Polished, needle-like foliage and disproportionately-large, brilliant silvery blue, "dragonhead", helmet-shaped flowers, each highlighted with a light blue lip, appear for a very long time from late May to August. This is a long-lived perennial that forms dark green mounds with distinctive foliage, rather reminiscent of a penstemon, with which it could easily be confused. Completely deciduous in winter, it is remarkably drought tolerant, and is also suitable for containers, rock gardens or perennial borders. ... Learn More

This lovely plant bears nodding, cream buds which open into slightly paler ivory flowers on woody stems, the foliage consisting of tiny, leathery leaves with a grey reverse. Finally, the large impressive fuzzy ball of a seed head opens. ... Learn More

Whatever next! Can you believe a strawberry with yellow flowers. And this is the rare variegated-leaved form. Attractive red berries (edible, although pippy, but loved by birds) and very similar to alpine strawberries, are produced all summer, on a creeping evergreen carpet. Perfect hanging over a wall or rockery, or as an attractive slowly creeping ground cover. ... Learn More

Can you believe a strawberry with yellow flowers. Attractive red berries loved by birds and very similar looking to alpine strawberries, are produced all summer, on a creeping evergreen carpet. This is the more-vigorous form of the variegated form and is perfect hanging over a wall or on a rockery, where it will stifle all low-lying weeds. ... Learn More

Its name alone is a mouthful. But it is definitely NOT edible. However, your curious friends will have quite a shock when they touch the small plum-shaped fruits on the amazing and aptly named "Squirting-Cucumber". Yellow flowers on radiating stems produce intriguing hanging fruits. Unwary inspection triggers the incredible seed distribution method. The swollen fruit breaks off and shoots downwards (remember Newton's Laws of Reaction) propelled by a high speed jet of seeds and water which shoots upwards. Ouch! Absolutely amazing, and never fails to impress. A relative of the edible cucumbers, ... Learn More

Very large reddish-purple flowers with pronounced golden-brown cone-centres are produced from July until mid-autumn. Ideal for cutting, these plants will perform best on well-prepared humus-rich soil. (aka 'Ruby Star') ... Learn More

This Echinacea is an upright, clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with narrowly ovate, toothed, rough-hairy, dark green leaves. It is tough and beautiful with unbeatable heat and drought tolerance, whilst attracting a variety of wildlife with its eye-catching appeal. The elegant daisy like flowers have rosy pink petals with an orange centre that rises like a cone. An excellent cut flower and also good for drying. ... Learn More

From June to September, fabulous, white, daisy-like flowers with drooping petals and burnished, orange-brown centres appear on stiff stems. This white coneflower is shorter than many other varieties, making it a valuable addition to the middle of a border or containers. It is a tough plant, and, like other coneflowers, is long-flowering and will cope well with adverse weather conditions, except drought. Try it dotted through the middle of a sunny, mixed border or in bold drifts among grasses where it will extend the season of interest. It is attractive to bees and butterflies, and birds will f ... Learn More

'White Swan' is a popular variety of "Cone Flower, producing bronze-centred white flowers from July to October. This form is shorter than others, making it a great, easy-to-grow mid-border plant which will thrive in any decent soil and does not require staking making it excellent for cutting. It produces in as little as four months from seed an abundance of large, pure white flowers with down-swept white petals surrounding a large central cone and possesses a lovely honey fragrance, much appreciated by bees. ... Learn More

Recently discovered in the wild is this rare and incredibly tall form of the lovely "globe thistle" which is perfect for the very back of a tall border. Numerous, tennis ball-sized, spiky heads, loved by bees and butterflies, slowly change from silver to pale blue. Clean, huskless seed is supplied. ... Learn More

Spiky leaves along with bristly metallic blue flowers, make this plant a great architectural plant for the back of the summer border. Spiny, cobwebbed leaves provide interest from spring until the blooms appear in late summer, these striking plants associating well with other tall, late summer plants such as cardoon or echinacea, or even tall miscanthus grasses. It has been given an Award of Garden Merit (AGM). ... Learn More

This tall, imposing plant displays impressive, tennis-ball sized, silvery-white, prickly seed heads on strong, stout stems. Clumps of these are constantly covered with bees and butterflies all summer long. Very long-lived, trouble-free, and the perfect back of border specimen, these plants also make fabulous cut or dried flowers. ... Learn More

Thick, stout stems carry bunches of pretty, creamy-apricot-pink flowers holding bright red stamens, the terminal anthers coated with striking sky blue pollen. During its first year it forms a woolly, prostrate, silver rosette of leaves. The following year arises the impressive spire of flowers, carrying numerous side branches. This rare and seldom-offered gem is a native of mountains and high areas in southern Spain, Algeria, Morocco, and Portugal. Very few seeds collected. ... Learn More

Thirty centimetre spikes of countless purple-blue flowers open on strong branching stems in spring and summer, although very few good seeds are often produced, and it is a specialist job to collect and clean it successfully! This really is a perennial in a sheltered situation, e.g. in a large pot or a warm, protected garden. In The Scilly Islands and the southwest of the UK this plant often makes a very long-lived small tree. It is often grown and valued for the enormous, solid silver-grey dome of evergreen foliage, and the gorgeous flowers are just candles on the cake! Please be aware that b ... Learn More

This dazzling, completely new, diminutive form of this delightful plant appeared by chance in our gardens at Plant World. Probably an Echium fastuosum/pininana hybrid, it is best grown under the shelter of a hedge or wall and facing the sun, where it makes a low mound of several hairy, grey-green rosettes on numerous branching stems. Stumpy, fat spikes of cobalt-blue flowers open from April to June producing an awe-inspiring spectacle. To perform well it needs protection from cold winds and severe frost though! A limited number of good seeds were collected. (All of our echiums are grown in th ... Learn More