Dry Shade Bergenia cordifolia ‘Rotblum’ (Elephant’s Ears) H: 0.5m, W: 1m. • Evergreen • Red flowers on red stems in Spring • Colourful red flushed foliage

A versatile plant for planting anywhere. It’s evergreen so good for edging and ground cover. It’s tough so can withstand dogs and children. It survives sun and shade, moist or dry, alkaline or acid soil. It brings Spring colour or a border. Goes beautifully with Epimediums or Lamium as well as spring bulbs.

Epimedium x rubrum (Red barrenwort) H: 0.3m, W: 0.3m. • Deciduous • Foliage tinted red in Spring, green in

Summer, rust in Autumn • Flowers in Spring

Deciduous herbaceous perennial with beautiful heart-shaped leaves flushed red in early Spring followed by pretty star shaped red and yellow flowers that hover above the foliage. The leaves change colour with the season, going green in summer to rust in autumn. Goes well with Bergenia and as a foil to darker leaved plants. Good for front of border. Has won the RHS Award of Garden Merit

Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty foxglove) H: 1.5m; W: 0.5m • Semi-evergreen • Rich bronze in Summer • Dark green foliage.

Dedicated followers of Chelsea will have seen these plants towering behind the presenters in a number of gardens. Wonderful for back of border with long stems packed with bronze coloured bell shaped flowerlets. It’s technically semi-evergreen, but if the dead flower heads are left it provides handsome architectural winter interest. Has the RHS AGM.

Blechnum spicant (Hard fern) H: 0.5m, W: 0.5m • Evergreen • Dark green foliage • Architectural

Evergreen to semi evergreen fern that can be used both formally in shade or sunny borders, or under trees in less formal setting. Its fronds are comb-like and quite architectural. Good for front or mid border against Epimedium, broad leafed Hosta or other contrasting ferns. Has the RHS AGM.

Helleborus x sternii (Hellebore sternii) H: 0.3m, W: 0.3m • Evergreen • Winter flowering • Interesting foliage

This winter flowering evergreen hellebore has leathery dark green marbled leaves and purple-green nodding flowers which appear from late Winter providing interest right through to late Spring. Good for the front of formal borders or under deciduous trees. Goes well with the hostas that do shade. Has the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Euphorbia x martinii (Martin’s spurge) H: 0.6m, W: 1m • Evergreen • Spring interest • Architectural

Architectural with good Spring colour, this evergreen sub-shrub is ideal for mid border as a feature plant or against steps or doors. It has rosettes of handsome narrow, grey–green leaves on stiff stems which merge into sprays of yellow/lime green “flowers” with red eyes. Looks great with red and yellow tulips or for more muted affect with Soloman’s Seal. Has the RHS Award of Garden Merit.

Lamium orvala (Balm-leaved archangel) H: 0.5m, W: 0.5m • Architectural • Good for bees • Good for early colour.

An ornamental version of the dead nettle, L. orvala has large pink hooded flowers that appear in Spring and continue through to summer. The bees go crazy for it. The characteristic saw-edged, mid green leaves are architectural and bring colour and shape to a drab dark corner of the garden or window box. Does any aspect, any soil. Doesn’t sting!

Iris foetidissima (Stinking iris) H: 1m, W: 0.5m • All year interest • Versatile • Evergreen

Unfortunate common name for this evergreen iris which belies its beauty and its versatility. It provides all round interest with tall yellow purple flowers in Summer and orange-red seed pods through Autumn and Winter and rich green strappy leaves all year round. Can be used anywhere – sun, shade, acid, alkaline, north, south. Good for neglected corners or back of border, for softening bases of walls. Goes well with epimedium or shade hosta varieties.

Symphytum ‘Hidcote Blue’ (Comfrey) H: 0.45m, W: 0.45m • Spring interest • Grows anywhere

Recommended by the RHS as ground cover S. ‘Hidcote Blue’ produces pretty pendent clusters or red buds in early Spring opening to bell-shaped blue flowers in mid to late Spring. Its mid green leaves are interestingly wrinkled. Can be invasive. Look great with spring bulbs coming up through it. Deciduous.

Liriope muscari (Lilyturf) H: 0.3m, W: 0.2m • Year round interest • Architectural

Narrow arching evergreen dark green leaves producing spikes of purple flowers in Autumn. Sead pods turn black in Winter. Provides all year interest. Perfect for front of border or grown en mass to soften the bottom of walls or fencing. Looks good with Japanese anemone such as A. hupenhensis or A. ‘Honorine Joubert’. Has RHS AGM.

Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Joubert’ (Japanese windflower) H: 1.5m, W: 0.5m • Year round interest • Architectural

Beautiful white nodding flowers with yellow centres that appear on the top of tall stems in late Summer early Autumn. Foliage appears early for Spring interest. Leave flower heads for great Winter interest. Looks good at the back of a border, in pots and planted with Liriope in shade gardens. It also does sun.

Persicaria affinis ‘Darjeeling Red’ (Polygonum) H: 0.3m, W: 0.5m • Good ground cover or front of border. • Long seasonal interest

Mat forming, semi evergreen ground cover with waky lance shaped leaves and spikes of pretty pink to red flowers that appear late Spring until the first frosts. Leaves turn bronze in Autumn and Winter. Has the RHS AGM.

Pulmonaria saccharata (Lungwort) H: 0.4m, W: 0.6m

• Evergreen/semi evergreen • Good for ground cover • Good for wildlife.

Evergreen/semi-evergreen clump forming perennial with large velvety spotted leaves and purple/pink flowers in late Winter through Spring. It’s good for ground cover in dark spots, but also in the front of beds and borders in shady places. Very good for wildlife.

Trachystemon orientalis H: 1m, W: 0.5m • Good ground cover in dense shade. • Feature plant – flowers before leaves • Good for bees.

Bees love this early flowering plant which, though little known, is often seen in National Trust gardens because it is both architectural and spring flowering. Its starry blue flowers are unusual and it’s large hairy green leaves are definitely up there with the hostas for beauty. Great for gardeners who want to try something exotic.

Dry sun/Drought tolerant Alchemilla erythropoda (Dwarf lady’s mantle) H: 0.3m x W: 0.3m • Good for front of border • Architectural

Related to the more familiar Alchemilla mollis, this is a smaller version with grey-green serrated, scalloped leaves and sprays of yellow/green flowers in Spring and Summer, held above the foliage on wiry stems. Like its parent it has been awarded the RHS AGM. Looks good planted with Allium, Hosta, Artemisia or a contrasting Heuchera.

Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ H: 0.5m, W: 0.5m • Good colour. • Long season of interest

This semi evergreen Heuchera is one of the original UK cultivars created by Blooms. It’s very versatile whether grown in pots, in window boxes in borders. Panicles of pink flowers are borne on slender spikes creating a froth of bloom contrasting with the purple leaves. Works well with lime green or grey green companion planting such as Alchemilla, Hosta or Artemisia. Has the RHS AGM.

Eryngium giganteum (Miss Willmott’s Ghost) H: 0.9m, W: 0.3m • Handsome foliage and flowerhead • Long season of interest

The spiky foliage is grey green on blue stems with blue cone like flowers nestling in silver spiky bracts. Very architectural which is why you see it in every herbaceous border and gravel garden, often planted alongside Verbena bonariensis, Verbascum, Perovskia or Rudbeckia. If left it gives good winter interest as well. Has the RHS AGM.

Verbena bonariensis (Tall verbena or vervain) H: 2.5m, W: 0.5m • Late flowering • Long season of interest • Versatile

A favourite of garden designers as a filler for the odd spaces in borders and gravel gardens to give tall but narrow late summer/autumn interest. It’s foliage isn’t to write home about, but its small purple flower heads bourn on tall stems are fabulous and left uncut provide Winter interest. Good for planting with Anemone x hybrida or A. hupensis (see Dry Shade section), Stipa gigantean or Helianthus. Has the RHS AGM.

© Frank Wouters 2-13

Phlomis russelliana (Turkish sage) H: 0.9m, W: 0.5m • Provides all year interest

A feature plant, can be seen in large drifts at the Cambridge Botanic Garden whatever time of year you visit because these highly sculptural plants give summer colour and winter structure. They are good in mid or back border and great against dark leaved penstemons or purple leafed Heuchera. This one does shade as well as sun. Has the RHS AGM.

Saponaria x lempergii ‘Max Frei’ (Soapwort) H: 0.4m, W: 0.3m • Good edging plant.

Front of border plant very useful for growing where the builders have just been. It has a tumbling mass of soft pink flowers that billow in the wind. Leaves are narrow and grey green. Ideal for front of border, rock garden or raised bed. Semi-evergreen.

Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ (Stonecrop) H: 0.5m; W, 0.5m. • Late flowering • Long season of interest • Good for wildlife. • Flowerheads provide winter interest.

A mainstay of most herbaceous borders, gravel gardens and hot dry corners. It’s late summer flowers are nectar rich attracting bees and insects that birds feed on. Whether used in front or mid border, it’s grey green foliage contrasts well with darker leaved plants while its pink/orange flowers blend well with other later flowers such as asters. Has the RHS AGM.

Kniphofia caulescens (Red hot poker) • Long flowering • Long season of interest • Architectural

Once much derided this native of South Africa is now one of the “in” plants for both formal and informal borders. It’s evergreen, long flowering, architectural and very drought tolerant. Pretty hardy, though might not cope with -15 degrees unless well mulched. Goes well with Crocosmia. Has the RHS AGM.

Rudbeckia fulgida deamii (Coneflower) H: 0.7m, W: 0.5m

Clump forming perennial with yellow golden daily like flowers with dark centres on tall stems from mid-Summer to Autumn. Very pretty and colourful. Has RHS AGM.

Artemisa stelleriana (Wormwood) H: 0.2m, W: 0.5m • Interesting foliage • Good for front of border • Fragrant foliage

The silvery grey low lying fragrant foliage provides a fabulous compact front of border especially when planted against darker leaved plants such as Bergenia or Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ It’s semi evergreen.

Aster ‘Professor Anton Kippenberg’ H: 0.40m; W: 0.25m • Good for front of border • Good autumn colour Interesting foliage

A pretty mid or front of border aster providing some good colour towards the end of the season. Goes well with Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’

Knautia macedonica (Scabious) H: 0.75m, W: 0.5m • Long lasting flowers • Good for bees.

Upright, clump forming summer flowering perennial with magenta flowerheads held aloft on long stems which are long lasting. Great for bees. Looks good against grasses.

Echinacea purpurea ‘Magnus Superior’ (Coneflower) H: 1m, W: 0.6m

Tall mid to back border perennial with purple ping petals around a dark orange cone. Long flowering from mid summer to mid autumn.