Unusual biennial sage that will seed about. Above the architectural leaves come the most glorious big flowers in shades of amethyst. Needs good drainage and a sunny spot. Flowers June July 50cm 9cm pots supplied

The true valerian makes a lovely, pure white alternative to ever- popular Verbena bonariensis. Heads of tiny flowers are a magnet to pollinators and are held on a stiffly branched skeletal structure about 1.2m high above ferny leaves. In good soil this perennial will seed about and light up dark corners. Great weaving its way between taller roses. Ht 1,5m

All phlox are summer stalwarts with whorls of scented upright flowers and neat leaves coping well in sun or shade. This gem however has one other trick up its sleeve - handsome cream foliage which illuminates dark corners all summer. Soft pink scented flowers with a darker eye complete the picture 30cm

Slender spires of pure white flower appear in July and August above neat whorls of deep-green leaves. This perennial never needs staking and slowly forms substantial clumps. Ht 1.5m

Unusual and tough perennial which is good for picking. The tapering, narrow spikes in mid blue are a neat as a pin and perfect for some vertical shapes in the border instead of delphiniums. Take the flower-heads off after their first flowering in May and you get a drawn-out reblooming through summer. Will gently seed about in good soil. 1.2m Sun

The classic tall and airy plant for summer. Ever popular, both for its long flowering over several months and as a wildlife mecca that buzzes with bees and butterflies. Mauve flowers in clusters appear from July to October and in the sunny places it loves this will seed about but never become a nuisance. Perennial in the South-West 1.4m

Toadlily. A truly elegant and unusual Japanese perennial which comes into its own in late summer and autumn when the orchid-like blooms speckled in purple, dangle from wiry, zigzagging stems. Protect from slugs in spring and this will slowly build into a substantial clump. Best in semi shade and associates well with brunneras, hostas and ferns. 1m

Unusual betony with large and showy dense spikes of hooded mauve purple flowers like a giant dead-nettle in May above a mound of tidy, scalloped foliage. From Turkey. Easy care and good as groundcover under shrubs and roses. Ht 40cm

This is a hybrid form of our native Betony. Very neat and upright in the garden the summer spikes are a magnet for bees and make lovely seed heads all through winter. Flowers July -Aug 30cm

Above neat, iris-like leaves, the slender spires of starry, lemon-yellow give a unique look to the border in June and July. This is a short-lived plant which likes well drained places and will seed about and pop up in unexpected places in sun or light shade 40cm

Perennial Campion Choice, lacy white campion perfect in those difficult dry and shady areas such as at the base of trees. In May and June clumps are covered with the delicate fringed flowers and attractive seed pods follow on 60cm

The strongest and most popular sedum with the best winter seedheads. This is the one your granny grew - smothered in late summer with butterflies. The pinky red blooms - rather like broccoli, are held above neat apple-green succulent foliage 35cm (Now annoyingly renamed Hylotelephium Herbstfreude)

Steals the show in September with the reddest flowers of all sedums – smallish heads and grey leaves. Cut back by half in May to avoid staking later on Ht 40 cm. Full sun and good drainage.

The best of the dark purple-leaved sedums. This perennial really stands out in the border with its rosy red flowers through September set above dark purple leaves followed by decent winter seed heads too. 30cm 9cm Pots

The biggest sedum at 40cm. Lovely pewter- tinged leaves and soft pink flowers Sep-Oct 40cm. Great foliage all summer and then the butterflies get busy in Autumn. Like all sedums, very drought tolerant and sun-loving. Ht 40 cm

One of the best hardy salvias partly for its longevity of flowering and unusual colour. A great bee plant if you keep deadheading you will have masses of purple spikes from June to November. Protect new shoots in spring from slugs. Ht 40cm by Width 50cm Full sun and good drainage.

Native sanguisorbas (or Burnets) have become very desirable with garden designers - valued for their architectural presence, neat habits and ease of growth. The unusual flowers blend well with grasses in naturalistic schemes and remain to decorate the winter garden. Neat, ferny foliage is a bonus. Avoid dry soils. July - Sep 25cm

Classic garden designer plant which delivers so much. The leaves are neat and attractive and the show of bold cheerful gold daisies continue for months in late summer just as the garden is flagging. Reliable and easy but needs plenty of water and good soil in dry summers to perform best. Seed heads look good too in winter 30cm Jul - Oct

Only discovered this marvellous little rose recently. With few thorns, a neat ,compact habit and a mass of creamy flowers from May to Christmas this is a great 'doer'. The lack of meaningful scent is its only drawback. (Grown on its own roots) 80cm

When you see a meadow thick with these native wildflowers you will want to welcome them into your borders where they can gently seed about. They like a bit of sunshine and are valuable spring nectar plants for wildlife. 15cm

Cape Fuchsia. Unusual sub-shrub which dies down in winter with huge panicles of long dusky red bells each with a lemon yellow lip. Flowers for a long time June - August. Ht 50cm

Beautiful upright phlox making substantial clumps. This was found in an old garden near Bristol. The usual rich musky scent 1m July - Aug

Nice compact phlox with clean pink flowers - each with a rosy eye and the classic musky scent through summer . Good both in sun or shade 30-40cm

All phlox are invaluable for their scent and shade tolerance. This variety has pure white scented flwrs which are great for picking with a musky, peppery scent in high Summer. A good upright perennial for sun or shade 50cm

This cottage garden plant has a unique colouration - irridescent blue/purple flowers above purple -tinged foliage. Blooms appear in June to July; they smell sweetly and last a long time on compact plants in sun or shade and no staking required 50cm

Jerusalem sage is a tough but sumptuous groundcover plant with bold - almost evergreen mats of foliage from which rise yellow whorls of flower in pom-poms up the stem in June. Great seedheads last well through winter. Ht 40cm. spread 1m +

The architectural soft-pink drumsticks of this native plant are an unusual shape when they flower in May and June making a great contrast to tulips and alliums. This plant likes average to damp soils and will spread about making good groundcover in sun/shade 30cm.

One of my favourite groundcovers - it rapidly spreads sideways - over ugly drain covers and down walls before covering itself in pretty spikes of flower which start white - fade to pink before darken to red which creates a lovely multi-coloured effect for months from June to October. In winter the leaves turn deep brown. 20cm - spread 1m +

A lovely deep violet colour. No garden should be without a penstemon because they flower for a long time and make useful mounds of evergreen leaves through winter. 50cm

This is the hardiest and easiest penstemon to grow with a generous show of raspberry pink bells all summer and willowy leaves which stay evergreen through winter. Cut back hard each spring 40cm