Plant Library

Features vibrant reddish-brown flowers making a show in midsummer. This form sometimes needs staking in gardens. Great Plant Pick selection. The rich colour provides strong warm tones for summer borders.

Thrives in sunny locations with moisture-retentive soil. The reddish-brown tones are among the richest in the genus. May require support in rich soils or exposed sites. Excellent cut flower with long vase life. Combines well with ornamental grasses and late summer perennials. The warm colours suit hot-coloured schemes.

Flowers on this stiffly upright form open in early July to beautiful deep red, fading to brown-red as they age. Sturdy selection performing excellently between lower and medium-sized ornamental grasses. Introduced by Peter zur Linden from Germany.

RHS Award of Garden Merit. Thrives in sunny locations with moisture-retentive soil. The stiffly upright habit eliminates staking needs. The deep red colour provides strong impact. Performs well with grasses creating naturalistic effects. The colour aging adds extended interest.

The earliest helenium to flower and a shorter selection. Opens golden-yellow with red streaks, maturing to orange-brown. The early blooming extends the sneezeweed season backward into early summer. Shorter stature reduces staking needs.

Native to southeastern United States but cultivated selection. RHS Award of Garden Merit. Thrives in sun with moisture-retentive soil. The early flowering and compact habit make it valuable for smaller spaces. Combines well with ornamental grasses. Excellent cut flower. The colour transition adds interest as blooms age.

Tall columnar stems branching from top third have rough but shiny medium green foliage giving way to masses of beautiful pale yellow sunflowers from midsummer to early fall. When planted in lean soil, stands up perfectly well on its own. In rich soils can become vigorous spreader.

RHS Award of Garden Merit and Great Plant Pick. The pale yellow provides softer tones than typical golden sunflowers. Best in lean soil to control vigor. The late-season flowers attract pollinators. The tall columnar form suits back of borders. Self-supporting in appropriate soil conditions.

A daylily selection with late-season blooming extending the daylily season into fall. The flowers appear when many perennials have finished. Forms clumps of arching strap-like foliage. The extended bloom time provides valuable late interest.

Native to Asia but long cultivated. Thrives in sun with average to moist soil. The late flowering distinguishes it from typical summer daylilies. Suitable for extending season interest in borders. The arching foliage provides textural interest even when not flowering. Rebloomer extending display over weeks.

A Pacific Northwest native coral bells with small white to pinkish flowers on tall airy stems. The basal leaves form attractive mounds. Native to moist forests and stream banks from British Columbia to California. More delicate in appearance than heavily bred hybrids.

Prefers part shade with consistently moist soil. The native form maintains naturalistic character. Suitable for woodland gardens and native plantings. The small flowers create airy effect above foliage mounds. Evergreen in mild climates. The species is parent to many modern cultivars.

A hosta selection with substantial foliage forming bold clumps. The leaves provide excellent texture and create architectural presence in shade gardens. Flowers appear on tall scapes above foliage in summer. Slug-resistant foliage is characteristically thick.

Thrives in shade to part shade with rich, moisture-retentive soil. Suitable for woodland gardens and shade borders. The bold foliage makes it excellent for textural contrast. Requires consistent moisture for best appearance.

A low clump-forming plant with trailing stems clothed in dark burgundy-brown leaves. Red flower corymbs up to six centimetres across appear in mid and late summer. The dark foliage provides excellent contrast with brighter perennials.

Formerly classified as Sedum. Nice in rock walls and gravel gardens. RHS Award of Garden Merit and Great Plant Pick. The trailing habit and dark foliage make it valuable for cascading over walls or edging. The red flowers complement the burgundy foliage. Low maintenance and drought-tolerant once established.