sylvestris 'Ravenswing' cow

Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast Flowering period: May to July Hardiness: fully hardy An elegant purple form of common cow parsley, this has pretty clusters of tiny, creamy-white in late spring and early summer, highlighted by the lacy, deeply cut dark purple foliage. This is biennial or a short-lived perennial, but it self seeds freely unless you remove the spent heads. This makes it a perfect plant for a wild garden or meadow, and an effective companion to ornamental grasses.

Garden care: Support with brushwood or link stakes in spring before the flowers appear. In autumn cut it back to just above ground level and apply a generous layer of mulch around the roots.

Eventual Height: 1m Eventual Spread: 30cm Astrantia 'Buckland‘ masterwort Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, moist, preferably humus-rich soil Rate of Growth: average to fast Flowering period: June to August Hardiness: fully hardy Pretty, pale pink pincushion flowers suffused with green and with a white ruff appear from June to August above deeply lobed, dark green leaves. This astrantia has larger flowers than many cultivars. Although it is an old cottage-garden favourite, it works equally well in contemporary- style plantings. Use towards the front of a sunny, yet moist border, or at a woodland edge.

Garden care: Astrantias do not like to to dry out. Incorporate plenty of organic matter when planting and water well in dry weather especially newly established . Lift and divide large clumps in early spring and apply a generous 5-7 cm mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the plant. Divided specimens may take some time to establish since they don't like having their roots disturbed.

Eventual Height: 90cm Eventual Spread: 60cm Astrantia 'Roma‘ masterwort

Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, moist, preferably humus-rich soil Rate of Growth: fast-growing Flowering period: June to September Flowers: soft pink Other features: excellent cut and dried flowers Hardiness: fully hardy Delicate, papery, soft pink flowers which are held on wiry stems above attractive deeply lobed, mid-green leaves. This delightful masterwort is a vigorous variety with a much longer flowering period than most pink or red varieties. It looks particularly fetching planted with grasses and is garden designer, Piet Oudolf's favourite masterwort. Astrantias have been cultivated in Britain since the 16th century and have numerous common names, such as melancholy gentleman, Hattie's pincushion and the more well known masterwort.

Garden care: Incorporate plenty of organic matter when planting and water well in dry weather especially newly established plants. Lift and divide large clumps in early spring and apply a generous 5-7 cm mulch of well-rotted manure or garden compost around the plant. Divided specimens may take some time to establish since they don't like having their roots disturbed.

Eventual Height: 60cm Eventual Spread: 40cm Salvia × sylvestris 'Rose Queen‘ sage

Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: light, moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June and July Flower colour: bright rose-pink Other features: attractive to butterflies and bees; wrinkled, grey-green leaves Hardiness: fully hardy Slender spires of bright rose-pink flowers opening from dark pink buds in early and mid-summer. 'Rose Queen' is perfect for filling gaps left by spring-flowering plants in the middle of a moist, well-drained herbaceous border. Flourishing in sun or light dappled shade, the flowers are highly attractive to butterflies and bees.

Garden care: To prolong flowering remove the flower spikes as soon they start to fade. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in spring. Eventual Height: 75cm Eventual Spread: 30cm Salvia nemorosa 'Amethyst‘ woodland sage Position: full sun Soil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, well- drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Hardiness: fully hardy

Slender spires of lilac-purple flowers appear from July to September above clumps of aromatic, mid-green leaves. This salvia is perfect for adding a splash of colour and vertical interest at the front of a well-drained herbaceous border or gravel garden and looks equally at home in a cottage garden or Mediterranean scheme. It will cope with some shade, but is happiest in full sun. The flowers are a magnet for butterflies and bees.

Garden care: To prolong flowering remove the flower spikes as soon they start to fade. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in spring. Eventual Height: 60cm Eventual Spread: 30cm Pimpinella major 'Rosea‘ pimpinella

Position: full sun or light shade Soil: well drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May-June Hardiness: fully hardy An unusual plant which adds a loose informality to early summer plantings. Flat heads of tiny flowers, like a deep pink cow parsley or Queen Anne's Lace are held on stiff, wiry stems, where they will attract passing bees and butterflies. The leaves, which are long and finely cut, grow from the base of the plant, so that the airy flowerheads are unecumbered by foliage. This perennial prefers a sunny position in a freely draining soil where it may happily naturalise and set seed.

Garden care: Dislikes a waterlogged soil. Divide congested plants in spring or autumn. Leave flower spikes to mature and self-seed to expand the group.

Eventual Height: 1.2m Eventual Spread: 60cm Digitalis × mertonensis foxglove

Position: full sun to partial shade Soil: moist, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: May to June Flower colour: carmine-pink Hardiness: fully hardy Towering spikes of large, dusky, carmine-pink tubular flowers appear in May and June above conspicuously veined, dark green leaves. This foxglove is a real showstopper and looks wonderful planted in bold drifts towards the back of the border in partial shade. Although it will grow in the sun, the soil needs to remain reliably moist over summer. All parts of the plant may cause severe discomfort if ingested and contact with the foliage may irritate skin.

Garden care: Ensure that the soil is kept moist in summer. After flowering cut back the flowered spikes to encourage more sideshoots. Cut down to the ground after flowering. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2- 3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the plant in early spring. These plants are mainly biennial, although they will often produce plenty of new side shoots and self- seed freely if happy in their location.

Eventual Height: 90cm Eventual Spread: 30cm Nectaroscordum siculum Sicilian honey garlic

Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: any moderately fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May and June Hardiness: fully hardy A really unusual ornamental onion, with an umbrella of hanging, bell-shaped, creamy green flowers flushed with lilac on stiff stems in May and June. This tall, exotic-looking, bulbous perennial will add vertical interest in a sunny, well-drained border and thrives in partial shade, too. As the flowers fade, they turn upright to form curious, shuttlecock-like seedheads that extend the season of interest and add a twist to flower arrangements.

Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies in autumn. Eventual Height: 120cm Eventual Spread: 10cm Iris 'Dutch Chocolate' bearded iris

Position: full sun Soil: well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May and June Hardiness: fully hardy An unusual new introduction with rich brown, fragrant, ruffled blooms in May and June. It not only looks great, but actually flowers for longer - sometimes up to four weeks - often with repeat performance in the autumn if the weather is hot and dry. Lovely in drifts in a sunny border.

Garden care: Bearded irises prefer full sun and neutral-alkaline soil but if you have acidic or peaty soils you can top dress with lime before planting for good results. Plant shallowly with the upper part of the sitting on the surface of the soil, incorporating a low nitrogen fertiliser in the planting hole. After planting remove the upper-most third of the leaves to protect against wind-rock. In exposed areas stake with bamboo canes in early spring. Divide and replant about every three years. Eventual Height: 90cm Eventual Spread: 25cm Deschampsia cespitosa tufted hair grass

Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: dry to moist, neutral to acid soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: June to August Flower colour: bright silvery yellow Hardiness: fully hardy The neat, densly tufted evergreen foliage makes this a perfect grass for the wildflower meadow. The dainty silver- tinted, purple spikelets appear like clouds in summer, and are a real feature well into the autumn. These are easy and reliable plants that will tolerate some shade.

Garden care: Remove the faded flower- heads in late winter before new growth appears. In warm areas the plant has a tendency to self-seed freely. Where this is the case remove unwanted seedlings as part of routine border maintenance Eventual Height: 1.5m Eventual Spread: 1.2m Foeniculum vulgare 'Giant Bronze' - bronze

Position: full sun Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: July to August Hardiness: fully hardy Fine clouds of feathery, bronze-purple leaves are followed by flat-topped, sulphur-yellow flowerheads in mid to late summer and then by aromatic seeds. This giant fennel looks fantastic as a centrepiece for a sunny herb garden, or among tall perennials and grasses. The foliage acts as a delicate veil through which the flower heads of herbaceous plants and bulbs can be seen.

Garden care: The plant's tendency to self- seed may be a problem in hot summers. If fennel is being grown exclusively for its foliage, remove the yellow flowerheads to prevent it from self-seeding. When flowers have finished them cut back to 30cm from the ground.