In earliest spring, from a small, solid crown of buds, erupt twenty or so short, springy stems bearing pointed leaves, and bearing at their ends small bunches of dumpy blue bells. In good gritty organic soil this will improve over the years. ... Learn More

This is a large-flowered, short-stemmed gentian, very similar to G. acaulis, the two species differing on G. clusii in the absence of green stripes inside the corolla, and also by the shape of the corners between the petals which are more pointed. In addition, G. clusii prefers limestone areas whereas G. acaulis is usually found over silicaceous rocks. It grows mainly in the Pyrenees, Alps, Apennines, and the Carpathians. ... Learn More

Plants form a low, bushy clump of large dark green leaves, bearing four-petalled, bright blue flowers that are held along arching stems, in late summer. These can make ideal edging plants for the border or woodland where they prefer a moist soil. Clumps may be easily divided in early spring and although many gentians are somewhat fussy plants, this species is so foolproof that any gardener will succeed with it. ... Learn More

Tubular, deep purplish-blue tubular flowers with whitish throats open on low leafy foliage, very late in the year in August. This very easy-to-grow gentian works wonderfully well when tucked into crevices in stonewalls or nestled amongst other plants in the garden as it spreads wider than it is tall. ... Learn More

Exquisite kingfisher-blue flowers, more commonly with rounded points on the trumpet, face upwards on completely compact mats of foliage. Vaguely resembling Gentiana acaulis, this is one of the scarcest species in cultivation and quite a challenge to flower to perfection. ... Learn More

A tough and hardy, back-of-rockery gentian, which puts up arching stems of purplish blue flowers from midsummer onward. It will tolerate some shade, but best given its own space with adequate light in good soil. ... Learn More

Crawling, dark-leaved, rock clinging stems sprout deep blue trumpets unaffected by heat or drought here where it steals the show on our rock garden every summer, before dying down each autumn. ... Learn More

Strong, noble spires of large, golden, star-like flowers open in late spring over clumps of large basal lily-like leaves. A superb gentian and one of the most magnificent, easy-to-grow, and long lived plants you can ever wish to grow. ... Learn More

This semi-evergreen gentian has clusters of electric-blue flowers atop its upright stems, clad in dark-green, ovate leaves in late summer and early autumn. It prefers partial shade, although it will grow in full sun provided the soil remains moist, and is even good in containers or for adding late colour to a border. ... Learn More

This is the albino version of this semi-evergreen gentian with clusters of pure white flowers, striped darker outside, atop its upright stems, clad in dark-green ovate leaves in late summer and early autumn. It prefers partial shade, although it will grow in full sun provided the soil remains moist, and is even good in containers or for adding late colour to a border. It is native to North America from Manitoba through Ontario in the north and south to Oklahoma, Arkansas and North Carolina. It is listed as rare, endangered, threatened or even extinct in parts of this range. ... Learn More

Clusters of pale blue to dark mauve, tubular, funnel-shaped flowers are borne from early summer until autumn on this showy much-branched plant. In the wild it grows up to nearly 5,000m in the Himalayas. ... Learn More

This rare and magnificent plant, which displays freely-borne dark blue flowers, is an endemic of the high Pyrenean mountains. It is usually found at altitude, often at over 7,000 feet, and invariably growing on alpine pastures in association with other plants, where it can be distinguished from its cousin, Gentiana acaulis, by its tighter habit and smaller leaves. ... Learn More

This rare, exceptionally beautiful gentian opens its unusually-large, white-throated, up-facing blue flowers, normally three to ten in terminal clusters on shortish stems, in late spring to summer. In the wild, it grows on grassland over limestone, marl or clay at up to 2300m in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and eastwards to the Tien Shan mountains. ... Learn More

From the the Caucasus comes this gem with small grass-like leaves and the largest flowers we have seen on any gentian. The huge upturned, pointed, white-throated blue trumpets elicit more garden comments than any other gentian, all summer and autumn. ... Learn More

A lovely and increasingly-rare plant which grows up to 25cm high and does not grow in marshes as its common name might suggest but on fairly wet heaths, where it exhibits a clear sky-blue colour with white and grey or green streaks on the outside of the petals, and grey spots on the inside. Leaves are narrow linear. It is to be found very locally in places such as Dorset to East Sussex through to North East Yorks and Westmorland but is decreasing and makes a lovely garden plant if you can make it happy! ... Learn More