Common name Latin name Distinction description sun/shade soil pH soil drainage
height spread colour flowering months Plant type
Primrose Primula vulgaris



Ordinary or damp soil
20cm 20cm yellow Feb – April Herbaceous perennial
Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris
Bell shaped flowers Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 30cm mixed May – June Herbaceous perennial
Hosta Hosta Albomarginata RHS Award of Garden Merit Variegated leaf, green with cream edges Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
40cm 40cm violet May – June Herbaceous perennial
Siberian flag Iris sibirica

Sun/semi shade
Damp soil
70cm 60cm blue May – June Herbaceous perennial
Ligularia Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona' RHS Award of Garden Merit Large reddish leaves Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
120cm 60cm orange August Herbaceous perennial
Candelabra Primula Primula pulverulenta RHS Award of Garden Merit
Sun/semi shade
Damp soil
60cm 30cm deep pink April – May Herbaceous perennial
Candelabra Primula Primula bulleyana RHS Award of Garden Merit
Sun/semi shade
Damp soil
60cm 30cm orange/yellow May – June Herbaceous perennial
White primula Primula vulgaris 'Gigha White'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
20cm 20cm white March – May Herbaceous perennial
Purple primula Primula 'Eugene'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
15cm 15cm purple March – May Herbaceous perennial
Drumstick primula Primula denticulata RHS Award of Garden Merit Neat habit, clump forming perennial Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
20 to 40cm 30cm lilac Feb – May Herbaceous perennial
Drumstick primula Primula denticulata f. Alba
Neat habit, clump forming perennial Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
20 to 40cm 30cm white Feb – May Herbaceous perennial
Cowslip Primula veris RHS Award of Garden Merit Fragrant Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
15 to 20cm 20cm yellow Feb – April Herbaceous perennial
Columbine Aquilegia Aquilegia vulgaris 'Black Barlow'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 30cm purple/black May – June Herbaceous perennial
Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris 'Red Barlow'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 30cm Double, deep red May – June Herbaceous perennial
Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris 'Alba'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 30cm white May – June Herbaceous perennial
Viola Viola labradorica 'Purpurea'
Can be invasive Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
5 to 10cm indefinite purple Feb – April Herbaceous perennial
Viola Viola sororia 'Freckles'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
5 to 10cm indefinite white with purple speckles Feb – April Herbaceous perennial
Viola Viola ?
Evergreen, good ground cover Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
20 to 30cm 30cm pale violet Feb – April Herbaceous perennial

Lychnis coronaria
Short lived perennial, self seeds freely Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 40cm crimson June – August Herbaceous perennial
Potentilla Potentilla 'William Rollison' RHS Award of Garden Merit
Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
45cm 45cm orange/scarlet, yellow centre June – August Herbaceous perennial
Geum Geum rivale
Evergreen, good ground cover Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
30 to 40cm 40cm coppery orange April – May, Sept Herbaceous perennial
Heuchera Heuchera 'Plum Pudding'

Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40cm 30cm white June – July Herbaceous perennial
Day lily Hemerocallis 'Large Yellow'

Sun
Ordinary soil
50 to 60cm 50cm yellow July – August Herbaceous perennial
Day lily Hemerocallis 'Orange/red'
Dense strappy foliage, good ground cover Sun
Ordinary soil
50 to 60cm 50cm orange/yellow July – August Herbaceous perennial
Day lily Hemerocallis 'Red'

Sun
Ordinary soil
50 to 60cm 50cm red July – August Herbaceous perennial
Black Grass Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' RHS Award of Garden Merit Evergreen, spreading perennial Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
20cm 30cm lilac July Herbaceous perennial
Garden loosestrife Lysimachia punctata
Can be invasive Sun
Ordinary or damp soil
60 to 75cm indefinite yellow May – August Herbaceous perennial
Hardy geranium Geranium 'Johnson's Blue'

Sun
Ordinary soil
30cm 40cm Lavander – blue June – August Herbaceous perennial
Hardy geranium Geranium himaleyense
Flowers born on long stems Sun
Ordinary soil
30 to 40cm 60cm Violet – blue June – August Herbaceous perennial
Hardy geranium Geranium ibericum
Clump forming perennial Sun
Ordinary soil
40cm 40cm Violet – blue June – August Herbaceous perennial
Hardy geranium Geranium macrorrhizum
Evergreen, excellent ground cover Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
30cm 40cm pale pink June – July Herbaceous perennial
Hardy geranium Geranium cinereum 'Ballerina' RHS Award of Garden Merit Semi – evergreen, suitable for rock gardens Sun
Ordinary soil
10cm 30cm purple/pink May – August Herbaceous perennial
Hardy geranium Geranium wallichianum 'Buxton's variety' RHS Award of Garden Merit
Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
30cm 60cm purple/blue June – August Herbaceous perennial
Veronica Veronica gentiodes RHS Award of Garden Merit Semi – evergreen, good ground cover Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
45cm 45cm pale blue May – June Herbaceous perennial
Salvia Salvia patens RHS Award of Garden Merit Tender perennial Sun
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 45cm bright blue May – August Herbaceous perennial
Tradescantia Tradescantia 'Purple Dome'
Grass – like foliage Sun
Ordinary or damp soil
50 to 60cm 45cm rich purple May – August Herbaceous perennial
Verbena Verbena bonariensis
Somewhat tender perennial, self sows freely Sun
Ordinary soil
1.5m 40cm purple August – Sept. Herbaceous perennial
Montbretia Crocosmia masonorum

Sun
Ordinary soil
1.2 to 1.5 m indefinite ornage/red Juy – August Herbaceous perennial
Montbretia Crocosmia 'Citonella'

Sun
Ordinary soil
60 to 75cm 40cm golden yellow Aug – Sept Herbaceous perennial
Montbretia Crocosmia 'Emily Mckensie'

Sun
Ordinary soil
50 to 60cm 20cm orange, mahogany throat Aug – Sept Herbaceous perennial
Blue Cardinal Flower Lobelia siphilitica

Sun
Ordinary or damp soil
60 to 75cm 30cm purple/blue Aug – Sept Herbaceous perennial
Kaffir lily Schizostylis coccinea RHS Award of Garden Merit Good cut flower, very late flowering Sun
Ordinary or damp soil
60cm 30cm crimson Oct – Nov Herbaceous perennial
Michaelmas daisy Aster novi-belgii 'Peace'
Doesn't need staking, much loved by butterflies Sun
Ordinary or damp soil
1.2 to 1.5 m 60cm purple/pink Sept – Oct Herbaceous perennial
Lady's Mantle Alchemilla mollis RHS Award of Garden Merit Semi – evergreen, good ground cover, cut flower Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
50cm 50cm yellow/green May – August Herbaceous perennial
Sedum Sedum spectabile 'Brilliant' RHS Award of Garden Merit Attractive to butterflies, long lasting flowers Sun
Ordinary soil
30 to 45cm 30 to 45cm rosy pink Aug – Nov Herbaceous perennial
Lyre – leaved sage Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout'
Large purple/red leaves, good ground cover Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
30 to 40cm 40cm pale blue June – August Herbaceous perennial
Speedwell Veronica longifolia 'Blue Shades'

Sun
Ordinary soil
90cm to 1.2m 30 to 45cm deep blue, pale blue July -August Herbaceous perennial

Veronica austriaca Knalblau
Attractive to butterflies, dense foliage Sun
Ordinary soil
30 to 40cm 30 to 45cm bright blue May – June Herbaceous perennial
Purple Mullein Verbascum phoeniceum 'Rosetta'
Self seeds Sun
Ordinary soil
60 to 90cm 45cm rich pink May – August Herbaceous perennial

Verbascum phoeniceum 'Violetta'
Self seeds Sun
Ordinary soil
60 to 90cm 45cm purple May – August Herbaceous perennial

Cimicifuga simplex
Sweetly scented Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
1.2 to 1.5 m 40cm white Aug – Sept Herbaceous perennial
Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium purpureum
Attractive to butterflies, long lasting flowers Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
1 to1.5m 60 to1m purple/pink Aug – Oct Herbaceous perennial

Filipendula rubra
Vigorous Sun/semi shade
Damp soil
1.5 to 2m 1.2m soft pink June – July Herbaceous perennial
Japanese Anenome Anenome x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' RHS Award of Garden Merit Late flowering Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
1.2 to 1.5 m 60cm white Aug – Sept Herbaceous perennial
Hollyhock Alcea Charter's Double

Sun
Ordinary soil
1.2 to 1.8 m 40cm mixed May – Oct Biennial
Hollyhock Alcea Indian Summer

Sun
Ordinary soil
1.2 to 1.8 m 40cm mixed May – Oct Biennial
Astilbe Astlilbe 'Fanal' RHS Award of Garden Merit Neat habit, clump forming perennial Sun/semi shade
Damp soil
40 to 60cm 40 to 60cm red May – June Herbaceous perennial
Astilbe Astilbe 'White'
Neat habit, clump forming perennial Sun/semi shade
Damp soil
40 to 60cm 40 to 60cm white May – June Herbaceous perennial
Shasta Daisy Chysanthemum maximum 'Brightside'
Vigorous, bushy plant, good cut flower Sun
Ordinary soil
60 to 1m 40 to 60cm white June – August Herbaceous perennial
Delphinium Delphinium Mixed

Sun
Ordinary soil
80 to 1.5m 30cm mixed purples and blues June – August Herbaceous perennial
Hellebore Helleborus foetidus RHS Award of Garden Merit Evergreen, good foliage plant Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
45cm 45cm green/white Feb – May Herbaceous perennial
Hellebore Helleborus orientalis
Good winter colour Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
45cm 45cm mixed Dec- April Herbaceous perennial
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea 'Apricot' RHS Award of Garden Merit Woodland or garden plant Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
1m 30cm creamy pink June – July Biennial
Oriental Poppy Papaver orientale 'Pizzicato' Fleuroselect Award Winner Dwarf Poppy Sun
Ordinary soil
50cm 40cm mixed pink, salmon, red, mauve, white May – June Herbaceous perennial
Jacob's Ladder Polemonium caeruleum
Ferny foliage, neat habit Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
40 to 60cm 45cm Lavander – blue June – July Herbaceous perennial
Prostrate Speedwell Veronica prostrata RHS Award of Garden Merit Evergreen, excellent ground cover, flowers for a long period Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
10 to 15cm 1m purple/blue April – June Herbaceous perennial, Alpine/Rockery
Chives Allium schoenoprasum
Culinary herb Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
15 to 20cm 20cm purple April – May Culinary Herb
Garlic Chives Allium
Culinary herb Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
15 to 20cm 20cm white June – Aug Culinary Herb
Parsley Petroselinum crispum 'Moss Curled'
Culinary herb Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
15 to 20cm 20cm

Culinary Herb
Bronze Fennel Foeniculum vulgari 'Purpureum'
Culinary herb Sun/semi shade
Ordinary soil
1 to1.5m 40cm yellow July – Aug Culinary Herb
Bowle's Mint Mentha 'Bowles Variety'
Culinary herb Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
1 to1.2m indefinite white July - Aug Culinary Herb
Garden Mint Menta 'Spearmint'
Culinary herb Sun/semi shade
Ordinary or damp soil
1 to1.2m indefinite pink/white July – Aug Culinary Herb
Sage Salvia officionalis
Culinary herb Sun
Ordinary soil
60cm 60 to1m white July – Aug Culinary Herb
Lemon thyme Thymus x citiodorus
Culinary herb Sun
Ordinary soil
5 to 10cm 30cm pink July – Aug Culinary Herb
Thyme Thymus vulgaris
Culinary herb Sun
Ordinary soil
5 to 10cm 30cm white July – Aug Culinary Herb
French Tarragon Artemisia dracunculus
Culinary herb Sun
Ordinary soil
80cm to 1m 50cm

Culinary Herb