Description: A superb semi-evergreen clump-forming perennial with mid-to-dark green strap-like arching leaves forming at the base. Majestic spherical heads of trumpet-shaped blue to white (depending on variety and species) flowers are bourne on lax-to-upright stems from May to August. Excellent in containers where they flower best when pot-bound.

Hardiness: Deciduous varieties are hardener than evergreen. All should be planted in a sheltered position. In cold gardens protect with a layer of bark, straw or leaves during the coldest months.

Height: 0.45-1m

Position: Full sun position preferably south or west facing and sheltered from wind

Soil: Tolerates all soil types if free draining, though they prefer sandy-grity soils.

Water: Minimal in summer and winter

Usage: Architectural impact in borders, ideal for containers

Description: Semi-evergreen perennial with dark green strap shaped leaves forming at the base and spherical heads of tubular mid-blue, majestic flowerson upright stems from May-August

Hardiness: need to be mulched well in winter or brought indoors if planted in pots

Height: 0.45m

Position: full sun and sheltered

Soil: tolerates all soil types if free draining

Water: minimal in summer and winter

Usage: architectural impact in borders, ideal for containers

Description: Attractive stout dark purple stems toped with loose heads of six or more scented funnelled-shaped rich pink flowers. The fleshy strap-shaped leaves appear after flowering and into the winter. This delectable plant is dormant during the summer months, flowering from September to October.

Hardiness: Hardy down to -5C with a good mulch

Height: 60cm

Position: Full sun to dappled shade position, preferably south or west facing and sheltered from wind

Soil: Well drained gritty soil

Water: No extra water required once established

Usage: Excellent planted along south or west facing walls. Also grows well in containers.

Description: These large deciduous or semi-evergreen shrubs are fast growing and well known for their racemes of profuse nectar rich flowers much enjoyed by butterflies and other buzzing insects. They are twiggy shrubs with pale green leaves up to 25cm long. The tiny flowers are tightly packed on long terminal plooms. ‘Black Knight’ has deep violet flowers while ‘White Bouquet’ has white flowers with a yellow eye. All Buddlejas tend to have a good fragrance. Buddlejas are vigorous growers, hence hard pruning every year to stop them becoming strangely is essential.

Hardiness: Hardy

Height: 3 x 3m and

Position: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Any well drained garden soil

Water: Drought tolerant once established

Usage: Wonderful shrubs for intense colour and attracting butterflies, either planted on their own, or at the back of a border. Can also be used as a loose hedge

Description: Phygelius are becoming ever more popular because of their long flowering period and the abundance of flowers that they bear. They grow into a fairly compact bush with twiggy branches with oval, pointed deep to pale green leaves. The inflorescences are held above the foliage and drip from the branches with dainty, tubular, creamy-yellow flowers. Phygelius have a very long flowering season and can be pruned to any size or left to grow naturally.

Hardiness: Hardy in all but the coldest gardens - if cut back by frost will return from the ground

Height: 1-1m

Position: Full sun in a sheltered position

Soil: Fairly drought tolerant once established

Water: Mulch well to keep moisture in

Usage: They are best planted at the front of a border where the beauty of their flowers can be enjoyed. They also work well in large containers

Description: A very exotic looking shrub that can be treated like a climber which is excellent for covering a sunny wall, trellis or garage. It eventually has a woody base with green whippy branches and small semi-evergreen leaves. Being in the Solanum family it has potato-like flowers, each with lilac petals surrounding a pointed yellow centre, in large clusters, prolifically flowering throughout summer. As it is not a climber it needs to be well secured to its support.

Hardiness: Hardy to about -3C for short periods, though if planted against a house wall it should be fine. If cut back by frost it will usually re-sprout from the base

Height: 3 to 6m -

Position: Full sun preferred although it will take some shade for part of the day

Soil: Any well-drained garden soil enriched with organic matter

Water: Fairly drought tolerant once established though best mulched to keep moisture in

Usage: This gem looks excellent from a distance, so give it room to expand

Description: A very jungley, ornamental climbing hydrangea, which gives a very lush feel to an East or North facing wall where few other flowering climbers will grow. It is a vigorous, woody stemmed climbing plant, growing up 20m high if given free reign, although it can easily be kept to the proportions you require with yearly pruning. The deciduous, dark green leaves are broadly heart-shaped with serrated edges which turn a delicious butter yellow in the autumn. The exquisite flowers are formed from May to July in very loose panicles of numerous off-white sterile and fertile flowers, giving a very soft appearance.

Hardiness: Hardy

Height: Up to 20 x

Position: Prefers to be grown up a North or East facing wall

Soil: Any moist well-drained, humus rich soil

Water: It will take dry conditions for short periods when fully established

Usage: Wonderful climber for covering walls, fences and garages in shady situations away form the sun

Description: The ever-popular Day lilies are a must for the flower garden. Hemerocallis are ideal in the herbaceous border; the shorter stemmed varieties which are becoming more popular are also excellent grown around patios or used as edging. Mass planting gives a strong show of colour. They all have green, narrow, strap-like, arching foliage with large exotic flowers in almost every shade from white to deepest red-black. Although each flower lasts only a day, more are produced over a period of many weeks.

Hardiness: hardy

Height: From 30cm

Position: Full sun preferred

Soil: Any well-drained garden soil

Water: Mulch well to keep moist, although they will take dry conditions for short periods only

Usage: Best planted at the front of garden borders so that the flowers can be seen up close

Description: Very desirable plants that bring colour and interest to the garden from mid-winter to late spring. Hellebores herald the start of the new year when little else is in flower. The most popular is H. niger – the Christmas rose, an evergreen perennial bearing white, saucer-shaped, nodding flowers on short stout stems in mid winter. The foliage is dark green. There are countless hybrids in a wide range of colours t tantalize the eye.

Hardiness: Hary

Height: 30 x 45cm

Position: Shade to partial shade

Soil: Prefers moist soil with a mulch of leaf litter

Water: Prefers moist soil with a mulch of leaf litter

Usage: Shaded corners of the garden where they can easily be seen in the depths of winter

Description: A. x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' is an immensely popular plant; having pure white flowers that occurred as a chance mutation on A. x hybrida in the garden of M Jobert, in Verdun, France, in 1858. Its flower stems can reach over 1.8m in fertile soil. The large, simple flowers are up to 6cm across, with golden yellow stamens. A. x hybrida 'Konigin Charlotte': also known as 'Queen Charlotte', is another popular variety with large, semi-double pink flowers with up to 15 broad petals.

Hardiness: Hardy

Height: 1-1.8m

Position: Full sun to dappled shade

Soil: Any moist well drained soil

Water: Takes drought period’s fairly well if thickly mulched to keep moisture in

Usage: Beautifully elegant flowers for early autumn colour and for lighting up dull corners of the garden

Description: Clumps of large, bold, oriental poppies get summer of to breathtaking start with their huge flowers in a rainbow selection of colours and sizes. Oriental poppies throw up a mound of handsome; finely cut hairy foliage in spring, followed by large flowers that have the silky texture of antique ball gowns, in colours ranging from traditional reds through orange and pink to white. After flowering, the foliage dies away entirely, a property that allows their survival in the summer droughts of Central Asia.

Hardiness: Hardy

Height: 90 x 70cm

Position: Full sun

Soil: Any well drained, fairly poor, garden soil

Water: Drought tolerant

Usage: They look excellent planted in random drifts on gravel beds

Description: Very majestic and proud plants, that gives great impact to the border with their tall spikes of flowers in glowing shades of red, orange and yellow with countless variations - indeed looking like red-hot-pokers. The flowering stems rise from a clump of fleshy, almost grass-like leaves, and at the tips, tapering heads of numerous, pendant tubular flowers are bourne. Red-hot pokers make a brilliant display in a garden and the flowers last for many weeks. The showy, brightly-coloured flowers are ideal for adding a splash of colour to an area or making a bold statement

Hardiness: Hardy in all but the coldest gardens

Height: 50cm to 1m

Position: Full sun

Soil: Well-drained soil that is not to rich

Water: Fairly drought tolerant once established

Usage: These plants can be used at the back of a mixed flower border for tall varieties, whereas the smaller types look good in groups at the front of a border, or lining a long driveway

Description: Hypericum has increased hugely in popularity in resent years, especially the use of the colourful seed-pods for flower arranging. The fairly short shrubby ones are best for general garden use. The simple, usually evergreen leaves are bright green. The flowers vary form pale pink to golden yellow with five petals, and up to 6cm across, depending on cultivar. Highly attractive fruits are produced after flowering. Hypericum Calycinum is a pleasing plant with dark green foliage and masses of exotic yellow flowers with enormous stamens mounding over each flower from June to October.

Hardiness: Hardy

Height: 40cm x 3m

Position: Full sun though will tolerate shade

Soil: Well drained fertile soil and will tolerate drought fir short periods once established

Water: Fairly drought tolerant once established

Usage: Very usefully for covering steep banks and covering large areas as it is a good weed suppressant

Description: These handsome plants range in size from dwarf shrubs to small trees up to 7 meters, so there is always one that will suit your garden. The leaves which have a large range of sizes are mostly oblong and pointed at the tip. Hebe ‘Autumn Glory’ has deep violet flowers in 5cm long racemes which are freely produced from mid-summer to late autumn. ‘Midsummer Beauty’ is a larger shrub with pale lilac spikes up to 30cm long and much enjoyed by butterflies.

Hardiness: Hardy to frost tender depending on species and variety

Height: From 30cm

Position: Full sun

Soil: As single specimens or in groups of different sized plants – many work well in containers

Water: Fairly drought tolerant once established

Usage: Very adaptable to any sunny site

Description: Lavatera is a very floriferous fast growing woody shrub, with flowering shoots that can grow in excess of 2 metres during the summer months, often arching down to the ground with the weight of the flowers. The cultivar ‘Barnsley’ produces huge quantities of large, open, white to pale pink blooms with a bright cerise eye. ‘Burgundy Wine’, has dark pink flowers with darker veins. The leaves are velvet and heart-shaped to triangular in shape.

Hardiness: Hardy though best planted in a sheltered position to prevent wind rock

Height: 2 x 2m

Position: Full sun

Soil: Any well drained garden soil

Water: Fairly drought tolerant once established

Usage: In a position where it can be seen in all its glory