Favourite cutting plants from the dry garden
1. Linaria purpurea ‘Canon Went’ From dry stony, environments, linarias like well-drained soil and tolerate drought. Well-branched plants send dozens of airy spires of tiny flowers. Other cultivars worth trying are the beautiful sea-shell pink ‘Pink Kisses’ or the sunset colours of ‘Peachy’. 90cm. RHS H6, USDA 5a-9b.
2. Symphoricarpos albus An extremely undemanding shrub, with arching stems weighed down with berries in late summer and early autumn. Beth planted different species and cultivars. As an alternative try the blushcoloured S. x doorenbosii ‘Mother of Pearl’. 1.8m. USDA 3a-7b.
3. Cynara cardunculus With silvery serrated foliage and spiked flowerheads, cardoons are great for arrangers who work on the large scale or want to make dramatic dried arrangements. 1.5m. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 7a-9b.
4. Gaura lindheimeri As in the garden, the long, waving stems of gaura lighten an arrangement, picking up on the slightest breeze. Even in extremely dry conditions, they flower for months. 75cm. AGM. RHS H4.
5. Origanum ‘Rosenkuppel’ It’s a mystery why origanum is not more valued as a cut flower. It’s a wonderful filler, grows prolifically even in drought, flowers for long periods, and is as ornamental in bud as it is in flower. I like ‘Rosenkuppel’ for its darker colouring. Another richly coloured cultivar with shorter stems is Origanum laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’. 60cm. AGM. RHS H7, USDA 5a-8b.
6. Stipa gigantea This grass provides a striking form in the garden and arrangements, catching the light and providing subtle flickering movement. I incorporated it into summer bouquets and Christmas decorations, all to good effect. 2.5m. AGM. RHS H4.
7. Phlox paniculata ‘Mount Fuji’ Richly scented Phlox paniculata is an exceedingly adaptable perennial in the border and an indispensable cut flower. Available in a multitude of colours the flowerheads are pretty on their own but also prolific enough to be unapologetically used as fillers in arrangements. 90cm. RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b.
8. Pulsatilla vulgaris Beloved as much for its seedheads as for its early spring flowers, Pulsatilla is rich in texture. It begs to be stroked. There’s a range of jewel-tone colours available. 20cm. AGM. RHS H5, USDA 4a-8b.
9. Anemone pavonina Like their larger cousins A. coronaria, these anemones make great cut flowers. If happily sited they will self-seed widely in a range of colours. You could easily mistake the petals for velvet. Beth’s original plants came from the artist Cedric Morris. 20cm.
10. Alstroemeria ligtu hybrids Prized for their longevity in the vase, these multi-coloured flowers will be familiar to anyone who’s been to a flower shop recently. They are a more surprising addition to the dry garden, where they tolerate the freely draining soil by going dormant during the worst of the late summer heat. 50cm.
11. Galactites tomentosa With distinctively variegated, thistle-like leaves and softly petalled flowers in white, pink and purple, this is a wonderful annual/ biennial that mixes nicely in wildflower bouquets. 50cm.
12. Eschscholzia californica ‘Alba’ While the species flower is bright orange, Beth preferred this paler cultivar that now self-sows in abundance through the gravel garden. It’s excellent for cutting, as the buds will continue to open in the vase for at least a week. 40cm. USDA 6a-10b.
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