BEST BLOOMS FOR BRIGHTER BORDERS

Delphiniums The tall towers of blue flowers (below centre), which can also be shades of pink, mauve and lavender, are essential for a border. Delphinium elatum hybrids are the most available and the easiest to grow.

Oriental

Poppies

(Papaver orientale) Flowering at the end of May in my garden, these are a wonderful, intense splash of colour

(left). After flowering, cut them right back and they will grow back and flower again.

Gallica roses

These are tough shrub roses that add structure and sublime flowers to the garden in mid-summer. My favourite is ‘Charles de Mills’ (above), which is a rich cherry pink. Hostas I love hostas and find that slugs and snails leave them pretty much alone. Grow tough, large-leafed varieties like ‘Snowden’ (below left) or H. sieboldiana and give them a shady corner with rich soil and they will be happy year after year.

Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Torch’ A tender annual with sumptuously velvet petals of a deep, intense orange (below). Sow from seed now and it will flower from July through to October.