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100 GREAT PLANTS SARAH PRICE’S 10 0 most beautiful and useful plants WORDS SARAH PRICE Some plants in my garden are familiar and beloved companions whose appearance marks the year. Other plants are exciting prospects that I’m still trialling to discover their full potential. I prefer varieties that possess the elegance and poise of their relatives in nature. They look good singularly or en masse. But it’s not just about how plants look. I love flowers that animate the garden at certain times of the year by attracting JASON INGRAM JASON clouds of bees and butterflies. 37 100 GREAT PLANTS Annuals Newly unfurled, lime-yellow flowers droop C Well-drained soil; full sun. SI February to arching flower spike. I weave it through low, Poppies are at their best when Climbers before standing upright on thin, glaucous March. HR RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b. tussock grasses so that its sword-like leaves they are sown direct, and are 1 ERIGERON ANNUUS stems that have a quirky yet graceful line. I and elegant, upright form can be fully 18 CLEMATIS ‘BETTY CORNING’ Myriad simple, fine-rayed, white daisies plant this with the delicate pink umbels of 8 CYCLAMEN HEDERIFOLIUM appreciated. H 1m. S 1m. C Well-drained soil; emerging with surprise Sweetly scented and prolific, this clematis appear to float in mid air. Self-seeds Pimpinella major ‘Rosea’. Gently self seeds. Prospering in dry shade, often at the foot full sun, sheltered position. SI July to has the vigour typical of viticella species. vigorously, a desirable trait only for wilder H 40cm. S 10cm. C Moist but well-drained of an old tree, these autumn-flowering September. HR RHS H4, USDA 3a-8b. and spontaneity Will scramble along climbing roses, shrubs areas where there is plenty of competition. soil; sheltered, sunny position. SI May to cyclamen will in time form venerable and trees forming dense clouds of pretty, Height (H) 1.5m. Spread (S) 40cm. June. HR RHS H4, USDA 6a-9b. colonies. Marbled, ivy-shaped leaves in 12 LILIUM MARTAGON 15 NERINE BOWDENII pale-lilac bells. Plant in a sunny position for Conditions (C) Dry sun. Season of summer followed by rosy-pink flowers. AGM. Turk’s cap lilies look spectacular when A lily impersonator with lipstick-pink, frilly maximum flowers. AGM. H 3m. S 1m. interest (SI) July to November. Hardiness 5 ANEMONE NEMOROSA ‘ROBINSONIANA’ H 10cm. S 15cm. C Well-drained soil; part naturalised en mass in rough grass. The flowers that have a glittery sheen in the sun. C Moisture-retentive, well-drained soil; full rating (HR) RHS H4, USDA 3a-8b†. Although you can’t surpass our native shade, sheltered position. SI October to vertical stems are covered in masses of Strong, slender stems and a long-lasting sun to part shade. Cover base of plant with anemone for its simplicity, I love this for its November. HR RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b. dusky-mauve flowers, with scrolled-back flower make them perfect for cutting and pebbles to keep cool. SI July to September. 2 PAPAVER DUBIUM SUBSP. ethereal lilac colour that glows in the shade. petals and pronounced, orange anthers that are so uplifting among the seedheads of HR RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b. LECOQII ‘ALBIFLORUM’ Grow en masse to appreciate how their 9 FRITILLARIA MELEAGRIS dangle from their throats. Best in dappled autumn. Shallow planting suits them best. Luminous in sunshine, its clear-pink petals petals open and stems straighten in spring Iconic white-and-purple chequered bells shade. H 1.5m. S 50cm. C Moist but AGM. H 50cm. S 10cm. C Moist but well- 19 CLEMATIS X TRITERNATA float just above the fresh growth of early sunshine. AGM*. H 15cm. S 50cm. C Moist or dangle like lanterns on delicate stems. When well-drained soil; full sun to part shade, drained soil; full sun in a sheltered position. ‘RUBROMARGINATA’ summer. Poppies are at their best when well-drained soil; part shade. SI April to May. naturalised in damp grassland, the purple sheltered position. SI June to July. SI September to November. HR RHS H5, Hundreds of marzipan-scented flowers, sown direct, emerging with surprise and HR RHS H5, USDA 5a-8b. and sometimes white blooms create HR RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. USDA 7a-10b. which look as if they’ve been generously spontaneity. H 50cm. S 30cm. C Fertile, hypnotic pointillist-like patterns among dipped in ruby-red ink, are held in well-drained soil; full sun. Not great on wet 6 CAMASSIA LEICHTLINII SUBSP. the grass. H 30cm. S 8cm. C Moist but 13 NARCISSUS ‘WHITE LADY’ 16 TULIPA HUMILIS clouds from midsummer to early clay soil. SI May to June. HR USDA 6a-9b. SUKSDORFII 'ALBA' well-drained soil; full sun or part shade. Slender, white buds open wide into a simple Short species tulip that is perfect autumn. Tolerant of dry soils and A North American bulb with tall, intense SI April and May. HR RHS H5, USDA 3a-7b. flower with well-spaced petals and a shallow, peppering sun-baked gravel plantings shady positions. Flowers freely. H 4m. 3 PHACELIA TANACETIFOLIA blue spires. Looks exotic yet not out of pale-yellow trumpet. After flowering, the with intense magenta accents. Its sparse S 1.5m. C Fertile, well-drained soil; full A green manure I sow for its soft lavender- place flowering in long grass among 10 GALANTHUS NIVALIS fine leaves and stems fade away discretely. narrow leaves lie low and nearly flat, sun to part shade. SI July to September. blue flowers, that are decoratively shaped British natives, such as cow parsley. Best Simple and elegant, I always return to our Delicately scented. H 50cm. S 10cm. C Moist emphasising the goblet flowers. H 15cm. HR RHS H4, USDA 5a-8b. like a scorpion’s curved tail. Beloved by grown in generous drifts as if self sown. resilient native snowdrop. The colonies that but well-drained soil; full sun to part shade. S 10cm. C Well-drained soil; full sun, bees and insects, it’s unfussy and fast Will naturalise quickly given moisture and transform banks and ancient churchyards SI April. HR RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. sheltered position. SI March to April. 20 ROSA MORTIMER SACKLER growing, with dense, weed-suppressing free-draining soil. H 1m. S 50cm. C Moist with their pure-white blooms are testament HR RHS H6, USDA 3a-9b. (=‘AUSORTS’) foliage. Robust winter annual. H 60cm. but well-drained soil; full sun or part shade. to its tenacity. Plant in the green as 14 NECTAROSCORDUM SICULUM Intensely scented with deep-pink S 50cm. C Fertile, well-drained, soil; full sun. SI May to June. HR RHS H4, USDA 3a-7b. generously as you can. Will naturalise. Alluring allium with pinky-green pendulous 17 TULIPA SYLVESTRIS buds and paler flowers held on SI March to May. HR RHS H4, USDA 7a-10b. AGM. H 10cm. S 10cm. C Moist but well- flowers that dangle decoratively around Dainty, wild tulip, ideal for naturalising red-flushed, near thornless branches 7 CROCUS TOMMASINIANUS drained soil; shade. SI January and February. a central upright stem. Looks beautiful through grass. Rich-yellow flowers open that makes picking them a pleasure. Bulbs Slender crocus that battles hard through HR RHS H5, USDA 3a-9b. among fresh-green foliage, bronze-toned wide like goblets in the sun. Each petal has A repeat flowerer that grows into a winter, opening wide in spells of sunshine. grasses and pink flowers. Bulks up quickly an endearing curl at its tip. Drought tolerant tall shrub or short climber with an 4 ALLIUM OBLIQUUM Self-seeds profusely and will spread to form 11 GLADIOLUS ‘RUBY’ in sunny, free-draining soil. H 1m. S 50cm. once established. H 35cm. S 10cm. C Well- attractive loose habit. AGM. H 4m. Robust yet dainty-looking allium that unbelievable carpets of purple across Incredibly lavish yet refined gladiolus, with C Moist but well-drained soil; full sun to part drained soil; full sun in a sheltered position. S 1m. C Moist but well-drained soil. elegantly emerges above early fresh foliage. borders and lawns. AGM. H 10cm. S 10cm. rich, velvet-red flowers that adorn a tall, shade. SI May and June. HR RHS H5. SI March to April. HR RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. SI Summer. HR RHS H4, USDA 5a-10a. 2 3 4 11 12 9 8 10 14 19 2 & 8 JASON INGRAM, 3 CLARE GAINEY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; 4 ANNAÏCK GUITTENY; 10 IMAGEBROKER / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. / ALAMY STOCK 10 IMAGEBROKER 4 ANNAÏCK GUITTENY; PHOTO; / ALAMY STOCK 3 CLARE GAINEY INGRAM, 2 & 8 JASON 9 & 14 JASON INGRAM; 11 CLIVE NICHOLS / GAP PHOTOS; 11 CLIVE NICHOLS / GAP PHOTOS; INGRAM; JASON 9 & 14 PHOTO. / ALAMY STOCK LTD IMAGES 19 GARDEN WORLD PHOTO; / ALAMY STOCK 12 TIM GAINEY *Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. †Hardiness ratings given where available. 38 39 100 GREAT PLANTS Ferns with diminutive subjects, such as wood down in early spring. H 1.2m. S 40cm. anemones. AGM. H 1.2m. S 1m. C Moist soil, C Well-drained soil; sun or light shade if soil 21 ASPLENIUM SCOLOPENDRIUM good for very wet sites; full sun to full shade. not too dry. SI June; flowerheads stay Hart’s tongue is an indispensable fern that SI Green spring to summer; autumn colour. through winter. grows in moist and dry niches. The gentle HR RHS H6, USDA 3a-9b. ripple of its glossy, evergreen leaves stand 28 CHONDROPETALUM TECTORUM out against the lacy patterns of companion 25 POLYPODIUM VULGARE One of the hardiest restios with narrow, ferns.