Get Planting... crocosmia for summer displays

These rewarding perennials are one of the mainstays of the summer garden. Predominantly originating from the damp grasslands of South Africa, the seven species have been hybridised to produce more than 250 varieties, producing tubular or splayed, star-like blooms in shades and combinations of red, orange and yellow, all of which add sparkle to high summer borders until autumn.

Plants produce a sheaf of sword-like, herbaceous foliage from small corms planted from autumn to early spring, 10cm (4in) deep and as much apart. They’re ideal for filling gaps and planting in drifts in the mid border when the leaves and flower stems can launch themselves over smaller plantings. En masse they add staccato blobs of colour, but can also be threaded among other perennials for vibrant blasts of colour, contrasting with blue, purple or white scabious, or provide complementary tones to the daisy flowers of helenium and gaillardia. They’re also good teamed with dahlias, cannas, hemerocallis and salvias for a subtropical look.

Crocosmia perform best in a sunny or lightly shaded spot in moist, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter, rather than poor, dry soil, but avoid over-fertilising them as they’ll grow too leafy and flop. Taller varieties may need support from stronger perennials in front or a wire framework. Plants can be bought in various ways at the moment, as ready-potted clumps or bagged dry corms that can be put straight into the ground. If you’re not ready then dry corms can be planted in pots