Butterfly Garden

Anchusa italica is a wonderfully statuesque plant with vibrant, gentian blue flowers, dense foliage and lance shaped mid green leaves. 'Dropmore' is a 1905 selection that is still available today. They will thrive in a sunny border and make a great companion to rich plums and purple tones.

Incredibly easy to grow the Annual Dwarf Flowers Mix grows to around 30cm (12in) tall. Flowering just 10 to 12 weeks from sowing, these fast-growing plants provide an easy and cost-effective way to give naturalistic planting, plug gaps and fill the border with a summer full of colour.

The Semi-Tall Flowers Mix is a richly flowering mixture of that produces large quantities of 50cm (20in) tall annual flowers for the border or for cutting. As well as being ornamental, they will provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies and other insects from early in the year to late in the season.

Composed of a finely balanced selection of annual flowers designed to provide a long succession of flowers from June to September, the Tall Flowers Mix grows 60 to 70cm (24 to 28in) tall and produces large quantities of flowers that are ideal for the border and for the vase.

Asphodeline lutea is an easy to grow perennial that has great architectural form. The overall impression is distinctly upright, so it is good for adding vertical interest to the garden. In early summer leafy stems arise that bear dense, unbranched cylindrical spikes of gorgeous yellow, star-shaped flowers.

‘Indian Prince' has unique petals quite unlike other Calendula, the dark orange rays are in layers of orange, backed with rich mahogany red petals. Easily grown, sown direct in spring or in autumn, they are perfect candidates for cutting and flower arrangements.

Cheerful and bright, use Calendula in beds, borders or containers. Calendula is prolific and durable, and like most hardy annuals it is easy to grow, simply sow where it is to flower. It is currently one of the top herbs used for medicinal use. Sprinkle salads and decorate cakes with the edible tangy petals.

Calendula officinalis 'Cut Flower Mix’ is a specially selected mix of colours and types, each with long stems designed for cutting. They grow to a height of around 70 to 80cm, are an excellent variety for borders and make a stunning cut flower. Clip spent flowers to achieve a longer blooming season.

Calendula officinalis ‘Ivory Princess’ is a tall show stopper with giant buttery flowers. The petals are a mix of creamy buff-yellow with tips of the serrated, buttercream petals having the tiniest outline of brown, giving a ruffled, lacy effect which beautifully compliments the dark brown eye.

Calendula officinalis 'Neon' is a true showstopper. The densely set, double flowers glow with deep orange petals each with bronze tips. Growing to a height of around 60 to 70cm they are the essence of early summer colour in the garden and make a stunning cut flower.

A delightful compact mix of single and semi-double forms, the daisy-like open petals of 'Oopsy Daisy' are bright in the centre with dark tips. Easy to grow they thrive in the cooler weather of spring and autumn. This is an excellent variety for borders and containers and will add cheer to any location.

Don’t be misled by the name - Calendula officinalis 'Orange Flash' produces stunning peachy apricot-copper coloured blooms with darker shades of ombré-rose on the reverse. They grow to a height of around 60cm and a spread of 45cm, are an excellent variety for borders and make a stunning cut flower.

'Sunset Buff' is a lovely, more subtle coloured calendula. It is the soft apricot-buff version of 'Indian Prince' with the same crimson petal backs. They grow to a height of around 60cm and a spread of 45cm, are an excellent variety for borders and make a stunning cut flower.

'Sunset Mix' is a dynamic blend of the Sunset series in orange, apricot, peach, cream, and yellow shades. It includes bicolors and tricolors with the same darker crimson colours on the back of each petal. They are an excellent variety for borders and make a stunning cut flower.

Calendula 'Touch of Red Buff' is a very interesting and unusual colour, a very contemporary beige-pink with darker petal tips giving a beautiful antique and vintage effect. For cut flowers, harvest when blooms are partially open and clip spent flowers to achieve a longer blooming season.

Calendula officinalis 'Touch of Red Orange' are “orange hot” Marigolds with bronze and red edges to the petals. They are perfect for cut flowers, harvest when blooms are partially open and clip spent flowers to achieve a longer blooming season.

Bred specifically for professional cut flower production. Carthamus tinctorius ‘Kinko’ is a special selection featuring deep orange blooms. Easy to grow from seed, flowering can be staggered by sowing successionally. It will give a host of vibrant hues throughout summer, whether in the garden or in the vase.

Carthamus tinctorius ‘Shiro’ features unusual creamy-white blooms. It makes an excellent, high quality cut flower and can also be used green when harvested young. Growing 80 to 100cm tall, flowering takes 12 to 14 weeks. It can also used for dried arrangements and is considered to be an everlasting.

Centranthus 'Snow Cloud’ produces airy clusters of white flowers that appear from July to October on tall, fleshy stems with glaucous leaves. Very long flowering, sweetly-perfumed and easy-to-grow from seed, given an early sowing Centranthus will flower from July right through to October.

Centranthus ruber is a Cottage garden favourite that’s made it into the style books. Sweetly-perfumed, dense clusters of reddish-pink flowers appear from July to October. They are ideal for attracting bees and butterflies and other pollinating insects into the garden and lovely when used as a cut flower.