Front of the border plants

Dwarf dahlias

Bred for smaller spaces these don’t need staking and will keep flowering all summer. Deadhead religiously, keep well-watered and feed regularly with a high potash plant food.

Diascia rigescens

Cheery pink flower spikes that form pools of colour in sun or partial shade. This hardy perennial prefers fertile, well-drained soil and it’s immune to slugs.

Marigold

Long-flowering calendula revels in sun and may selfseed for plants next year, too. Good varieties include ‘Art Shades’ and handsome, dark orange ‘Indian Prince’.

Cerinthe major ‘Purpurascens’

Lovely, sophisticated honeywort has silvery-blue leaves and purple hanging bells of flowers. It likes sun and dry soil. It won’t usually overwinter, but it will selfsow. Plant with calendula ‘Indian Prince’, Salvia

nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ and geum ‘Totally Tangerine’.

California poppies

For glorious sheets of shining colour, eschscholzia is hard to beat. Sow direct in midspring in a sunny spot, preferably that has poor, stony soil.

Lady’s Mantle

Love or loathe it, as a low-growing filler Alchemilla mollis is unparalleled, and the limey hues go well with blue, purple and orange. Sure, it self-seeds, but just weed out surplus plants.

Rock roses

The essential rockery flower, helianthemums, with their reduced leaves and alpine ways, thrive where lesser plants would die of drought. Try at the edge of paths or cascading over walls.

Thyme

Dwarf, scented, evergreen and perennial, thyme is a great front-of-border plant. The flowers may not be conspicuous, but the gold, green or greyish foliage holds its own, regardless.

Scabious

Site these compact little gems right at the front where you can enjoy them best. Rapid to bloom and droughtresistant, they’re great for wildlife. Try ‘Butterfly Blue’ or ‘Chile Pepper’.

Tiarella

These useful plants thrive under deciduous trees or in a north-facing border and are tolerant of most average soils. Good varieties include ‘Iron Butterfly’ and ‘Pink Skyrocket’.