Very few flowers offer such a vivid spectacle as zinnias. Available in a broad spectrum of colours (except for blue), they jostle for joy in a spectacular Latino parade. These highly decorative and irrepressibly cheerful daisies have their roots in the rocky hillsides of native northern Central America, Mexico and southwestern USA. Hybridisation and rigorous re-selection has tamed and transformed the straggly wild zinnia into dramatic garden plants with bigger, fuller, flowers of singles, doubles, semi-doubles and pompoms in myriad tones.

Around 20 species of Zinnia are found in the wild, mainly annuals but with some perennials and shrubs. The genus is named after the 18th-century German botanist Johann Gottfried Zinn, who first described the flower. Zinnias have their own style with rich green foliage setting off fiery daisy flowers and reptilian, prominently scaled flower buds.

Jump to

• How tall do zinnias grow
• How to grow zinnias
• Sowing zinnias
• How to care for zinnias
• What to plant with zinnias
• The best zinnias to grow
• Where to buy zinnia seed

Zinnias: everything you need to know

How tall do zinnias grow

The most striking are the old-fashioned, tall, large-flowered forms bred from the wild Zinnia elegans – a coarse plant from Mexican deserts, at 1m tall with single purple flowers 5cm across. All make excellent cut flowers lasting several days. Zinnia Giant Double Mixed is a stirring mix of tall, double and semi-double flowers, up to 11cm across, blended in garish shades of yellows, pinks, oranges, and deep reds. Zinnia Dahlia Flowered Mixed is similar (if not identical).

The most striking of all the large-flowered cultivars are the Zinnia Benary’s Giant Series, which appear in a range of vivid single colours. Plants are robust on thick branching stems growing 1.3m tall and 0.5m wide. ‘Benary’s Giant Salmon Rose’, ‘Benary’s Giant Lilac’, ‘Benary’s Giant Deep Red’, ‘Benary’s Giant White’ and ‘Benary’s Giant Orange’ are just a selection that I grow. Other colours are available from rich carmine red to yellow but seed is difficult to source in the UK, with the full range available only from the USA.

Zinnia Giant Cactus Flowered Mixed is also tall at 1m and has full flower heads packed with gently quilled petals. The blend comes in six or seven colours and works well in mixed borders although sometimes plants are of ragged appearance.

Recent breeding efforts have favoured dwarfing, producing ungraceful stocky plants with large flowers. Here impact seems to have conquered grace, but a few of the large-flowered, short-stemmed hybrids still retain the charm and character of their parents. For example, plants of the Zinnia elegans Dreamland Series are just 40cm high and not overly squat. Their plump double flowers are most effective at the front of borders or in pots. Coral, ivory, pink, yellow and rose and a mixture exists, but ‘Dreamland Scarlet’ in fiery orange and ‘Dreamland Red’ in deeper red, both with yellow centres, inject intense colour without sacrificing much space.

How to grow zinnias

Sowing zinnias

Zinnias are hot-weather plants that crave heat and love sun. Little is gained by starting them early as cool temperatures could delay planting out.

• In the UK, sow zinnia seeds in mid-May under glass. Germination takes as little as three days if the temperatures are high.
• Prick out seedlings into small pots or plug trays as soon as they are large enough to handle and nurture under glass before gradually hardening them off.
• Root congestion can be a setback, so plants should be moved on to the next pot size if they root through before outside temperatures are high enough for planting.
• In southeast England we plant them in the first or second week of June, when night-time temperatures are generally above 10°C. As they hate root disturbance, zinnias are better sown direct in hotter climates as they germinate and thrive without being checked.

How to care for zinnias

Zinnias thrive in light, rich, well-drained soil. They will tolerate drought but need water while establishing in order to develop a root system. Avoid excessive watering as this will reduce the risks of fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and Alternaria solani blight, which causes reddish-brown lesions on the leaf. Fungicides can be used to overcome any problems but on the whole zinnias are trouble-free as long as summers are hot.

Staking may be necessary for taller zinnias. A single bamboo cane behind each plant, with string looped around the principal stems, is sufficient. Plants should be deadheaded regularly unless spent blooms are hidden by new flowers.

What to plant with zinnias

Zinnias make good partners to a range of summer flowering plants, including salvias. Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Salmon Rose’ is a stunning cohort to the fine velvet red lances of Salvia confertiflora with a backdrop of green and cream variegated Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’. Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Lilac’ is equally effective next to intense blue Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’, flowering until autumn.

The tall fleabane (Erigeron annuus) produces a froth of white daisies all summer long, setting off the rich red heads of Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Red’. Zinnia ‘Dreamland Scarlet’ and Zinnia ‘Profusion White’ or Zinnia ‘Profusion Orange’ blend well with the pale blue South American annual Browallia americana.

The best zinnias to grow

Zinnia Giant Double Mixed

Mix of double and semi-double flowers in a range of bold colours. The dramatic blooms can be 11cm across and have a central disc with a contrasting ring of bright yellow fertile florets. The plant grows up to 1m tall.

Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant White’

Dahlia-flowered, with elegant chalky white petals offset by green and yellow centres. Grows to 1.3m tall. There’s also ‘Benary’s Giant Lime’ in a delicate lime green.

Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Orange’

Double 10-13cm flowers of intense burnt-orange petals and a large central disc. Up to 1.3m tall. All the Zinnia elegans ‘Benary’s Giant Series’ make excellent cut flowers.

Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Salmon Rose’

Dahlia-flowered. A delicate light salmon with fully double flowers 10cm across from late July to October. Grows to 1.3m tall and 50cm wide, with typically sturdy stems.

Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Deep Red’

Large dahlia-like blooms on sturdy stems in a sumptuous, rich, velvety red. Like all the Benary’s Giant Series’ it grows up to 1.3m tall. A good cut flower with high yields.

Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Lilac’

Large, lilac-mauve petals are overlaid into elegant double flowers up to 13cm across, highlighted with prominent yellow flecks of the central disc. Robust stems up to 1.3m tall.

Zinnia Giant Cactus Flowered Mixed

Flower heads are packed with quilled petals to give it a characteristic cactus-type appeal. Colours range from cream through to bright red. Grows to 1m.

Zinnia ‘Profusion White’

White flowers produced over a long period. ‘Profusion’ are interspecific crosses between Zinnia elegans and Zinnia angustifolia. Good disease resistance. Grows to 30cm tall.

Zinnia ‘Profusion Orange’

Reliable performer with sheets of dazzling orange flowers suitable for a sunny spot in a border or pots. Vigorous, copes with a wide range of conditions. 30cm tall.

Zinnia ‘Dreamland Scarlet’

The Dreamland Series produces stocky dwarf plants and plump flowers, in this case an intense red. This cultivar typically grows to a height of 40cm.

Zinnia ‘Profusion Cherry’

Another bushy choice with profuse single flowers up to 5cm across, in a vibrant cerise. Good in a border or as a cut flower. Grows to a height of 30cm.

Zinnia ‘Queen Red Lime’

A charming, new variety with an old- fashioned quality. Medium-sized pompoms in a blend of dusky pink and lime green give the flowers a delicate effect. Grows to 60cm.

Zinnia Starbright Mixed

A mix of white and orange stars just 3cm across and with yellow centres. Plants are low at just 20cm, multi-branched with narrow leaves.

Zinnia ‘Starbright White’

A looser more informal look that works well as a choice for containers. Narrow leaves below bright white flowers up to 5cm in size. Grows to 35cm in height, 20cm spread.

Zinnia ‘Red Spider’

Graceful, upwardly fluted single red flowers on delicately branched stems growing to 45cm high. A good choice for combining into the flower border.

Zinnia ‘Aztec Sunset’

A mix of jewelbox colours in shades of red, mahogany, yellow, orange, green and cream. Many have bicoloured zonal banding and some are single, some double. The flowers are 3cm wide on 40cm high stems.

Where to buy zinnia seed

• Chiltern Seeds, Bortree Stile, Ulverston, Cumbria LA12 7PB.

• Moles Seeds (UK) Ltd, Turkey Cock Lane, Stanway, Colchester, Essex CO3 8PD.

• Thompson & Morgan, Poplar Lane, Ipswich, Suffolk IP8 3BU.

• Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 955 Benton Avenue, Winslow, Maine, USA 04901.

• Select Seeds, 180 Stickney Hill Road, Union, Connecticut, USA 06076-4617.

Thanks to Great Dixter in East Sussex, where the plants pictured in this feature were photographed.

Shrubs are often described as the backbone of a garden, and can offer not only beautiful flowers but height and structure, foliage and berries.

Flowering shrubs are often excellent for attracting bees, butterflies and other pollinators, and many have the added bonus of deliciously scented flowers. They can also provide much needed shelter, food and habitat for wildlife – birds are more likely to visit bird feeders if they have protective shrubs to dart in and out of.

Read about the best shrubs for birds.

Some flowering shrubs have evergreen foliage and look good all year round; others are deciduous, and may offer beautiful foliage in autumn before it falls. Deciduous shrubs can be underplanted with spring bulbs such as crocus or spring flowers such as primulas, which flower before shrubs come into leaf.

You can grow flowering shrubs as focal points in a front garden or lawn or grow them in a mixed border of shrubs, perennials and annuals.

There are flowering shrubs to suit every garden. Choose carefully and you can enjoy shrubs in flower in every season of the year.

Are there any shrubs that flower all year?

There are no shrubs that flower continuously all year round. However, some shrubs do flower for a very long time, straddling two seasons, such as abelia, which starts flowering in summer and continues well into autumn. With a little planning you can plant flowering shrubs to add interest in your garden for 12 months of the year.

Jump to:

• The best spring-flowering shrubs
• The best summer-flowering shrubs
• The best autumn-flowering shrubs
• The best winter-flowering shrubs

Best flowering shrubs for spring

Camellia

Camellias bear rose-like blooms in early spring, in a range of colours including white, pale pink and red, and have glossy, evergreen foliage. They are woodland plants, so prefer light shade and acid soil – if you don’t have acid soil in your garden, grow in a pot in ericaceous (lime-free) compost. Read about the best camellias to grow.

Flowers: February/March/April, depending on type
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen
Height x spread: 1-4m x 1-4m
Best for: Acid soil, shade, containers
Scent? No

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica)

Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica) is a beautiful wall shrub with attractive orange, crimson, white or peach flowers from March to May. It may produce small green or yellow quinces later in the season, which can be made into jelly. It is not fussy about soil, or aspect.

Flowers: March/April
Evergreen/deciduous: Deciduous
Height x spread: 1m x 2m
Best for: wall training, back of a border
Scent? No

Flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)

Flowers: March/April
Evergreen/deciduous: Deciduous
Height x spread: 1.5m x 1.5m
Best for: mixed border, wildlife value, informal hedge
Scent? Aromatic, currant-scented leaves

California lilac (Ceanothus)

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen or deciduous, depending on variety
Height x spread: From 1m x 1m, depending on variety
Best for: wall training, informal hedge, mixed border
Scent? Yes

Pieris

Pieris are small, evergreen shrubs. In late winter and early spring, the fresh new leaves and shoots have beautiful and eye-catching pink or red tips. In mid spring, they bear small white or pink bell-like blooms. They need acid soil and grow well in pots – use ericaceous compost. Grow in sun or part shade.

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen
Height x spread: 1m x 1.5m
Best for: attractive foliage in spring
Scent? No

Rhododendron

Rhododendrons bear masses of flowers in bright tones of red, pink, purple, yellow, white or purple. They like acid soil and some shade, so work well in woodland schemes. Compact and dwarf cultivars like Rhododendron ‘Princess Anne’ are best for small gardens.

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: Evergreen
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m, depending on type
Best for: bright flowers, acid soil
Scent? No

Lilac (Syringa)

Flowers: April/May
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m, depending on variety
Best for: scent, wildlife, alkaline soil
Scent? Yes

Best summer flowering shrubs

Weigela

Weigelas are low-maintenance shrubs with funnel-shaped flowers in deep red, pink, white or yellow that are enjoyed by pollinators. Most bloom in midsummer, but newer cultivars such as Weigela ‘Picobella Rosa’ go through to early autumn. Some also have foliage in shades of bronze, purple, yellow or variegated. Weigelas look good towards the back of a mixed border. Grow in sun or partial shade.

Flowers: May/June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from around 1m x 1m
Best for: wildlife, back of a border
Scent? No

Mexican orange blossom (Choisya)

Choisya have glossy aromatic foliage and scented white flowers in late spring and early summer. They are easy to grow and compact, so excellent for small gardens. Choisya x dewitteana ‘Aztec Pearl’ sometimes repeat flowers in August or September. Choisya x dewitteana Apple Blossom is a compact new cultivar with pale pink and white flowers and also repeat flowers.

Flowers: May /June
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: small gardens, scented flowers
Scent? Yes

Mock orange (Philadelphus)

Flowers: May/June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: 1.5m x 1.5m
Best for: intoxicating scent, elegant look
Scent? Yes

Elderflower (Sambucus)

Elder is a hedgerow plant but there are garden varieties available too, with attractive foliage and white or pink flowers in early summer. These are pleasantly scented and can be used to make elderflower cordial. Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ‘Eva’ (syn. ‘Black Lace’) has attractive purple-black foliage and pink blooms, while Sambucus nigra f. porphyrophylla ‘Gerda’ (syn. ‘Black Beauty’) has reddish-black leaves and dark-pink flowers (which will turn cordial an attractive shade of pink). In autumn, black berries will form, which birds love. They are edible, but should not be eaten raw as they cause stomach upsets. They can be cooked and used to make an elderberry tincture – a powerful antiviral.

Flowers: May/June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: approx 2m x 2m
Best for: wildlife, edible flowers and berries (after cooking)
Scent? Yes

Flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa)

Flowers: June
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: around 3m x 5m but each varies
Best for: stunning display
Scent? No

Hebe

Flowers: June/July/August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 40cm to 1.5m
Best for: long flowering; evergreen interest
Scent? No

Butterfly bush (Buddleia)

Flowers: July/August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: decidous
Height x spread: from 80cm to 5m, depending on variety
Best for: pollinators, long flowering time
Scent? Yes

Smoke bush (Cotinus)

Cotinus are large shrubs with green, purple or gold leaves and hazy tufts of fluffy flowers in summer; many have excellent autumn foliage colour too. The common name of smoke bush or smoke tree is inspired by the flowers, which form a smoky haze around the plant. Cotinus ‘Grace’ is a popular variety that also has excellent foliage colour in autumn.

Flowers: June/July/August
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: approx 3m x 3m, but sizes vary
Best for: flowers and autumn colour
Scent? No

Read our guide to growing cotinus.

Hydrangea

There are many different types of hydrangeas, from lacecaps that have flat flowerheads with larger petals on the outside, to mopheads that have big round blooms and the more modern Hydrangea paniculata varieties that have cone-shaped blooms and are incredibly long flowering. They come in an array of colours from white and pink, to deep blue when grown in acid soil. Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ and Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ are a favourite with garden designers. Oakleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea quercifolia) have good autumn foliage colour, too. Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris is a climbing variety. Grow hydrangeas in sun or light shade, in moist soil.

Flowers: July/August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: long flowering season
Scent? No

Fuchsia

Hardy fuchsias have dainty, often two-tone flowers that look like ballerinas in tutus, in shades of white, red, pink and purple. They can be incredibly long flowering. Popular cultivars include ‘Lady Boothby’ and ‘Mrs Popple’. Fuchsia magellanica var. molinae makes a good informal flowering hedge.

Flowers: June/July/August/September/October
Evergreen/deciduous: mostly deciduous
Height x spread: sizes vary
Best for: incredibly long flowering time
Scent? No

Read about the best fuchsias for your garden.

Bluebeard (Caryopteris)

Flowers: August/September
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: combining with late summer perennials; bees and butterflies
Scent? Yes

Best flowering shrubs for autumn

Many flowering shrubs straddle summer and autumn – see our Summer selection, above.

Abelia

Many summer-flowering shrubs straddle summer and autumn, and abelias are no exception. They have an incredibly long flowering time, often beginning as early as June and continuing until October or November. They produce masses of small, white/pink trumpet-like flowers that are scented and a magnet for bees. They are slightly tender, so best grown in a sheltered spot. ‘Sunshine Dream’ is a compact variety. Abelias are semi evergreen, retaining their leaves for much of the year, especially in sheltered gardens.

Flowers: July/August/September/October
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: from 1m x 1m
Best for: combining with late summer perennials; bees and butterflies
Scent? Yes

Plumbago (Ceratostigma willmottianum)

Flowers: August/September/October
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: 1m x 1m
Best for: combining with late summer perennials; bees
Scent? No

Camellia sasanqua

Most camellias flower in late winter and early spring, but Camellia sasanqua types flower in late autumn and early winter, when not much else is in flower. They have evergreen leaves and beautiful, scented flowers in a range of colours, including white and red. Unlike spring-flowering camellias, they do well in a sunny spot. They can also be grown as an informal and unusual hedge. Compact cultivars grow well in containers.

Flowers: October/November/December
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 3m x 3m
Best for: autumn flowers
Scent? Yes

Spindle (Euonymus europaeus)

The ‘flowers’ of these bushy shrubs are actually brightly coloured, winged fruits that smother the plant in autumn (spindles actually produce insignificant flowers in late spring or early summer). These fruits split to reveal seeds in contrasting colours – usually pink casings with metallic-blue or orange seeds. This coupled with stunning autumn foliage makes the plant an arresting sight. Euonymus europaeus ‘Red Cascade’ is one of the best cultivars. Euonymus are tough plants that are happy in most soils and conditions.

Flowers: Fruits from September/October/November/December
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: 1.5 to 4m x 1.5m to 4m.
Best for: autumn fruits and stunning autumn foliage
Scent? No

Read our expert guide to growing euonymus.

Best flowering shrubs for winter

Viburnum

Depending on the variety, the white or pink flowers of viburnums appear from autumn to late spring. They are often stongly scented. Viburnums are easygoing, low maintenance shrubs that grow well in sun or partial shade. There are many viburnums to choose from: Viburnum tinus ‘Eve Price’ is a popular evergreen variety with flowers from December to April; Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ has globe-shaped clusters of scented flowers from November to March.

Flowers: autumn to spring, depending on variety
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen or deciduous, depending on variety
Height x spread:
Best for: scented flowers, winter interest
Scent? Often scented

Witch hazel (Hamamelis)

Hamamelis, or witch hazel, bear spidery, citrus-scented flowers in shades of yellow, orange or red along their bare branches in winter. Many cultivars also have good autumn foliage colour too. Good choices include Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’, with yellow flowers and ‘Jelena’, with orange blooms. Grow in a sunny spot.

Flowers: December/January/February
Evergreen/deciduous: deciduous
Height x spread: approx 3m x 3m
Best for: scent, unusual blooms
Scent? Yes

Read our expert guide to growing Hamamelis.

Daphne

These evergreen shrubs bear star-shaped, scented flowers in winter and as they are compact, are ideal for smaller gardens. They are woodland plants, so grow them in dappled shade; if you can, plant them somewhere close to the house, where their scent can be appreciated, even if you don’t venture far into the garden on a cold day. Daphnes can take a while to establish.

Flowers: January/February/March
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 1.5m x 1.5m
Best for: evergreen interest, scent
Scent? Yes

Read our expert guide to growing daphnes.

Mahonia

Flowers: November/December/January/February/March
Evergreen/deciduous: evergreen
Height x spread: 3m x 3m
Best for: long-lasting flowers, scent, pollinators
Scent? Yes

Woottens, in the flat lands of Suffolk at Wenhaston, five miles from the sea, was founded in 1990 by Michael Loftus, who was much admired as a plantsman. In 2016, four years after he died, his widow sold the nursery to two women who, from working with Loftus, had absorbed much of his knowledge, and shared his particular interest in irises, pelargoniums, hemerocallis and auriculas.

Auriculas are fussy, and for these they have some help from Gillian’s partner Jenny Stafford – in the past, the propagation was done by Sandra Sutton, who bred more than 30 of Woottens’ own hybrids. After the polytunnel collapsed during a storm in 2018, it had to be reclad and it took a couple of seasons to rebuild the collection. In 2020, however, they bought the Drointon collection of 2,000 show auriculas, and now Woottens is one of the best places to buy auriculas.

What are auriculas?

In the 18th and 19th centuries, auriculas were among the most popular plants collected by members of the English Florists’ Societies, and they remain popular with collectors to this day. Although the alpine auriculas are generally robust enough to grow in borders, Luci and Gillian believe both show and alpine auricula types are best grown in individual pots, and perhaps displayed in a traditional Auricula Theatre, where the vast array of different flowers in wonderful colours can be fully appreciated.

Jump to

• How to grow auriculas
• Dividing auriculas
• Feeding auriculas
• Where to grow auriculas
• Where to buy auriculas
• How to propagate auricuas
• Top 16 auriculas to grow

How to grow auriculas

Root aphids have recently been a nuisance to growers of auriculas, so I wanted to learn how they manage their plants. Gillian says these picky alpines hate being too wet, but they also don’t like being too dry in summer, because root aphids thrive in dry conditions.

Dividing auriculas

Many growers divide their plants after flowering, but life on the nursery is too busy, so their plants are usually divided in July to August. When root aphids strike, it involves removing all the compost and then washing the roots with horticultural soap.

Feeding auriculas

The plants get a root feed high in phosphorous and very low in nitrogen in early February, and a potassium feed to encourage flowers a fortnight later and then every two weeks. Woottens use a compost that is 50 per cent peat substitute, 25 per cent grit or perlite and 25 per cent loam, such as John Innes, with some added slow-release fertiliser.

Where to grow auriculas

Auriculas grow in the crevices of rocks, so they do not like being overpotted. Ideally, they should be in a shady east-facing site, with protection from wet in winter.

Where to buy auriculas

If you are tempted to start your own auricula collection, look out for Woottens’ availability list, which is usually published on its website in February. You can order as soon as the list is published, for dispatch in March, but be quick, as this early release attracts lots of collectors and enthusiasts – last year’s list sold out within a week. Most years Woottens also holds an Auricula Open Day in late April.

Address Woottens of Wenhaston, The Iris Field, Hall Road, Wenhaston, Suffolk IP19 9HF. Tel 01502 478258/07802 507693.
Web woottensplants.com Open Every Saturday from March to October, 10am-4pm.

How to propagate auricuas

The only way to reproduce an auricula true to its parent is by taking offsets from that parent. You can do this at any time while the plant is actively growing, but it is probably best to take offsets after flowering, while repotting.

• Begin by removing all the old compost from the roots thoroughly, and cleaning if there are any signs of pest or disease.

• Split the clumps if necessary or desired and repot. Any offsets can be easily teased off the main root (known on auriculas as the ‘carrot’) and potted up. Always make sure you have a section of both root and leaf to make a viable new plant.

• After division, pot into 7-9cm pots and feed the young plants with a high-phosphate feed to encourage strong root growth.

• Don’t overpot auriculas. This may lead to overwatering, with roots sitting in wet compost, when they need excellent drainage.

Top 16 auriculas to grow

Primula auricula ‘Cuckoo Fair’

One of the Self group of auriculas that are the closest to the original auricula species, with petals of just one clear colour. Easily damaged and best grown in show pots. Bred by Pop’s Plants in 1996, it has deep-purple flowers and tall upright stems. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Weirdo’

Another from the Stripe group, this is an unusual form with lightly dusted, purple and lemon stripes. An often variable but handsome plant. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Gild Green’

One of the Edge group of auriculas, which are distinguished by having an unusual edge to the flower petals. In this case flowers have a black body with a green edge. The cultivar name is thought to be an abbreviated version of ‘Geldersome Green No.2’, bred by Jack Ballard in 1970, and so-called because the original plant flowered, was named and then died. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Arwen’

A plum-red cultivar that belongs to the light-centred alpine group that are strong growers and well-suited to growing in open borders. Petals fade from a dark colour to a lighter shade. One of a series named for Lord of the Rings characters, bred by John Radford. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Devons Road’

A Fancy type of auricula, technically the rejects of auricula breeding (those that didn’t fit in with the stringent rules of the other groups were categorised as Fancy). It has a purple body and a thick white edge, and was bred by Henry Pugh in 2006. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Strand’

A Stripe type with flowers that have stripes of red, bronze and white and the powdery markings known as farina on the petals. It was bred by Henry Pugh in 2003. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Stripey’

An unusual Double auricula with small, finely striped mauve and cream flowers. Unusually for a Double auricula, it shows an open centre. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Sandhills’

A floriferous, gold-centred alpine with flowers that are dark maroon with a narrow edge. A seedling of P. auricula ‘Sirius’, it was bred by Arthur Delbridge in 1989, and named after a local sand quarry near the raiser’s home. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Woottens Ragged Canary’

Another Fancy type, this one bred by Woottens in 2008. Lightly fragrant, it has attractive multi-coloured flowers that are yellow with a green edge. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Woottens Advent’

A Border type bred by Woottens in 2008. A cross between Primula auricula ‘May’ x Primula auricula ‘Old Yellow Dusty Miller’, it has soft purple flowers. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Minty’

A purple cultivar, with pale, mint-green stripes from the Stripe group, one of the oldest categories. Bred by Derek Parsons in 2006. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Brick Lane’

A Self type that has attractive orange-red flowers and was bred by Henry Pugh in 2009. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Voodoo Mama’

A Stripe type with flowers striped deep and pale purple. Bred by Derek Parsons in 2006. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Old Irish Scented’

One of the Border group that generally resemble the species Primula hirsuta, although this dusky yellow with a frilled edge is very different in appearance. It was discovered in the gardens of Lissadell House in Ireland. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Bright Ginger’

A Self type with striking golden orange colour. Thought to be a Tim Coop seedling, named by Brenda Hyatt in 1997. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

Primula auricula ‘Helen Barter’

A Fancy type with flowers that have a purple body with a grey-green edge. It was bred in 1988 by R Barter. 15-20cm. RHS H5, USDA 3b-9b.

With perennials often costing £10 and upwards at the garden centre, it makes sense to grow your own from seed. Sown in early spring, many perennials will flower in their first year, and will come back every year, making them excellent value.

We asked four experts – Derry Watkins, owner of Special Plants in Wiltshire, Xa Tollemache, garden designer, Joseph Atkin, head gardener at Aberglasney Gardens in Camarthenshire and Marina Christopher, nurserywoman and skilled propagator, to recommend their favourite fast perennials to grow from seed.

How to grow perennials from seed

• Most hardy perennials can be sown in early spring, under cover in modules or seed trays at a constant temperature of around 18-20°C – a heated propagator helps to ensure a steady temperature.
• Once the seedlings have germinated (this can take anything from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on the plant), remove them from the propagator and place on a sunny windowsill or in a greenhouse.
• Once they have produced true leaves, prick them out.
• As they grow, pot the seedlings on into larger pots.
• Harden off before planting out in late spring or early summer.
• Alternatively, you could scatter the seed where you want it to grow in late summer or autumn, when most plants are naturally producing seed.

For more advice on sowing seeds, head to our detailed guide to planting seeds.

Fast growing flowers from seed: quick perennials to grow

Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Black Knight’

Spectacular, big, near-black flowers speckled with tiny white stamens. A tall plant, usually grown as a cut flower, this will need some support and a few friends around it to hide its rather unattractive legs. Height: 90cm. RHS H4.
Recommended by Derry Watkins

Pennisetum thunbergii ‘Red Buttons’

The red-flushed flowerheads of this grass bob above compact green foliage from late summer through autumn, gradually bleaching to buff. It prefers a sheltered position in full sun, and is quite drought tolerant once established. Height: 80cm. RHS H3.
Recommended by Derry Watkins

Read our Pennisetum growing guide.

Sidalcea ‘Rosaly’

Antirrhinum majus ‘Sonnet White’

One of the selections from the Sonnet Series, ‘Sonnet White’ offers upright stems crammed with those familiar-looking snapdragon flowers in pure white. Often grown as an annual, the Sonnet Series can also be grown as a short-lived perennial. It’s a great cut flower and loved by bees, as well as being easy to grow from seed. Sow February to April. Height: 45cm. RHS H3, USDA 7a-10b.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Cephalaria gigantea

Delphinium Belladonna Group

There are various cultivars in this group, offering choices in pink, white, blue and purple. It’s the brilliant blues that I really love. Tall stems with racemes of delicate- looking flowers make great impact in border and are perfect for cutting. Sow indoors in spring. Height: 1m. RHS H4, USDA 4a-8a.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Achillea ptarmica ‘The Pearl’

Oenothera lindheimeri

My favourite of all time – and in flower June to November. Previously known as Gaura lindheimeri, its tall stems with willow-like leaves hold aloft the white-flushed-pink, star-shaped flowers with their delicately dangling anthers. Good drought tolerance and loved by pollinators. Sow indoors January to May. Height: 1.2m. AGM*. RHS H4, USDA 5a-9b.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Papaver orientale

It’s gorgeous to have such showy plants as these poppies grow so quickly from seed and there’s a lot of choice of cultivar and colour, so choose and plant generously. Prefers full sun in moist yet well-drained soil. Sow direct in spring. Height: 1.2m. RHS H4, USDA 3a-7b.
Recommended by Xa Tollemache

Read about the best poppies for your garden.

Agastache aurantiaca ‘Apricot Sprite’

Verbena hastata

Find out how to grow verbena.

Digitalis purpurea Camelot Series

Foxgloves are a garden stalwart, and we use a number at Aberglasney, but the Camelot Series, in pink, white and cream, are the most reliable first-year flowering and longest lasting for us. If started early under glass, they will flower in their first year in a home-garden situation. Height: 1m. RHS H5.
Recommended by Joseph Atkin

Discover the best foxgloves to grow.

Rudbeckia triloba ‘Prairie Glow’

This colourful daisy can be short-lived, but happily seeds around on light, well-drained soils. This strain is similar to the species, with multi-branching stems and multitudes of small flowers, which open golden-yellow and develop an intense reddish-orange halo around a dark-brown cone as the season progresses. Height: 1.2m. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Read our detailed guide to growing rudbeckia.

Linum narbonense

Nicotiana suaveolens

Unlike most tobacco plants, this species originates in Australia and is reasonably perennial in mild winters. It has softly hairy foliage rosettes and tall flower stems, which are topped with long, slender, tubular, white blooms with muted green and purple calyces, and a heavenly evening fragrance. Height: 1.2m.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Discover how to grow nicotiana.

Geranium pyrenaicum ‘Bill Wallis’

Forming low mounds of dark-green rounded foliage, this geranium is perfectly happy in shade, producing long, branching stems covered with swarms of vivid, purple-violet flowers. Although small, the vibrant blooms appear in early spring before most perennials have started to grow. Seed sown in spring will flower later in the season. Height: 30cm. RHS H6.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Read about 21 of the best hardy geraniums.

Dianthus cruentus

This little gem of a pink has clusters of tiny blood-red flowers, with contrasting blue stamens and curly white stigmas atop slender grass-like stems and foliage. The blooms appear like jewels when planted among small grasses such as Stipa lessingiana. It prefers sun and alkaline soil. Height: 60cm. RHS H5.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Find out how to grow dianthus.

Lychnis flos-cuculi ‘White Robin’

Ragged robin enjoys moist soils and flowers in spring with pink, slightly jagged petals. This pure-white form has attractive contrasting stems and calyces, and will light up a dark corner with its abundance of cheerful and bright flowers. Height: 40cm. RHS H7.
Recommended by Marina Christopher

Here we’ve rounded up a selection of the best climbing plants, perfect for your garden. We’ve divided the list into climbers for walls, borders and vigorous examples.

Climbing plants, including favourites such as honeysuckle and jasmine, all share the successful strategy of relying on the support of other plants or objects to reach the sunlight. This obviates the need to invest much in producing supportive tissue, such as the wood in trees, and means climbing plants aren’t subject to the usual restraints on growth.

Here are the best climbing plants

How to choose a climbing plant

A climbing plant can be a wonderful addition to your garden planting, and there are plenty more out there to choose from than just the regular honeysuckle or clematis or passion flower. The way to choose your climbing plant depends a lot on the space you have and what you want your plant to be used for. Here are some tips on how to choose the best climbing plant:

• What do you want it to grow up? If you’re using your climbing plant as a screen, then you will want a vigorous climber that provides good, evergreen coverage, with hopefully flowering bonuses at some point too. If it’s something you’ll be looking out onto, make sure you pick a climber you love. They tend to dominate wherever they are.

• Do you have the right supports? A climber needs the right support, so make sure you invest in the correct plant support, or your wall, trellis or even tree is suitable for the particular climber.
• Do you have time to look after it? Lots of climbers are fussy and lots of climbers need work to prune it at the right point in the year. If you’re looking for something that you can chop once a year and then leave to do it’s own thing, consider a Clematis ‘francis rivis’ or Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’.

Luxuriant growth brings its own problems – vigour must be matched carefully to the appropriate space, and abundance restrained where necessary. If you need some climbing supports, we have rounded up our favourites,  and don’t miss our guide to pruning climbing plants like wisteria.

The best climbing plants for your garden in 2023

Climbing plants with flowers

Rhodochiton atrosanguineus

This ‘purple bell flower’ produces beautiful flowers along the length of its twining stems, and looks effective growing along horizontal twigs or branches. This climbing plant can be sown late April, or August and overwintered frost free. 2.5m AGM. RHS H2.

Jasminum nudiflorum

© Jason Ingram

This jasmine can be persuaded to adopt the semblance of a climber by training and cutting back immediately after flowering. If allowed some freedom, this winter jasmine will flower abundantly in winter and early spring. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Ipomoea tricolor ‘Heavenly Blue’

A climbing plant that’s Perennial in a Mediterranean climate, it can achieve sufficient bulk here to make its presence felt from a late April sowing, without causing too much of a nuisance. Will flower until frost cuts it down. 3m. AGM. RHS H1c.

Ipomoea lobata

An intriguing member of the bindweed family, with flowers that are simultaneously an intense orange and yellow in the early bud stage, maturing to cream. Sow Spanish flag in late April and plant after all danger of frost. 3m.

Bomarea multiflora

Twining herbaceous climber, a relative of Alstroemeria, that arises from a tuber. The trailing lily may come through the winter protected by a thick mulch. Something this gorgeous deserves some effort. 6m. AGM. USDA 10a-11.

Lonicera x tellmanniana

A climbing honeysuckle lacking scent, but abundant, vivid-orange flowers offer excitement enough. Tolerates shade and may be pruned by removing flowered growth annually. 4.7m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7b-10b. Don’t miss our plant profile for more honeysuckle suggestions.

Solanum laxum ‘Album’

A twining climber with abundant clusters of flowers that look fragile and fresh right up to the first frosts. Trim lateral branches to around 15cm in winter. On the tender side, so site carefully. 6m. AGM.

Evergreen climbing plants

Pileostegia viburnoides

Self-clinging, evergreen climbing plant thats shade tolerant with frothy white flowers in late summer. This climbing hydrangea has a slow rate of growth, but this makes it less work to restrain once established. 6m. USDA 8a-10b.

Climbing plants for shade

Clematis ‘Frances Rivis’

A good early flowering clematis with nodding flowers of great charm in spring. Works well in partial, deciduous shade as part of a woodland scheme. Prune lightly after flowering, if at all. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4b-9a.

Lapageria rosea

Achingly beautiful climber, but requires shade, shelter, good drainage (yet plentiful summer moisture), is slow to establish and an apparently ambrosial beacon for slugs. 7m. AGM. RHS H3, USDA 9b-11.

Parthenocissus henryana

Native to China, this Virginia climbing plant has tastefully variegated leaves that turn vibrant shades of red in the autumn. It self-clings and will tolerate the shade of a north-facing wall. 4.7m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 6a-9b.

Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris

A climbing plant that’s deciduous, but in season it completely clothes its space with large, green leaves and white, lace-cap inflorescences. Another climbing hydrangea that will cover a shady wall fast. 12m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 4a-7b.

Schizophragma integrifolium

• Buy now from Thompson & Morgan (£35.99)

Similar to Hydrangea anomala, although you will need more patience. This climbing hyrdrangea is distinguished  by the shape and size of the sterile florets that encircle the inflorescence. 6m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-10b.

Low maintenance climbing plants

Hedera algeriensis ‘Gloire de Marengo’

Good for lighting up dark walls without any fuss. A vigorous, self-clinging, adaptable variegated ivy climbing plant, with smart, glossy leaves tinged with white. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-10b.

Ipomoea coccinea

Delicate in growth with striking scarlet flowers, this true annual is rarely seen and deserves to be grown more frequently. A climbing plant that’s straightforward from seed sown in late April and then planted out after all risk of frost is over. 6m.

Clematis ‘Prince Charles’

A prolific blue-flowered clematis, similar to Sissinghurst’s ‘Perle d’Azur’ but with slightly smaller flowers and improved resistance to powdery mildew. Cut back hard in spring and watch it go. 2.4m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. Here’s our profile on clematis montana. 

Cobaea scandens

The most vigorous of all annual climbers, and perennial in a frost-free climate. In one year, from seed, the ‘cup and saucer vine’ can cover an astonishing area with bell-shaped flowers from late summer to first frosts. 1.8m. AGM. RHS H2, USDA 9a-10b.

Fragrant climbing plants

Trachelospermum jasminoides

The scent of ‘false jasmine’ is not that similar to true jasmine, but equally powerful. The star jasmine is quite hardy, although the similar Trachelospermum asiaticum is said to be hardier. A climbing plant that’s best on a sunny wall. 12m. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 8a-11.

Rosa ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’

Vigorous rambling rose, with delicate flowers. Perfect for hoisting up a large tree. Will take time to establish itself, but once it does you will be rewarded with grace, scent and a profusion of flowers. 9m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b.

Fast growing climbing plants

Clematis ‘Alba Luxurians’

One of the most vigorous of the viticella cultivars. Cut back hard every spring, you’ll be amazed at the coverage you get over the course of one season. This climber flowers profusely July to September. 3.6m. USDA 3a-9b.

Read our expert guide to pruning clematis.

Rosa ‘Wedding Day’

The scrambling rose flowers have the agreeable quality of changing colour as they mature, from pale primrose to almost white. The different stages appear side by side in each many-headed inflorescence. 9m. USDA 7a-9b.

Clematis ‘Bill MacKenzie’

A tough, vigorous, climbing clematis, offering both striking flowers and seedheads over a long period. It’s tolerant of drought and extreme cold, but does best in full sun. 6m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 5b-9b.

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Serotina’

Honeysuckle, with vivid colouring and a long flowering season. A vigorous and at times untidy grower; it can be kept within bounds by carefully removing flowered shoots in winter. 6m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘Chevy Chase’

A climbing rose with a touch of opulence. The flowers are small double and crimson, with tightly clustered petals. Great in combination with the dark, glossy leaves of a mature holly, which makes a suitable host. 7m. USDA 5a-9b.

Rosa ‘The Garland’

Trained to cover an archway, this climbing rose has always been the most arresting sight in the garden where I’ve been working for the past four years. Now it’s happily rambling on to a neighbouring yew tree. 7m.

Wisteria floribunda ‘Alba’

Often grown in spur-pruned tiers on a wall, although if you allow it the freedom to romp into trees, this climbing plant will seek out the sunshine to flower well, and assume something of its natural character. 12m. USDA 5a-10b.

Vitis coignetiae

A vine in the more precise sense of the word: a close relative of the grape. This climber is grown for its large leaves, which turn spectacular colours in autumn. A wonderful way to enliven evergreen trees. 12m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Clematis montana var. grandiflora

Well known for its extraordinary vigour, which makes it difficult to contain. This climbing plant’s stemmy growth can look rather untidy, especially in the winter. All will be forgiven when it flowers. 12m. AGM. RHS H4, USDA 6a-9b.

Climbing plants are a great addition to any garden as they not only provide aesthetic appeal but also offer practical benefits such as shade and privacy. With a wide range of varieties to choose from, gardeners have the opportunity to experiment with different climbers to suit their taste and requirements. Whether you have a small balcony or a large garden, there is a climbing plant that can transform your outdoor space. By selecting the right type of climbing plant and providing the right conditions for it to grow, you can create a beautiful and functional garden that is a joy to be in. So why not take the leap and add a climbing plant to your garden today!

If you’re in need of climbing supports for your climbing plants, we have rounded up the best climbing supports for 2023. Or here’s our piece on how to make your own plant supports. 

The National Collection of Clematis montana is held Val Le Neville-Parry at her garden By The Way in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and contains more than 200 plants in 50 named varieties and cultivars.

Some Clematis montana are rampant, reaching 8m or more, but clematis breeding has produced more compact varieties that are suitable for growing in smaller gardens, or even pots. For all types, flowering is longer than is often assumed, starting in early March and continuing into late June. All Clematis montana go on to produce fluffy seedheads in autumn and into winter.

Foliage is also a feature. “I love the leaves as much as the flowers,” says Val, who shares her recommendations here. Many are available commercially, although some can currently only be seen growing at By The Way.

You may also like

• The best climbing plants
• How to prune clematis and climbing plants
• Late-flowering clematis

How to grow Clematis montana

Medium and large Clematis montana 

The more vigorous types of Clematis montana can reach 8m or more, with some of the fully vigorous cultivars reaching 10-12m, depending on growing conditions. These are versatile plants with many uses in the garden.

In her garden, Val uses a Clematis montana var. grandiflora to transform a laurel hedge running down one side of the garden; its shining white blooms, which are among of the largest flowers in the group, sit like butterflies on the glossy leaves of the laurel. Both clematis and laurel are pruned together and thrive on it. The vigorous Clematis montana var. wilsonii can be used as ground cover where space permits. It forms an undulating carpet of foliage studded with scented creamy-white flowers in early summer.

Compact Clematis montana

Many varieties and cultivars of Clematis montana have been bred to have a more contained habit that is less rampant than the vigorous ones. These compact montanas grow to around 4-7m, depending on cultivar and growing conditions, and are a great choice to grow over arches and obelisks. They can be grown on the trunks of mature trees or up poles to add vertical interest to a bed or border.

Compact Clematis Montana will also grow successfully in large pots (at least 50 litres) with a loam-based growing medium with regular watering and feeding with a slow-release fertiliser. Regular watering and annual feeding with a slow-release fertiliser are both essential.

Compact clematis cultivars can be combined with later flowering Clematis viticella or encouraged to scramble up plant supports, obelisks or poles to add vertical interest to a border.

Pruning Clematis montana

Clematis montana is in Clematis Pruning Group 1. It does not need regular pruning, but if is getting too large or leggy, cut it back after flowering, in spring. Regular pruning will encourage strong growth and good flowering and will ensure that the flowers remain at eye level, with no bare, tangled stems at the base.

Read our expert guide to pruning clematis.

The best Clematis montana to grow

Medium to large Clematis montana

Clematis. montana var. grandiflora

The hardiest and most reliable, fully vigorous montana. Open, pure-white blooms with primrose stamens create a stunning display over cascading stems from late spring. AGM. Hardiness: RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b. Height: 8-12m.

Buy Clematis Montana Var. Grandiflora from Crocus

Buy Clematis Montana Var. Grandiflora from Primrose

Clematis Giant Star (=’Gistar’)

A large-flowered cultivar, introduced from New Zealand. Cup-shaped blooms with waved tepals of mid-pink, paler at the edges eventually open flat and upward facing. A medium-growing montana. Height: up to 10m.

Buy Clematis Giant Star from Norfolk Quality Plants

Buy Clematis Giant Star from the RHS

Clematis ‘Victoria Welcome’

An elegant, medium-growing, single montana selected by Val. Its delicate dark-green leaves are matched by starry white, green-eyed blooms, reflexed at the tepal edges. Not yet available commercially.

Clematis ‘Marilyn’

A seedling of C. ‘Prosperity’ named after a friend of Val’s. The mauve-pink blooms open as tiny, cream-eyed stars but mature to open, blooms with the longest, narrow tepals in the group. Medium. Height: up to 8m.

Clematis ‘Broughton Star’

Val is generally not as keen on the doubles, mainly because they prefer a richer soil, but she makes an exception for this medium-growing double. Fabulously floriferous, it has abundant dusky-pink, veined blooms that are displayed against dark, bronze-tinted foliage. Excellent  to grow through a shrub or a small tree. AGM. Hardiness: RHS H5, USDA 7a-9b. Height: up to 8m.

Buy Clematis Broughton Star from Crocus

Buy Clematis Broughton Star from Thompson & Morgan

Buy Clematis Broughton Star from Van Meuwen

Compact Clematis montana

Clematis montana ‘By the Way’

A selected seedling that has proved to be one of the best singles. Blooming from the base to the tip, the medium-growing cultivar has soft-pink, deliciously fragrant open blooms that develop into seedheads remaining attractive throughout autumn. Not available commercially.

Clematis ‘Marjorie’

Abundant, semi-double flowers with creamy-white outer tepals, becoming pink; the narrow inner tepals darker. At its best in fertile soil and full sun, the flowers open later than single montanas. Height: up to 6m.

Buy Clematis Marjorie from Crocus

Buy Clematis Marjorie from Thompson & Morgan

Clematis montana var. rubens ‘Veitch’

Small, open blooms of square formation with rounded tepals  of deep, mauve-pink with pale stamens. Best against a light background and seen at close quarters. Hardiness: USDA 7a-9b. Height: up to 4m.

Buy similar varieties, Clematis Montana Var. Rubens Odorata, Pink Perfection and Tetrarose from Crocus

Buy Clematis Montana Var. Rubens from Primrose

Clematis ‘Van Gogh’

Excellent cultivar that blooms early and continues for up to six weeks. Cherry-pink blooms, sometimes double at the end of the flowering period. Good choice for a large pot in a sheltered situation. Height: up to 4m.

Buy Clematis Van Gough from Gardening Express

Buy Clematis Van Gough from the RHS

Clematis ‘Primrose Star’

Attractive compact cultivar that grows to around 6m. From New Zealand with fully double pale, lemon-yellow flowers, pink at the edge of the tepals. It needs a sunny spot and fertile soil. Height: up to 3.5m.

Buy Clematis Primrose Star from Gardening Express

Buy Clematis Primrose Star from Primrose

Buy Clematis Primrose Star from the RHS

Clematis ‘Freda’

One of the best compact singles, which was discovered by Freda Deacon in her Suffolk garden and later introduced by nurseryman Jim Fisk. Probably a seedling from C. montana var. rubens ‘Pink Perfection’, it has open, lightly fragrant, mauve-pink blooms, which are darker at the edges and displayed against bronze-green leaves. AGM. Hardiness: RHS H6, USDA 3a-8b. Height: up to 4m.

Buy Clematis Freda from Crocus

Buy Clematis Freda from Gardening Express

Buy Clematis Freda from the RHS

Clematis ‘The Jewell’

A compact cultivar and Val’s all-time favourite. It produces posies of apple blossom-like blooms, darker on the outside of the tepals, from late spring through to autumn. It is named after David Jewell at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens and has C. chrysocoma in its parentage. Height: up to 4m.

More information on hardiness ratings can be found here.

Most of us know clematis as climbing plants with large showy flowers. But in fact, among the 320-odd species, these are a minority. Late-flowering species clematis are usually, but not always, climbing, sometimes sprawling over rocks, or forming bushes in deserts, or growing alongside grasses in meadows. Some are very vigorous, clambering over trees or rocks to reach the light, their roots usually deep in the cooler and moister levels of the soil. Others are relatively small and can be grown in containers, which makes them useful for town gardens.

Very few, however, are showy, and you need to give careful thought to placing them – you’ll want to get up close to be able to appreciate their subtle colours, and intriguing shapes and textures of their flowers – not to mention the scents some have. Many of these species flower relatively late – from midsummer, off and on, into early autumn – which is perhaps one reason they are getting increasing attention from nurseries and gardeners.

The best known of the later-flowering clematis are the ‘lemon-peel’ species: Clematis orientalis and Clematis tangutica. Both are an excellent introduction to the very large number of late-flowering species, and illustrate well one of the additional advantages of these later- flowered kinds – their spherical fluffy seedheads, produced profusely from September onwards. A big Clematis orientalis, with several thousand silvery heads, illuminated by low winter sun, can be a spectacular sight.

There are many more late-flowering clematis to discover. I would specifically like to mention the up-and-coming Clematis viorna group, a few of which are pictured here and are something of a cult in the USA, with more becoming available in the UK. With their intriguing flask-shaped blooms and wide, often subtle, colour range, these clematis (known as ‘leather flowers’) offer an enticing prospect, especially for small spaces.

With their tiny flower heads and sometimes unusual colours, these late-flowering clematis have lots of appeal, and show that when it comes to climbing flowers, bigger isn’t necessarily more beautiful.

You might also like…

Growing and choosing herbaceous clematis

How to grow, prune and choose Clematis montana

30 of the best climbing plants

Everything you need to know about pruning clematis

How to grow late flowering clematis

Site and soil

Having seen several species in the wild growing in the most appalling ground, I am not inclined to worry about soil conditions, except to stress that late flowering clematis do all need good drainage. All will need sunlight for at least half the day. The majority will cope with high summer temperatures but go into dormancy if their roots run dry. Hardiness is not a problem for the species in cultivation. The yellow ‘lemon-peel’ varieties establish quickly, but some others may be slower.

Pruning late flowering clematis

Nearly all late flowering clematis flower on the current season’s growth and are in Clematis pruning group 3. They can be pruned in late winter or early spring. Pruning can be as hard as it needs to be, which allows potentially large-growing plants to be kept to much smaller sizes, or at the other extreme, in a wilder planting, they need not be pruned at all and can be allowed to run rampant.

But be warned: clematis growth is often wayward and always very brittle, so you may find when you set out to tidy up an older plant that what starts as a light prune can often turn into something more serious, leaving a growing pile of tangled debris at the bottom of the ladder.

Plants on house walls are best cut back annually to a framework of permanent stout stems. Clematis will need both horizontal and vertical support to climb a wall or fence. Wooden trellises are readily available, but you can create your own by attaching wires to walls using vine eyes. Whatever you use, each element should be no more than 20cm apart, and preferably closer lower down.

Read our guide to pruning clematis.

What to grow with late flowering clematis

One of the great boons of climbers is that it is often possible to grow several together, allowing for an easy succession of flower throughout the year. The clematis mentioned here, for example, can be allowed to scramble up alongside wisteria, early flowering Clematis montana or roses, to provide colour later in the year. The main issue is that different climbers may have varying pruning requirements, so, for example, giving younger wisteria plants the ruthless cut-back they need in summer may result in a lot of damage to the clematis. The best strategy is perhaps to plant clematis only around old and well-established wisteria and roses.

As clematis age on high walls, more of their flowers will be higher up (one reason to prune), although this provides an opportunity to plant other shorter-growing plants below, such as the early flowering C. alpina and C. macropetala, or other small-growing species, such as C. viorna types.

15 of the best late-flowering clematis to grow

Named for the Tangut region of Tibet, this plant is found over a wide area, in many different kinds of terrain. Its yellow, lantern-shaped flowers are followed by charming, fluffy seed heads. Height: 4.5m. RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b.

This species forms the basis for many new and showy hybrids, mostly noted for their vivid flowers, often in red with creamy inners. Texensis clematis are herbaceous, so need cutting back. Height: 1.8m. USDA 4a-8b.

Dark leaves and flowers, which look almost as though they’re made of felt, give this plant a subtle, somewhat sombre charm. A good clematis to let ramble through a shrub. Best in a sheltered spot with good drainage. Height: 2m.

This lovely North American native, one of the C. viorna group, can flower from late spring right through to late summer, early autumn. Its light habit means it is good for growing over shrubs. Height: 2.5m. USDA 5b-9a.

A pretty British cultivar that is derived from the uber-cool North American C.viorna. It is extremely free-flowering but luckily doesn’t grow too large. It does, however, need hard pruning. Height: 90cm-2m. RHS H7, USDA 5a-10a.

Bearing little mauve flowers that are pale yellow on the inside, this viorna clematis is small enough to grow in a container. Flowers over several months in summer. Prefers a warm spot; herbaceous, so best pruned back to base annually. Height: 1.8-3m. RHS H7, USDA 4a-9b.

Normally, this clematis group has bell-shaped flowers, but this has white flowers with red-pink backs that flare open to about 5cm wide. Dies back to ground level in winter.
Height: 3.5m. RHS H7. USDA 6a-9b.

A small, non-clinging plant with lovely fresh foliage. Its open blue-purple flowers are larger than many late bloomers, and are produced over a long season. Its name is Japanese for ‘happiness-garden’. Height: 1.5m.

Where to buy late-season clematis

Hawthornes Nursery
Marsh Road, Hesketh Bank, Nr Preston, Lancashire PR4 6XT.
Tel 01772 812379, hawthornes-nursery.co.uk

Taylors Clematis
Sutton Road, Sutton, Askern, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN69JZ.
Tel 01302 700716, taylorsclematis.co.uk Visitors by appointment only.

Thorncroft Clematis
The Lings, Reymerston, Norwich, Norfolk NR9 4QG.
Tel 01953 850407, thorncroftclematis.co.uk

Plants that flower during the winter should be treasured far more than those that are part of the chorus of high summer. At the start of winter, one of the moments I look forward to is seeing the first few tentative flowers on the Clematis cirrhosa that covers the woodshed. I know that by January the plant will be a clematis blanket of creamy-yellow bells.

Clematis cirrhosa is one of several winter-flowering, evergreen and semi-evergreen clematis that, although they have no formal botanical grouping, all flower during the winter and early spring. With many to choose from, we should never be short of the sparkle and joy of winter flowers.

Here are the best winter-flowering clematis

Don’t miss our focus on Clematis montana, which late-flowering clematis to choose and how to grow herbaceous clematis.

Pruning early clematis

Early flowering clematis flower on growth made the previous year, so wait until they have finished flowering before doing any pruning. They do not need routine pruning but you can tidy them up if necessary.

After three or four years, Clematis armandii and Clematis cirrhosa may develop woody, bird’s nest growth. Cut back about one third of the plant to the base and the repeat the process on the other two thirds in subsequent years.

Clematis ‘Early Sensation’ and the cartmanii hybrids produce so many flowers that they often exhaust themselves and generae little in the way of new growth. To keep the plants vigorous and healthy, prune them in two stages:

• Trim them immediately after flowering, to remove the dying flower heads and prevent any energy being lost in seed production.
• At the end of May, cut the whole back to about 50cm from the ground, to encourage new growth and prevent the plant becoming bare and woody at the base.

Read our expert guide to pruning clematis.

The best winter flowering clematis for the garden

A rare, vigorous plant that in a sheltered site can grow to 4m tall. The sweetly scented flowers are followed by silver seed heads. The main flush of flowers is during the early spring but in mild areas a few brave flowers start to appear still in winter, in January. 4m x 4m.

Buy Clematis paniculata seeds from Chiltern Seeds

First raised in the 1970s, this winter-flowering clematis cultivar has proved to be a robust and undemanding plant that blooms from November to March. The flowers have a green tinge when they first open and fade to a creamy white with age. 4m x 1.5m.

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley Cream’ from Crocus

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley Cream’ from You Garden

Dark pink speckles on the inside of the flower glow through to the outside of the petals, giving the whole flower a pink blush. This winter-flowering clematis cultivar blooms between October and February. 4m x 1.5m.

Buy Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurascens ‘Freckles’ from Crocus

Buy Clematis cirrhosa var. purpurascens ‘Freckles’ from Thompson & Morgan

The most floriferous winter Clematis cirrhosa, which flowers from December to March. The tepals are longer and narrower than the species. The name refers to a part of Morocco where seed of the original plant was collected during the 1980s. 4m x 1.5m.

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Ourika Valley’ from Primrose

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Ourika Valley’ from Thorncroft Clematis

The first Clematis cirrhosa cultivar to start flowering, in the autumn. Creamy yellow buds open to flowers that fade from cream to white with age. Reputedly the hardiest winter flowering Clematis cirrhosa, thriving even in cold parts of the North. 5m x 2m.

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ from Crocus

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ from Primrose

Buy Clematis cirrhosa ‘Jingle Bells’ from Hayloft

From the island of Menorca, this winter-flowering clematis is covered with speckled, lemon-scented bells from November to March. In very cold weather the ferny foliage turns bronze and purple. Grown in Britain since the 18th century, it received an RHS Award of Garden Merit in 1993. 2.5m x 1.5m.

Buy Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica from Crocus

Late winter-flowering clematis cultivars

This dwarf New Zealand hybrid bears small buds like green berries for weeks. They begin to flower, sparsely, from January, then profusely from March to May. The leaves are fern-like and grow from thin, wiry stems. It’s perfect for a large pot. 1m x 1m.

Buy Clematis ‘Pixie’ from You Garden

Buy Clematis ‘Pixie’ from Crocus

Buy Clematis ‘Pixie’ from Gardening Express

This lives up to its name, with masses of white flowers, up to 6cm across, from February to April. The dark leaves are like parsley and the purple stems are a bonus after flowering. This winter flowering clematis holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit. 2.5m x 1.5m.

Buy Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ from Thompson & Morgan

Buy Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ from Van Meuwen

Buy Clematis x cartmanii ‘Avalanche’ from Primrose

The flowers are slightly larger than the species, but just as sweetly scented. The new leaves have roughly toothed edges, but this disappears as the plant matures. Flowers from January, and more profusely from early spring. 9m x 2m.

The buds of this plant dangle but turn up as the flowers open, from February to April. The base of the petals is apple green, making a crisp contrast with the dark, waxy non-clinging foliage. 2m x 2m.

Buy Clematis ‘Early Sensation’ from Crocus

Buy Clematis ‘Early Sensation’ from Thompson & Morgan

Buy Clematis ‘Early Sensation’ from Primrose

Fat buds, full of promise, start to appear in January and grow like bunches of grapes for several weeks until opening. The flowers are as close as you can get to a buttercup, a relative in the Ranunculaceae family. 1.8m x 50cm.

Buy Clematis x cartmanii ‘Joe’ from Crocus

Buy Clematis x cartmanii ‘Joe’ from You Garden

Buy Clematis x cartmanii ‘Joe’ from Primrose 

Big, leathery leaves emerge copper-coloured, maturing to a shiny green. Clusters of pink-tinged buds open to white flowers from February to May. The perfume from hundreds of these winter-flowering clematis flowers on mature plants can be powerful. 5m x 3m.

Buy Clematis armandii from Crocus

Buy Clematis armandii from Thompson & Morgan

Buy Clematis armandii from Gardening Express

This tender species is usually in flower in December and is as jolly as any Christmas decoration. The green, bean-shaped buds open to reveal flowers with dangling purple stamens. In most parts of the country this species needs the comfort of a cold greenhouse or conservatory. 3m x 1.5m.

Buy Clematis napaulensis from Suttons

Buy Clematis napaulensis from Thompson & Morgan

Buy Clematis napaulensis from Crocus

Another tender New Zealand hybrid, this winter-flowering clematis needs winter protection, so is best grown in a conservatory or cold glasshouse. It’s a compact, scrambling plant that bears strongly citrus-scented flowers from February to April. 1m x 1m.

How to grow winter flowering clematis

Hardiness

Clematis x cartmanii and associated hybrids were originally thought too tender to grow outdoors in Britain. In fact winter-flowering clematis will thrive in sheltered places that do not drop below -5°C during the winter, as long as they are protected from cold, drying winds. In colder areas, grow in pots in cool greenhouses or conservatories.

Cold winds are also the enemy of Clematis armandii so choose a sheltered spot in sun or part-shade.

Where to plant winter flowering clematis

In general, winter-flowering clematis prefer moist conditions but Clematis cirrhosa must be kept dry, especially during the winter. An ideal place to plant it is on a south or west-facing house wall, where the eaves of the roof protect the soil from heavy downpours.

Clematis need rich, moist soil with a cool root-run, so plant close to the base of perennials or shrubs to shade the soil. Clematis armandii needs to be well fed, so apply a generous mulch of compost every autumn.

Plant supports

Clematis cirrhosa will need a plant support at first – tie the stems in to 1m canes. As it becomes established it will twine itself around wires, posts or trellis. Clematis x cartmanii hybrids are not twining plants so they are unable to support themselves when grown as climbers. They can be left to sprawl along the ground or to flow over the edge of pots.

How and when to prune winter-flowering clematis

How to prune Clematis armandii and Clematis cirrhosa

Clematis armandii and Clematis cirrhosa are vigorous plants that need regular pruning to be kept under control.

• They flower on growth made the previous year, so wait until they have finished flowering before doing any pruning.
• Cut back growth to about 1m below the area you want the plant to cover.
• After three or four years both Clematis armandii and Clematis cirrhosa may develop dense, woody ‘bird’s nest’ growth. Cut back about one third of the plant to the base and repeat the process on the other two thirds in subsequent years.

How to prune Clematis ‘Early Sensation’ and Clematis x cartmanii

Clematis ‘Early Sensation’ and the cartmanii hybrids produce so many flowers that they often exhaust themselves and generate little in the way of new growth. To keep the plants vigorous and healthy, prune them in two stages:

• Trim clematis immediately after the flowers have finished, to remove the dying flower heads and prevent any energy being lost in seed production.
• At the end of May, cut the whole plant back to about 50cm from the soil, to encourage new growth and prevent the plant from becoming bare and woody at the base.

How to prune Clematis paniculata

Clematis paniculata tends to be spindly, but looks better with bushy growth.

• For a few years after planting, cut back to 60cm from the ground.
• Once it has become bushy, allow it to grow into the size you want and then trim it back each year after flowering.

Don’t miss our pruning guide on how to prune climbing plants.

Spring, summer, autumn, winter: planting by season makes sense. Spring flowers are the sort to lift one’s spirits after the long winter months. Spring flowers can be fresh, invigorating and energising. Here are the spring flowers we love the most.

You may also like

• Wild-style spring plant display for the container garden
• The best spring bulbs to plant in autumn
• The brightest and best wallflowers

The best spring flowers to plant

Anemone nemorosa ‘Kentish Pink’

I’m always amazed that Anemone nemorosa doesn’t generate the same levels of excitement as snowdrops in springtime. These wood anemone offer far more variation – the Austrian breeder Christian Kress has a collection of 140 types – and naturalise well. This cultivar is almost white but the backs of the petal-like sepals are pink, so in full sun it looks like a typical, white wood anemone, but when light is low, and the spring flowers start to close, its appearance changes completely. In some lights the flowers can appear dark pink. Height 20cm. Origin Western Europe. Conditions Well-drained, humus-rich soil; part shade.  Hardiness RHS H6, USDA 5a-8b. Season Spring.

Paeonia lactiflora ‘Hot Chocolate’

This early season spring is peony is an unusual colour combination with dark-red spring flowers and a pompom-like boss of frilly petaloids.

Here’s our guide to peonies

Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’

This classic long-flowering mauve erysimum forms a tall, upright plant that stays erect. Longer-lived than many. A spring flower that deserves a place in every garden, but sadly not scented. Can set a little seed on rare occasions.

Here’s everything you need to know about erysimum

Fritillaria raddeana

Fritillaries feel like an unstoppable  force of nature. You turn away for a couple of days and then suddenly  there are numerous new stems with shiny green foliage. This fritillary’s spring flowers have a beautifully subtle,  lime-green colour, which fits perfectly into spring’s colour palette. They’re also large, making this a very striking plant. It is one of the first fritillaries to flower and prefers well-drained soil  and hot dry summers. After flowering, it evolves into large, angular seedpods that look wonderful when used in  flower arrangements. Height 70cm. Origin Central Asia. Conditions Well-drained, humus-rich soil; full sun or part shade. Hardiness RHS H7, USDA 5a-8b. Season Spring.

Here’s more on fritillaria

Cornus ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’

This dogwood has large, rounded, creamy-white flowers appear in early spring, and are spectacular after a good summer the previous year. Crimson-pink autumn colour. Upright and narrow in habit. Height 4m. Hardiness rating RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Read more about the best flowering dogwoods.

Cornus ‘Porlock’

• Find now through the RHS

Flowering from an early age, this large, spreading cultivar produces abundant creamy bracts that colour pink as they age, and are followed by luxuriant strawberry-like fruits in autumn. Easy to grow, this spring flowering dogwood is tolerant of most soils, apart from shallow chalk. Height 5m. Hardiness rating RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.

Read more about the best flowering dogwoods.

Digitalis purpurea ‘Dalmatian Purple’

An elegant, short-lived and well branched perennial foxglove, that flowers in its first year, with dense, sturdy spikes of evenly spaced, outward-facing spring flowers. These are lavender purple with maroon interior spotting and evenly spaced around an upright stem. Self-seeds freely. Height 90cm. Hardiness USDA 4a-9b.

Here’s our guide to foxgloves

Magnolia ‘Yellow Fever’

• Find now through the RHS

A small tree with an upright habit. Its large, pale-yellow flowers are flushed pink and appear before the foliage during April. The yellow magnolia spring flowers have a sweet fragrance and over time fade to an ivory-cream colour. A hybrid with Magnolia denudata. 5m. USDA 4a-8b.

Erysimum ‘Apricot Twist’

Another foot-high erysimum with vivid apricot flowers emerging from dark buds against dark-green foliage. A spring flower that must be cut back regularly, otherwise it tails off. Very readily available here and in America. Lovely with dark tulips. Fragrant.

Read our piece on growing erysimum

Corydalis nobilis

In his book Garden Myths, Robert Pavlis describes how the botanist Carl Linnaeus received some incorrectly labelled seeds that he planted out in his garden. They turned out to be Corydalis nobilis, and from his garden in Sweden the plant has now naturalised all over much of northern Europe. I find this a beautiful story for a beautiful plant. It’s one of the largest corydalis with striking yellow-brown flowers. Most plants need some heat to see a real spurt of growth, but this plant benefits from cold to form up  a solid plant. If spring is too warm it slows and collapses. Height 50cm. Origin Altai Mountains and central Asia. Conditions Dry to moderately moist  soil; full sun. Hardiness RHS H7, USDA 3b-8b. Season Spring.

Here’s how to grow corydalis

Every petal on this peony is smooth, scented, creamy-white. It double flowers, curves inwards and forms a bowl-like centre. Spring flowers from early mid season to late season. 80cm. RHS H6.

Deciduous leaves have up to 15 divisions. The small, flowers are mainly green inside with reddish-purple backs. Still confused with the Helleborus orientalis cultivar once known as ‘Atrorubens’, now called Early Purple Group. Spring flowers from February to March. 25-35cm. RHS H5, USDA 6a-8b.

Read our guide to hellebores

Whether you’re thinking of beginning as a flower farmer professionally, want a few cut flowers for your own use, or would like to have a go at making a boutonniere or buttonhole flowers, having a selection of blooms that will look perfect in a cut flower arrangement can be a satisfying way of lifting the mood and bringing the outside in to your house.

The below selection all come from James Rowe’s flower farm, which grows cut flowers in the grounds of a medieval priory in North Yorkshire. With approximately two acres, the farm has excellent loam which has been well-worked over decades. The climate can be affected by a cold sea-fret as the farm is only five miles from the North Sea, but below’s selection are a few that work very well in the farm. James is the third generation of growers at the priory, his father Eddy sows seeds directly into the ground in mid-April in long rows for ease of picking.

Everyone’s plot is different, so you need to pick the right cut flowers for you. But below is a good starting point, with a selection of cut flowers that will have your friends and family asking who your florist is.

Daunted by sowing seeds? Read our expert guide to planting seeds.

The best cut flowers to grow in the garden

A waterlily-type dahlia with ivory petals that show a tinge of violet as they develop, and which grows to more than a metre in height. Keep deadheading them to keep the flowers coming. To keep them coming back every year, lift and store tubers over winter. 1.2m. RHS H3, USDA 7a-10b.

With bi-coloured flowers in shades of cream, dusty-rose and ruby-red, this is an exceptionally easy sunflower to grow and perfect for your cut flower collection. When the central flower starts to form, cut it out and then many side shoots form with smaller flowers. Cut when first petals appear and strip off lower leaves. 1.8m. USDA 2a-11.

Offers large salmon-bronze flowers on strong stems that grow to over a metre in height. Pinch out early flower buds, which then produce flowers on longer stems: good for cut flowers. 1.25m. USDA 7a-10b.

A half-hardy annual that is best started off with gentle heat in April, and will then bloom from late July onwards. Deadhead regularly to encourage flowering and for cut flower use for longer. 30cm. USDA 3a-7b.

Tri-coloured gladioli with white and rose pink petals with a creamy throat. Needs fertile, well-drained soil in full sun but lift  and store the corms overwinter as they dislike winter wet. 1m. USDA 7a-10b.

A reliable, hardy perennial scabious, grown easily from seed and flowering in its first year. Known as a pincushion flower, it has ruffles of dark-pink petals laced with cream. This cut flower likes well-drained soil. 60cm.

A deep, velvety red, glamorous rudbeckia with long stalks and a vase life of around ten days. Get your order for seeds in early, as they sell out very quickly. 60cm. RHS H3, USDA 3a-7b.

An annual grass that is excellent as a bouquet filler in your cut flower arrangement. Beware though, as mice love this grass as much as you, so protect the seeds when you sow them in mid-March. 60-80cm.

A half-hardy cut flower annual, but will overwinter in milder parts of the country. Very dramatic long-lasting flowers in deep blackcurrant with contrasting white stigmas. 90cm. USDA 9a-11.

A hardy annual grown mainly as a cut flower for its dramatic, papery and long-lasting seedheads. Can be set from seed in either September or early March. Quick to germinate. 60cm.

A real show-stopping cut flower looking like a hat designed by Gertrude Shilling. A vigorous grower that is very easy to take root cuttings from in early February. Store tubers over winter. 1m. USDA 7a-10b.

An F1 hybrid, so a little more expensive for the seed, but a very reliable cut flower with a huge sturdy stem and flowers that don’t shed pollen. 1.5m.

Discover the Old Priory

Early autumn in the picking garden with Zinnia ‘Benary’s Giant Mixed’, Scabiosa atropurpurea ‘Salmon Queen’ and foxtail millet (Setaria italica ‘Red Jewel’). All of these are annual flowers and need to be  sown in March and they begin  to flower in late summer all the way through to October.

The dahlia fields in front of the medieval barn, which is now used for drying flowers from July onwards. The dahlias are planted out into the soil in mid-May,
disbudded until mid July, and then flower until the first frosts in late October.