Rosie Catherwood

Centaurea montana 'Purple Heart'

Nice new form and I like the flower shapes. Responds well to dead heading.

Campanula

This was planted in the wall bed by the Hot bed and is under the Wisteria and Vibernum but does amazingly well and flowers every year.

Ceanothus 'Puget Blue'

Many people don't appreciate that these are scented as well as beautiful in late Spring. My one had two trunks and got very big and began to dominate the back of the pink bed so I removed one trunk and now it spreads along the fence by the terrace and is covered in Clematis montana. It also had to be cut back when I removed the Fremontadendron and they don't really like being pruned so we'll see. There's a lot of trunk and probably not enough branches.

Camelia japonica 'Silver Anniversary'

In 2012 I re-created the North facing front garden, got rid of a very old privet hedge, dug a completely new bed beside my new low wall and railings and have planted things that I hope will manage with light but very little direct sunlight. This Camelia is one of those and I planted two.

I try to buy plants that show stamens and will thus encourage wildlife and I am very happy that this one does. It's young yet and we'll see how it develops.

Caltha polypetala

Lovely water kingcup with large flowers and leaves for spring time.

Bacopa

I love Bacopa as a plant to put around the edges of pots. White or purple, it can have small or large flowers which are very popular with bees and the like and it drapes beautifully and flowers all season. A very good value annual.

Begonias

I am not a great fan of Begonias although they are useful for shaded areas. I have never much liked their thick leaves and cowering flowers. Nor do I like the enormous new double/triple garish-coloured hydrids. However, I found these two delicate, exotic Begonias I bought from someone at The Malvern Spring Show many years ago. They flower like Orchids, like sun and, as you can see, flower until very late.

Though tender, they are very easy to propagate from stem cuttings, as long as you include at least one stem nodule and some leaves. These survive over Winter simply in water in jam jars where they sprout fabulous new roots ready for planting on in Spring in the greenhouse, before planting out in late Spring/early Summer.

Butomus umbellatus

The only flowering rush. Very pretty flowers but a poor shower.

Buddleja 'Lochinch' AGM

180cms. Took a year to get going but now huge and beloved of the butterflies Peacock, Red Admiral, Comma, whites and bees. It's lovely light, mauvy blue with deep orange centres.

Brunnera macrophylla 'Dawson's White'

Lovely ground cover and fabulous variegated foliage. Self seeds much less than Jack Frost.