Native to Asia, Hibiscus syriacus are popular with British gardeners for their late season flowers, when many other shrubs are a bit colourless, due to flowering earlier in the year. Hibiscus syriacus 'Purple Ruffles' has pink-purple flowers, with double and triple layers of petals, in abundance and is ideal for larger gardens. This Rose Mallow is best planted in well drained soil, and in full sun, but is fully hardy. Height: 3m (10'). Spread: 2m (6.5').
Swags of fabulous bright yellow flowers drape along the drooping branches of the Laburnum every spring, bringing a vibrant splash of colour to the garden and out-shining every other plant nearby. The sweetly scented flowers are followed by silvery pods. Grown over an arch, the flowers of Laburnum anagyroides seem to pour down through the structure, earning it the common name of Golden Rain. With its pretty, cut foliage and spreading form, this deciduous tree looks great in all seasons. It is a fast-growing, robust tree. Some parts are poisonous. Height: 8m (26'); Spread: 8m (26').
The shrubby Honeysuckle 'Winter Beauty' is a real treat in the depths of winter, with superb and fragrant flowers. These delicate, creamy-white blooms form in clusters on bare stems, filling the air with their heady scent. A spreading cousin of the well-loved climbing honeysuckles, Honeysuckle 'Winter Beauty' is an excellent shrub for borders, and its flowering stems can also be used as short-lived cut flowers. Height: 2m (78). Spread: 2.5m (98).
Bring a splash of zingy yellow into your garden with the towering Achillea filipendula 'Coronation Gold'. This eye-catching RHS AGM award winning hardy perennial has tall slender stems topped with an almost flat head made up of dozens of small golden yellow flowers which will be in bloom throughout the summer. The grey-green feathery foliage forms a neutral backdrop to complement the swathe of yellow above. Coronation Gold will be a magnet for bees and other nectar loving insects and will make a good cut flower too. Height: 1m (39). Spread: 50cm (20).
This Granny's Bonnet is very different to the frumpy headwear that some grandmothers might be reported to own! Aquilegia vulgaris var. stellata 'Nora Barlow' is elegant, pretty and colourful. The hardy perennial typically flowers in May, whereby it produces exceptional pinky-red blooms, the petals of which are tipped with a contrasting yellow tone. The Columbine is reliably easy to grow, making it a firm favourite in traditional, sunny cottage gardens. Aquilegia clematiflora is also a great candidate for cut flower gardens, for it provides a great focal point for any indoor display. Height: 80cm (2'7). Spread: 45cm (1'6).
The delicious honey-fragrance of this fine Magnolia is just one of several reasons why this might be the most perfect large shrub for a small garden. As well as the fragrance, there are the flowers: show-stoppingly magnificent goblet-shaped blooms borne on bare branches in late spring. They open in rich pink, and fade to a softer shade, always with a distinctive red stripe down the centre. The foliage is a lovely deep green colour and the slow-growing, compact tree needs minimal maintenance. Choose Magnolia 'Heaven Scent' and enjoy this most beautiful of all specimen trees! Height and spread: 10m (32' 10).
Osmanthus plants are extremely versatile, able to establish on tricky garden slopes and dry banks, and to grow in either sun or shade. Osmanthus x burkwoodii is a slow-growing evergreen shrub with a nice rounded habit that makes it an ideal choice for small gardens. Its shiny, dark-green foliage contrasts well with its spring clusters of small, highly-scented white flowers - a welcome arrival early in the year. It can also be trained as a screen or hedge, requiring little maintenance. Height and spread: 3m (9.8').
Easy to grow, the Golden Privet is a very pretty evergreen with bright gold oval leaves with a green centre. Ligustrum ovalifolium 'Aureum' makes a lovely plant in the border and if left untrimmed, it has clusters of white flowers in summer, followed by black berries in autumn, attracting birds, bees and butterflies. It's a perfect hedge plant too, with a dense form that makes it easy to trim and keep neat. It is fast growing and resistant to drought and has been awarded the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Height and spread: Up to 4m (13').
Astrantia major 'Roma' is a hardy perennial with a difference: it thrives in damp, shady areas, meaning you can reserve all the space in your sunniest borders for fussier species while still incorporating this unusual Masterwort into your summer display. The plant's palmate foliage is a striking bright green colour, which complements its pink flowers perfectly. These blooms make it easy to tell why this variety is nicknamed Hattie's Pincushion, for their heads, which emerge in the summer, are an unusual, round, pincushion-esque shape. The wiry stems can be easily cut to make interesting additions to indoor displays if you decide that Astrantia major 'Roma' is too special to confine to your woodland garden! Height: 75cm (2'6). Spread: 45cm (1'6).
With red liquorice like stems and copper red leaves, Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diable D'Or' is a fantastic shrub if you are looking for a contrast to light green or yellow foliage shrubs. In summer the plant has clusters of delicate white flowers, with a pink tinge. These are then followed by glossy red seed heads in autumn. This Ninebark plant is deciduous and prefers a full sun, or partial shade position. Height and Spread: 1.5m (4.9').
Dogwoods are known for their ability to bring the garden back to life in dreary winters, with their colourful bare stems. Cornus alba 'Aurea' isn?t just a one-season wonder though, as its cream coloured flowers and large golden leaves attract attention in summer too! A quick-growing, problem-free shrub, Cornus alba 'Aurea' loves a sunny spot with well-drained soil, but can also tolerate damp areas. Height: 3m (10'). Spread: 2.4m (8').
Coreopsis grandiflora 'Sunray' is a little ray of sunshine to brighten up your garden in spring and summer with its glorious blooms. These semi-double flowers are bright yellow and attract bees with their rich nectar, making them well-suited to wildlife gardens. Alternatively, Tickseed is a great addition to perennial borders, annual beds, patio containers and even cut flower displays. With its neat, compact habit and ability to flourish even in partially shady areas, there's nothing this hardy perennial can't do! Height: 45cm (1'6). Spread: 45cm (1'6).
Amelanchier lamarkii makes its first impact in spring with a magnificent display of snow white blossom which seems to take on a pink hue when seen beside the bronze-coloured young leaves. This lovely tree takes centre stage again in autumn when its leaves turn to vivid shades of red and orange, the colours even more enhanced if it is grown in a sunny border. Snowy Mespilus is an excellent specimen tree with an attractive open habit. It grows best on slightly acid soil. Height: up to 12m (39?). Spread: 4m (13?).
Snowballs in summer? With big and bold round white clusters of flowers hanging from the branches in May and June, it's understandable that this magnificent shrub should be known as the Snowball Tree. The leaves of Viburnum opulus 'Roseum' turn to shades of red and purple in autumn, making a wonderful display. Unlike the species, this variety is sterile so it wont produce berries. This shrub thrives in sun or full shade, is easy to grow and maintain, and holds the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Height and spread: 4m (13').
Bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your garden with this head-turning perennial. Bees and other nectar hungry insects will be drawn to the impressive purple and white flowers that are carried on towering architectural spikes which could grow up to 1.2m tall. As a Mediterranean native, Acanthus spinosus is incredibly drought tolerant once established which makes it perfect for the hot dry borders that other plants would hate. Bear's Breeches would be suitable for a garden that is populated with other exotic specimens or to add height and contrast to cottage garden planting. Height: 1.2m (4'). Spread: 1m (3').
Exquisitely beautiful Agapanthus africanus 'Albus' bears globes of pure white trumpet-shaped blooms which emerge from clumps of glossy, strap-like leaves, flowering through the summer months. African Lilies thrive in a sunny position in the garden and also grow well in terracotta pots or other containers, bringing an exotic hint of the Mediterranean to the garden. After flowering, the seed heads can be left on the plants adding winter interest to the garden. Agapanthus blooms make fine cut flowers. Height: 1m (39). Spread: 50cm (19).
Digitalis purpurea is a dainty, delicate Foxglove with peach-coloured flowers, which give it the alternative name 'Dalmatian Peach'. These blooms appear on characteristic, upright stems, which add structure and architecture to borders in cottage gardens, woodland gardens and cut flower gardens alike. The hardy biennial is equally deserving of a place in wildlife areas, for bees love its nectar-rich florets. These insects will 'buzz off' when the flowers die after midsummer, but are sure to be back the next year if you allow the plant to seed around. Height: 50cm (1'8). Spread: 40cm (1'4).
Native to North America and part of the Sunflower family of plants, Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern' has bold, pink giant daisy type flowers that look fantastic planted in mixed garden borders or priarie style meadow areas. Coneflowers are also great at attracting bees and butterflies to gardens. They flower in August, at the height of summer and are best grown in full sun, in well drained soil. Height: 90cm (36). Spread 50cm (20).
Erigeron glaucus 'Sea Breeze' lives up to its name by flourishing on the sea air and sunshine around the coasts of southern Britain. It is the perfect choice for those tricky, exposed areas and will self-seed into the most unexpected crevices and corners, even over the top of stone walls. This low-growing perennial bears stunning, purple-pink, daisy-like flowers above blue-green foliage and will bloom all summer long. Finally, the flowers of Erigeron 'Sea Breeze' will die back, leaving you with a splendid mat of evergreen foliage. Height: 30cm (12). Spread: 45cm (18).
Goniolimon collinum 'Sea Spray' bears miniature white blooms above clumps of silvery foliage, producing a continuous display throughout July and August, with the flowers drying slowly on the plant. This drought resistant and rabbit-proof Bulgarian Statice is a tough plant which is ideal for harsh locations such as exposed and coastal gardens. Height and Spread 45cm (18).