ARABIS
Attractive plant with clotted cream coloured edges to the green leaves, and pink flowers in spring and early summer.
Flat mats of golden variegated foliage sending up stems of delicate white flowers in early spring.
ARENARIA
A good hummock of narrow dark green leaves, covered in a mass of white flowers all summer. Should be ready in May.
ARMERIA
‘Dwarf thrift’. The plant is like a green pin cushion, covered in round heads of pink flowers in early spring and then on and off later on.
White flowered form of the above.
Purple tinted foliage, makes a darker hummock for the pink thrift flowers, in late spring, early summer.
Round heads of rich pink flowers in early summer, over a green mat of needle-like leaves.
ARTEMISIA
Prostrate mat of filigree silver foliage. Likes a well-drained sunny position. Ready in May.
ARUM
Glossy dark green sagittate foliage and yellow spathe flowers in spring. Needs a sheltered position because it grows through the winter. It is dormant in summer. Poisonous berries.
ASPERULA
Small, greyish felty leaves form a low mat with tiny pink flowers in early summer. Needs well-drained soil.
ASTER
These are an easy-to-please group of herbaceous plants with the great advantage of having late summer flowers. All like a sunny position, with the exception of A. divaricatus which is happy in sun or shade. Butterflies and bees love the flowers.
Useful plant for dry shade. Cordate, green leaves attached to nearly-black wiry stems. Sends up sprays of small white daisy flowers from July onwards. Quite a floppy habit, but this does not detract from its appeal.
(syn. A. SEDIFOLIUS ‘SNOW FLURRIES’)
A very prostrate Aster, with branching stems covered in a mass of small white flowers in autumn. Looks effective growing over rocks or logs.
Masses of large single mauve flowers on upright stems, for months from the end of July until late autumn. Mildew resistant.
This is a tall one for the back of the border. Glossy, dark green leaves on almost black stems. Sprays of lavender-blue flowers for weeks, from September. Don’t be put off by it benefiting from a strategic stake or two!
Purple-tinted foliage, which is attractive even when not flowering. Open, branching stems of small white flowers with dark pink centres in autumn.
An Aster cordifolius hybrid, with panicles of smaller but good pale blue flowers on sturdy, upright stems in late summer and autumn. A lovely addition to the garden.
(syn. A. N-A. ‘ANDENKEN AN ALMA POTSCHKE’)
Bright pink semi-double flowers from late summer. Makes a showy splash of colour in the border for the autumn.
Semi-double, pink flowers from late summer.
White Michaelmas daisy which flowers earlier than some, for weeks from August.
(syn. A. N-A. ‘SEPTEMBERRUBIN’)
Semi-double maroon flowers, for weeks, from early autumn.
Good violet flowers in autumn.
A dwarf aster, which makes a dome of good blue flowers in autumn. No staking necessary.
ASTILBE
Ideal marginal plants, for planting in bog gardens, or by water. They will also tolerate drier conditions, if given some shade.
Spikes of red flowers in early summer.
ASTRANTIA
An enchanting group of herbaceous plants with palmate basal leaves and stems of upturned posie flowers for months, from early May until late summer. The flowers can be used for drying. If the soil is moisture retentive they are happy anywhere; if not, they like semi or full shade.
Upturned, deep red posie-type flowers in summer. Seems more susceptible than the others to slug attack as it emerges in spring, but worth growing all the same.
Good golden variegated form of A. major. The variegation is more pronounced in spring.
Upturned posie flowers of pretty pink with darker centres, for months from late May.
(syn. A. MAJOR ‘WHITE GIANT’)
Upturned posie flowers of white with green tips, for months from May. Larger flowers than some Astrantias. (PBR)
AUBRIETA
Ideal for growing down over walls. They flower for weeks, providing valuable early nectar for bees, from early spring and if cut back when getting straggly, they will usually flower again.
Cerise pink flowers.
Golden variegated leaves, mauve-blue flowers from early spring.
A combination of purple and pale lavender flowers, in early spring.
Double blue-violet flowers in spring.
Semi-double purple flowers.
Trailing stems of semi-double pink flowers , slightly paler than A. ‘Rose Queen’, for weeks from late spring.
White variegated foliage, mauve-blue flowers from early spring. Compact, suitable for a trough.
Single lavender blue flowers, for weeks from early spring. Seems compact.
Dark magenta-red flowers in spring. Ready in April.
Semi-double pink flowers.
Single, pale lavender flowers, for weeks from early spring. Seems compact.