Pick of perennials and annuals
Primula ‘Ooh La La’
One of the most exciting plants to hit the garden centres in years, these new primulas have been created in Japan by crossing
P. sinensis, hugely popular as a greenhouse plant in Victorian times, and P. filchnerae. ‘Ooh La La’ is a clump-forming plant that produces attractive, lobed leaves and many 40cm (16in) stems of large, bright pink flowers. Blooming starts in early spring and continues right through to autumn. It should grow best in light shade and in cool gardens. Good enough to treat as a bedding plant, it should survive the winter in sheltered gardens.
Dianthus ‘Memories’
You won’t be able to pass a bench of these without being totally smitten by the smell. This recentlyintroduced dianthus raises money for Alzheimer’s research and is one of the best new plants in years, combining the look and amazing scent of the old ‘Mrs Sinkins’ with a sturdy habit, better flower shape and all-summer blooming. The pure white flowers look great in the garden as well as making fantastic cut blooms. And, important in today’s gardens, it’s drought resistant, too.
Petunia ‘NightSky’
Get your summer containers bang up to date with the most talked-about petunia in years: ‘NightSky’. This is the first ever ‘speckled’ petunia and theth random white marks on the deep purple flowers really do look like stars and constellations in the night sky. Winner of a Fleuroselect Gold medal, it has a spreading habit and will bring drama to your baskets or cascade out of pots. The colouring of the flowers varies a little with temperature and every flower is unique.uniqu