Ceratostigmas

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides (above) is a groundcover that flowers quite briefly but delivers intense autumn colour. Ceratostigma willmottianum is a twiggy shrub that flowers all summer and into autumn and deserves a place in any garden. Give this species full sun and good drainage and try it with bolder flowers to contrast with the lightness of the plant's form. A light trim over with shears in winter is all the pruning needed. (Greenleaf Nurseries)