24 KEY PLANTS
1 Tulbaghia ‘Hazel’
An unusually coloured Tulbaghia hybrid. In common with other species in this genus the flowers are edible, and in this case they are also strongly scented. 40cm. RHS H3†. 2 Consolida regalis ‘Blue Cloud’
A far cry from the usual columnar delphiniums, this forking larkspur produces a bushy plant with clouds of delicate, blue flowers. Easy to grow from seed. 60cm. RHS H3-H4. 3 Cryptotaenia japonica f. atropurpurea
This delicious, desirable, purple Japanese parsley is good raw in salads and the bronze leaves and red stems make a handsome foil to other plants. 1m. RHS H4.
4 Orlaya grandiflora
Its clusters of white flowers above ferny foliage look like lace-cap hydrangeas. Kim loves to fling seeds of this hardy annual around the border to see where it comes up. 65cm. AGM*. RHS H7. 5 Stachys recta
Pale, lemon-yellow flowers appear on dense, upright stems in June and continue until October. A good filler and much loved by bees. 30cm. RHS H3-H4.
6 Allium siculum
Fantastic for bees and interesting at every stage of its development, from the arrow-headed buds in their silk-thin sheaths to the clusters of drooping, bell-like flowers. 75cm. RHS H7. 7 Iris ‘Parisian Dawn’
Apricot petals with tangerine beards and mauve bands on the ruffled falls make this a real eye-catcher in the border. It flowers prolifically too, lasting for up to six weeks. 90cm. 8 Persicaria x fennica ‘Johanniswolke’
The giant, white, fleece flower is a statuesque plant with a froth of foamy blooms on attractive, dark stems. Doesn’t run and turns a nice bronze as it ages. 2m. AGM. RHS H6, USDA 4a-9b. 9 Eryngium bourgatii
With their silvery colour and spiky form, eryngiums are always striking plants. This species has deeply lobed, marbled leaves and pale-blue, cone-like flowers. Leave the seedheads for the finches. 45cm. RHS H5, USDA 5a-8b.
10 Lysimachia atropurpurea ‘Beaujolais’
Kim likes the quirky form and grey-green foliage of the crimson loosestrife, which she pairs with shorter grasses such as Stipa tenuissima. 60cm. RHS H6, USDA 4a-8b. 11 Rosa ‘Rambling Rector’
A super-healthy, super-vigorous rose, tough enough to withstand exposed conditions and able to cling on to the old barn’s stanchions. 7.5m. AGM. RHS H6.
12 Allium atropurpureum
A hardy perennial bulb with a rich, dark hue that lifts other plants well. 60cm. RHS H5.
24 key plants continues on page 47.