Gaura lindheimeri or White gaura or Lindheimer’s bee blossom Family: Onagraceae This is such a pretty plant.  Graceful tallish fronds of soft white/pink  four-petalled flowers which look lovely for a good length of time in any garden border.  The name Gaura is from the Greek Gauros meaning ‘superb’, and relates to the striking flowers. G.

Hydrangea aspera subsp. ‘Sargentiana’ or Sargent hydrangea Family:Hydrangeaceae H. aspera subsp. sargentiana is an upright medium-sized deciduous shrub of open habit, with peeling bark and large, velvety ovate leaves. Flowers in large flat heads, purple or blue, surrounded by white ray florets.  This a really beautiful,  graceful shrub, often overlooked, but don’t because it is

Macleaya x kewensis ‘Kelway’s Coral Plume’ or plume poppy ‘Kelway’s Coral Plume’ Family:Papaveraceae Macleaya are large herbaceous rhizomatous perennials with handsome palmately lobed leaves and large airy panicles of tiny flowers.  They tend to be rather underestimated but their leaves are so soft and sagey green that they fill the back of a border splendidly

Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ or Wallflower ‘Bowles Mauve’ Family: Brassicaceae Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ is a plant that every garden should have. It manages to flower almost all year long apart from in the depths of winter.  It is every gardener’s dream as it fills and flowers and looks happy and grows and does everything you want

Hydrangea quercifolia or oak-leaved hydrangea Family name: Hydrangeaceae When this shrub works well it is glorious because of the generous,  heavy cream flowers, in conical panicles with numerous large sterile florets.  It likes the full sun or part shade, and will grow well in almost all aspects, sheltered or exposed.  Therefore it is versatile and

Allium giganteum or the giant onion It’s family name: Alliaceae   This is one of my absolute favourites.  In fact my gardeners call it my signature plant.. but then I seem to have lots of those! It likes full sun so a south-facing border suits it best, but it will survive perfectly well in north,