Travelling in the Alpine regions of Europe one is struck by the magnificent and visual impact of their window boxes, hanging baskets, pots, tubs etc. And then we realised that they make liberal use of pendulous carnations adding an extra slant in perspective and design. The colour range is mainly pink and red shades.
A delightful change to the common blue cornflower. These richly coloured flowers glisten in the sunshine, for each of the tiny petals of the very double, powder-puff blooms, is tipped with ice white. Annual Cornflower 'Frosted Queen' is perfect for filling gaps in summer borders where it will attract bees and butterflies. With its tall wiry stems, this pretty annual makes an excellent cut flower too. Height: 75cm (30). Spread: 30cm (12).
This striking sunflower produces rich chocolate coloured blooms with gold-rimmed edges over a long period in summer. Multi-headed and boasting large pollen-free flowers up to 15cm (6) in diameter, Sunflower 'Shock-o-Lat' is ideal planted en masse at the back of a border. The tall, sturdy stems make fabulous cut flowers for a vase indoors too. Height: 1.8m (6'). Spread: 50cm (20).
An extremely winter hardy Primrose that's compact and floriferous, in a cheerful range of colours set against dark green foliage. Excellent for borders or containers, adding a mass of colour from late winter to early spring, whatever the weather. The dark foliage looks amazing on frosty mornings. Height: 10-15cm (4-6in).
In recent years, kale has become a staple ingredient of any healthy diet. Now, you can grow your very own superfood crop in any cottage or kitchen garden. All Kale 'Midnight Sun' needs is some space in a sunny vegetable bed. Given this, the hardy annual will produce edible, textured leaves with unusual red veins from the autumn right through to the spring. Whether left to mature or eaten as baby leaf kale, this plant will provide gardeners with a welcome, winter boost of protein, fibre and vitamins. Height: 90cm (2'11). Spread: 60cm (2').
The sherbet-yellow blooms of this first year flowering clematis open just six months after sowing! They don?t just have a unique beauty, they also give off a coconut-like fragrance and are followed by decorative silky seedheads. Height 2.4m (8ft).
This heavy yielding variety produces delicate white flowers that make a particularly attractive addition to the vegetable garden. Awarded an RHS AGM, Runner Bean 'White Emergo' forms long, smooth pods with a superb flavour when picked while they are young and tender. This vigorous variety copes well even under adverse weather conditions. Height: 3m (10'). Spread: 30cm (12)
For a mix of beautiful flowers that will look amazing both in your beds, borders and patio containers and can be used on your plates too, then look no futher than our Edible Flower Mix. Containing popular cottage garden flowers calendula, dianthus, nasturtium and viola, this mix will grow and become a feast for the eyes!
A Fleuroselect Bronze Medal winner, Calendula 'Fiesta Gitana Mixed' is an easy to raise hardy annual that will flower virtually all summer long. With a wide colour range of fully double blooms and a compact habit, this is a superb bedding mixture. The plants are tolerant of even the poorest soils and are good subjects for outdoor containers. Height: 30cm (12). Spread: 20cm (10).
Versatile and unfussy, these bright double-flowered nasturtiums have compact growth, masses of blooms, and will suit bedding schemes, borders and containers. Height: 30cm (12). Spread: 30cm (12). Culinary information: Some parts of these flowers are edible. Click here for more details about edible flowers.
Long, slender stems are graced with large, fragrant, cream coloured blooms with a dusky pink picotee edge. Sweet Pea 'Mollie Rilstone' has a lovely antique appearance that really catches the eye. Perfect for winning prizes on the show bench or simply enjoying in a vase indoors. Height: 180cm (71). Spread: 30cm (12)
Cabbage 'Tamarindo' is a white Cabbage with thin veins and a particularly fine leaf structure. Thess characteristics makes it perfect for making tasty cabbage rolls and green 'wraps', as the leaves retain their elasticity, without splitting.
A first class variety for bedding, hanging baskets and tubs. Bred with emphasis on seedling vigour and uniformity, the plants have a good free flowering habit and look superb en masse. The flowers are large with most of the colours in the range having attractive veining, which gives more substance to the flowers and enables them to recover more quickly after bad weather. Flowers summer to first frost. Height: 30cm (12in).
A showy and compact variety with sweetly scented flowers which stay open all day in a brilliant range of colours. Recommended. Flowers summer to autumn. Height 60-90cm (24-36in)
An attractive easy to grow annual with masses of scrumptious azure-blue blooms with white lacy centres, produced on low ground hugging plants. A unique colour for, adding to borders or containers
Showers of petite, rose-pink single flowers with pretty yellow centres hang in delicate clusters against unusual maple-leaf foliage. Creates an outstanding and colourful display in baskets or window boxes where it will keep flowering well into the autumn
Charming, large spikes of single, white flowers, fragrant in the evening
Fabulous mix containing all forms of gazania in a range of vibrant colours and stripes. The shorter stem means the large blooms open quicker and stay open for longer