Dry Areas

Commonly called ‘Rock Cress’, Aubrieta is a traditional rock garden plant that is lovely spilling out of crevices, growing over rock walls or placed in stonewalls. 'Leichtlinii' forms a low cushion of leaves that is, throughout the summer months, smothered by wonderful deep-carmine flowers.

Aubrieta has long been treasured for its delightful spring show of brightly coloured flowers. ‘Whitewell Gem’ is smothered by large, intense reddish-purple flowers for several months. Lovely spilling out of crevices or over rock walls, the plants can also be used in paving with other ground hugging plants.

Aubrietia is a very versatile plant. They are well known for use in rockeries, but the cushion forming habit also makes it useful as a ground cover; it can be planted in beds and is perfect for underplanting shrubs. they can also be used between paving and walls, or create a wonderful foil for spring bulbs.

Growing cacti is an addictive hobby and be much easier than commonly perceived. This premium cactus seed mix of a variety of species includes the famous and magnificent Saguaro Cactus. They germinate easily, grow slowly, but compared to many plants need relatively little care.

Catananche caerulea 'Amor Blue' is a charming plant, with blue, star like flowers each with a dark eye and unique papery petals. They look best when grown in groupings, rather than one or two plants and don’t mind crowding. Plant en-masse in prairie style or meadow plantings, mix them up a little with other hardy perennials and grasses.

Catananche caerulea 'Amor White' produces stunning blooms of white, star like flowers each with a dark purple-blue eye and unique papery petals. The blooms rise on single stems above neat clumps of grey-green foliage. Super when planted the border, they also make a wonderful, long lasting cut or dried flowers.

Persian Cornflower is an attractive clump forming cornflower, with bushy, branched plants and the unusual characteristic of being perennial and flowering in the first year. Very adaptable to both dry and moist locations. Large deep lavender-pink blooms adorn the divided foliage throughout summer.

Native to the meadows and woods of the mountains of Europe, Centaurea montana flowers from late spring with large flowers that are fringed in an intense violet-blue with deep purple centres and most attractive, very deeply cut petals. Easy to grow, it is an excellent garden plant as well as cut flower.

'Snow in Summer' lives up to its name in late spring when the foliage is smothered in luminous white flowers. Beautiful used as a path edging, in a stone wall or cascading over containers. Try it amongst your spring bulbs - tall lily flowering tulips above a dense carpet of white Cerastium… Breathtaking!

Camomile is a most useful plant. It can be used to make beautiful lawns and raised beds, an infusion of the plant is an ideal family remedy, calming and sedative, perfect for restlessness or travel sickness, while for gardeners the tea is effective as a spray to prevent 'damping-off' of seedlings

Cosmos 'Purity' is a well-named newer hybrid, pure white large blooms on a plant that grows only 3 to 4 ft. tall. From June to October the large, graceful, saucer-shaped flowers are handsomely offset by the masses of mid-green feathery foliage. An excellent addition to the cutting garden.

Dianthus arenarius 'Little Maiden' is a super Dianthus for the rock, roof or fairy garden. The plants grow quite densely and grow only about 10cm high. Pure white, fragrant flowers with delicately fringed edges are held above compact symmetrical domes, tight little clumps that rock gardeners call buns.

Dianthus carthusianorum provides a splash of bright magenta from June until September, producing a succession of slender stems topped with a cluster of fragrant flowers. Perfect for giving an airy feel to borders, it looks great when planted amongst ornamental grasses, in gravel gardens or in more ‘wild’ effect gardens and meadows.

Developed for florists for use as a cut flower, the super tall stems of Dianthus 'Chabaud Aurora' display the most beautiful range of coral, salmon, blush, pink and cherry flowers. They will provide a continuous harvest of blooms for cutting from the end of April until the end of September.

From late spring through midsummer, the ruffled, sweetly fragrant blooms of Chabaud Carnations are displayed profusely on slender, sturdy stems. Deliciously coloured, and heavenly scented, the creamy white petals of Chabaud 'Benigna' are outlined with the fruitiest of plums and raspberry reds.

Boasting ruffled white petticoat-like blooms on strong stems, Dianthus 'Chabaud Jeanne Dionis' has the fullest of flowers. An ideal cut flower and perfect for wedding work, they will bloom all summer long from an early sowing.

Developed for florists for use as a cut flower, the super tall stems of Dianthus 'Chabaud La France' are topped with blooms in the most delicate shades of seashell pinks to creamy blush. They will provide a continuous harvest of blooms for cutting from the end of April until the end of September.

'Chabaud Magenta' provides armfuls of magenta-violet, frilly double blooms with the spicy fragrance of clove. Pronounced shab-o, they were developed specifically for florists for use as a cut flower. With a heavenly scent, tall stems and an extremely long vase life.

Developed for florists for use as a cut flower. Dianthus Chabaud is a vintage carnation that dates back as early as 1904. Displayed profusely on slender, sturdy stems, the apricot and soft orange blushing petals of Chabaud ‘Orange Sherbet’ are striped with dark raspberry red and coral.

Chabaud carnations are something else being almost more clove scented than cloves themselves. Developed for florists for use as a cut flower. 'Marie Chabaud' provides armfuls of delicate, pale lemon yellow, frilly double blooms, they will provide a continuous harvest of sweetly fragrant blooms for cutting.

Dianthus deltoides ‘Confetti White’ is a quite exceptional little plant. Growing to just 10cm tall it will spread up to 50cm wide. The pure white blooms appear in abundance, just poking their heads above the deep green foliage. In the early morning dew or after a shower of rain they sparkle like clear white diamonds.

Dianthus ‘Arctic Fire’ is a spectacular first-year-flowering perennial that forms a dense evergreen mat. The clear white blooms are complemented by an attractive, glowing red eye. This quite exceptional little plant will and grow up to 50cm wide, it covers bare spots quickly. Heat tolerant and hardy to minus 35°C.

Dianthus ‘Flashing Light’ is a spectacular first-year-flowering perennial that forms a dense evergreen mat. The real joy of this plant comes in late spring when a large number of flowers are borne in quick succession. Poking their heads above the deep green foliage, they sparkle like ruby-red diamonds.