These gorgeous first year flowering perennials come in a dazzling mixture of all colours from mauve to deepest red all with contrasting white stamens and ruffled outer petals. It's not just butterflies that love these lovely, sweetly fragrant, easy-to-grow, ever-popular and very rewarding; humans are happy to find room for them too! Moderately fast growing, they give a profusion of double pincushion flowers, two inches or so across, on tall, strong stems. Blooming from summer into early autumn, they will give a touch of class to your border and supply you with some excellent cut flowers. ... Learn More

This elegant Scabious flower has larger than usual frilly white petals surrounding the pincushion centre. It is a clump-forming perennial, with lance-shaped leaves and individual, large flowers (up to 3cm across) on single stems. Regular dead-heading will prolong the display through the summer months and provides a good supply of excellent flowers for cutting. Best planted in full sun in well-drained soil. ... Learn More

Crowds of wiry stems support dainty, pale yellow pincushion flowers over clumps of finely-cut foliage. The plant will appreciate sun and fertile soil and will seed itself around your garden if you allow it, and regular dead-heading will ensure a long-lasting display. The butterflies and bees will be regular visitors during the flowering season, from July until August. ... Learn More

A rare new giant from the Mountains of South Africa. Stout broomstick-like stems, with attractive wrinkled leaves, carry a long succession of ivory white flowers from July until October. ... Learn More

This clumping, evergreen perennial with silver-green, grass-like leaves 15cm long is covered with tufts of silvery hairs. Summer-borne flowers are solitary, light purple, up to 4cm wide, and held on strong, narrow stalks. The name pincushion perfectly fits the description of the flower, with its rounded form. Bees and butterflies love this plant, which likes dry, hot, sunny conditions and would be suitable for a dry, sheltered wall. ... Learn More

With its clusters of creamy white flowers, this must be one of South Africa's prettiest indigenous perennials. Growing in small clumps, the countless flower heads stand on long, naked stems above the finely divided, almost fern-like leaves, which form opposite each other along the lower part of the stems, gently moving with the slightest breeze. On warm summer days, butterflies cover these filigree mounds for this is one of their favourite nectar plants. A long succession of beautiful flowers appears from early spring to the middle of summer. ... Learn More