12 RECOMMENDED PLANTS CONTINUED

Rosa ‘Albertine’ A classic rambling rose with a delicious scent. Although it blooms only once, the memory of it will last for the entire year. The stems are very thorny so take care when pruning it. 5m. AGM. RHS H6.

Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clarke’ A vigorous geranium with large, early trusses of veined, pale-blue flowers. The initial flowering is specular, with occasional repeat flowering later in the summer if cut back. 60cm. AGM. RHS H7.

Salvia ‘Amistad’ A stunning, free-flowering salvia with black calyxes and dark-blue trumpets that has been in the garden for two seasons now. It has aromatic, slightly downy, corrugated, bright-green leaves with pointed ends. It has so far performed very well and has overwintered successfully in Suffolk. An easy plant to propagate from cuttings. 1.2m. AGM. RHS H3.

Eruca vesicaria subsp. sativa Paul and Tommaso grow rocket as a salad leaf for its fiery, peppery taste, of course, but they also try to leave a few plants to go to seed, as the flowers are so delicate, and a beautiful shade of pale yellow. As a salad crop, it is best to make repeat sowings throughout the summer to ensure a continuous supply of fresh leaves.

Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’ A good border filler with fluffy foliage, this bronze fennel can provide a striking contrast with more architectural plants. It tends to self-seed everywhere, though, so you will have to thin its offspring judiciously. 1.8m. RHS H5, USDA 4a-9b.

Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Xanthos’ A new cultivar that Paul and Tommaso have trialled this year. The daisy-like flowers are a lovely shade of pale yellow, fading to white around the edge, which mixes well with the other flowers in the garden. It is more compact than other cosmos cultivars, and as a result does not lend itself to cutting, but it is still a good border filler. 60cm. RHS H3.