Knautia arvensis – Field Scabious.

Bluish-lilac, honeycomb-like flower heads on slender stems from July to September and hairy, dull green leaves. Highly attractive to butterflies and bees, it’s perfect for the mixed or herbaceous border. Sow immediately, needs cold to germinate.

Lamium orvala – Balm leaved Deadnette.

An herbaceous perennial forming a clump of attractive, ovate leaves with spikes of whorled pinkish-purple in late spring and summer.  Bees adore this plant.  Sow immediately in cold.

Leonotis leonurus (Lion’s Ear) ‘The Staircase’

A spectacular and aristocratic Annual from summer to late autumn with

large whorls of large, tubular flowers of a very distinctive shade of reddish-orange. It grows in any soil in both sun and shade.  It also does well when grown in a large pot to grace your patio. Sow under heat in spring

Ligularia dentata ‘Britt Marie Crawford’ – Elephant Ears. These plants are prized as much for their exotic foliage as for their flowers. In spring, large, heart-shaped, glossy, chocolate-maroon leaves with dark purple undersides appear, turning green as they mature. In summer, clusters of orange-yellow daisy-like flowers open above the foliage. This is an exciting new variety that is ideal for a moist, sunny border, bog garden or beside water.  Sow immediately, needs cold to germinate.

Ligularia stenocephala ‘The Rocket’ – Elephant Ears

.A noble plant with huge leathery leaves, deep green on top, ebony stems on the reverse side. Give this moisture-lover space as it can be 4′ across and 5′ tall. Yellow flowers in early summer, held high above the leaves.  Sow immediately, needs cold to germinate.

Linaria maroccana ‘Licilia Peach’ – Toad Flax/Baby Snapdragon.

This award winning plant puts out spires of blooms that resemble a garden of snapdragons. Each floret is pink with a spot yellow. Great plant for bees as it is nectar and pollen rich. Self seeds or sow seed under heat in Spring

Meconopsis Baileyi (syn. Meconopsis betonicifolia)

Himalayan Blue Poppy

This fabulous plant forms clumps of hairy leaves out of which flower stems grow.  Atop these stem heads of silky, kingfisher-blue, sit almost transparent petals with golden eyes. Needs acid soil. Sow immediately

Meconopsis napaulensis – Satin Poppy

Hardy short lived perennial. Ht 8ft W 3ft. Beautiful , red flowers, up to 3” across, are borne on a tall flower stem up to 8ft tall. It adds winter interest via its beautiful rosette of furry pale green leaves that can reach 3ft across. Likes acid soil.  Sow immediately on top of gravel, needs cold to germinate

Meconopsis paniculata – Himalayan Yellow Poppy.

A beautiful plant up to 6ft tall, with clusters of large panicled, nodding yellow or occasionally white flowers. Leaves are lanceshaped.  Sow immediately as needs cold to germinate

Meconopsis x sheldonii ‘Lingholm’ – Himalayan Poppy

Hardy perennial. Ht 3-5ft.  Amazing deep sky blue flowers, up to 4” across in early summer on top of flower stalks. The hairy leaves look great in early spring and its seed head after flowering allow for a long season of interest in the garden.  Requires acid soil in semi shade.  Sow seeds fresh on top of gravel. M. ‘Lingholm’ will remain viable for at least two seasons.

Meum athamanticum - Baldmoney
Fully hardy perennial. Ht. 1ft. Umbels of small white flowers in late spring. Attractive feathery leaves like asparagus, which have a spicy scent.  Sow seeds without heat when you get them.

Miscanthus nepalensis – Himalayan Fairy Grass.

Rare grass from the Himalayas and Burma with elegant green foliage. This is followed in summer by plumes of yellowish drooping golden silky flower heads about 4 ft in height.  Sow under heat in Spring

Molopospermum peloponnesiacum – Striped Hemlock.

Hardy perennial. Ht 3-4ft. Big beautiful finely cut leaves with handsome umbels of pale creamy green flowers, Plant in good soil with light shade. A stunning foliage plant.  Sow immediately

Nicandra physalodes ‘Violacea’ – Shoo Fly or Apple of Peru
Hardy annual. Ht. 3ft”. With its black stems and fruits and pale blue flowers that open around midday and its lantern like seed heads, this makes a long season of interest in any garden. Self sows or sow in Spring. The best annual in Hunting Brook.

Oenothera versicolor – Evening Primrose.

Well branched plants, red stemmed with rich green, lanceolate foliage. The striking flowers are in whorls, vivid orange/red when fully open and when over, turn to red. Like many Oenotheras, the combination of open and spent bloom together is stunning. Sow under heat in Spring.

Peltoboykinia watanabei

Ht. 2ft. Big handsome palmate leaves, that are reddish when young and its panicles of small cream flowers add some springtime interest to your garden. Perfect for that damp shaded spot in the garden.  Sow in Autumn as needs cold to germinate.
Pennisetum macrourum – African Feather Grass

Ornamental grass. Ht 4ft. Its long narrow beige-white flower spikes last all winter above the 36” mound of clump forming grass. Great for winter seed head interest. Plant in a sunny spot. The most beautiful see through grass. Sow immediately.

Pennisetum ‘Red Bunny Tails’ – Fountain Grass

Hardy ornamental grass. Ht 3-4ft. handsome fountain grass from south-west Asia.  Forms dense clumps of grey-green leaves. From early spring to summer it bears an abundance of long, arching fluffy white flower spikes with sometimes a pink tint. Impressive on its own or in groups. Great for flower arranging. Plant in sun. Survived the last few winters without any problem. Sow immediately.

Persicaria polymorpha – Giant Fleeceflower

Herbaceous perennial. Ht. 6ft. Big creamy white panicles of flowers that turn pink in autumn allow for interest from June to October. Forms a tidy clump that does not run or self seed. Sow seed in Autumn as needs cold to germinate.

Phaenosperma globosa- Chinese Bead Grass

Ht. 4ft. Upright arching stems contain sprays of seeds similar to beads on a string. Its attractive pleated leaves form a clump. Plant in sun or part shade. Sow immediately.

Primula florindae ‘Keilour Hybrids’ – Giant Himalayan Cowslip

Large round leaves and stout stems carry immense heads of fragrant flowers which are  yellow, red or orange. This is almost certainly the biggest Primula there is!  At 3–4 ft. it is one of the best seed heads in winter in Hunting Brook. Surface sow seeds immediately.

Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Pink Brushes’ Tall upright stems are topped with tight, pink flowers that open from red buds above a mound of long, deeply divided leaves. Very much the see-through plant.  Sow in Spring.

Sanguisorba officinalis ‘Red Thunder’ – Burnet.

One of Piet Oudolph’s favourites. In spring, the deciduous, feathery, green foliage emerges and forms attractive groundcover, but it is the summer when the unusual red flowers top the slender, upright stems that it really becomes a head-turner. Perfect planted with grasses.  Sow immediately.

Sanguisorba obtusa – Japanese Burnet.

Soft pink flowers, which open from the top of the nodding spike downwards, provide a delightful accompaniment to the grey-green foliage. Like a floppy bottle brush. Sow in Spring.

Sanguisorba purpurea ‘Black Thorn’ – Burnet.

Late flowering tall variety. Relatively long red-pink flowers July – Oct, Ht.4ft . Stunning with grasses. Sow in Spring.

Selinum carvifolium – Milk Parsley
Ht. 3-4ft. This stately umbel with its attractive fine foliage and big white lacy platters of tiny flowers add to the late summer interest in your garden. In Jimi’s top 5 seed heads. Plant in sun or shade. Sow immediately.

Selinum wallichianum – Wallich Milk Parsley

Hardy perennial. Ht 3-6ft. Can be found from shrubberies and open slopes of the Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan as high as 13,000 ft. with thin, fern like foliage, it bears large tiered umbels of star shaped white flowers in early autumn. Leaves an amazing seed head in winter for a prolonged season of interest.  Sow immediately as needs cold to germinate.

Senecio cannibifolius – Aleutian Ragwort.

Fantastic perennial foliage plant which grows to 5 ft with huge cannabis type leaves and yellow flowers. A real touch of the tropics but totally hardy.  Sow immediately as needs cold to germinate.

Setaria viridis ‘Caramel’ – Foxtail Millet.  Graceful nodding caramel bracts are produced all summer. Heat and drought resistant. Ideal in border schemes and as a good cut-flower . Purple flushed leaves and fluffy purple seed heads. Easy handsome Annual, self sows or sow in Spring. Ht.15″

Stipa elegantissima – Australian Needle Grass. ‘Elegant’ describes this delicate grass perfectly.  The compact sheaf consists of countless thin stems surmounted by clouds of nebulous golden smoke which whispers and hisses gently as it waves in the wind.  Absolutely unbeatable growing on its own.  It is much better than the Pony Tail grass.  Sow in Spring under heat.

Stipa gigantea – Giant Feather Grass.

Tall and graceful grass, with large heads of long-awned straw-coloured flowers earlier than most grasses May-Sep, very nice, Easy in sun. The best ornamental grass in the world! Sow under heat in Spring.

Stipa ichu – Peruvian Feather Grass

Hardy ornamental grass. Ht. 2-3ft. Puts out a fine haze of graceful arching blue-grey stems with a showy silver flower head in summer that catches the light perfectly. Perfect for that sunny spot in the garden.  Sow seed at anytime in heat or cold.

Thalictrum delavayii – Meadow Rue
Hardy herbaceous. Ht 4-5ft”. Forms a cloud of tiny purple flowers amid delicate fern like foliage. Plant in good soil in sun or shade. Sow any time.

Valeriana pyrenaica – Pyrenean Valerian.  A pretty perennial with nettle-shaped leaves and sprays of fragrant, soft pink star-shaped flowers in the summer, followed by fluffy seed heads. 4ft high.  Jimi grows it in the woodland garden.  Sow immediately, needs cold to germinate.

Verbena rigida

Tender herbaceous perennial. Ht 2ft. With clusters of small, dense, violet-purple flowers from July to October this is a great border plant. When planted in groups it gives the best effect. Lift the tuberous roots for the winter, protect from frost. Sow under heat in Spring.

Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’ – Culver’s-root
Hardy herbaceous perennial. Ht 5ft. This tall and willowy plant puts out elegant narrow spires of whites flowers mid to late summer. Plant in sun. Wonderful seed heads in winter.  Sow Autumn or Spring.

Viburnum betulifolium – Birch leaf Viburnum.

The best shrub for berries. White flowers, followed by bright red fruit in abundance . Easily grown in any type of reasonably fertile drained soil in sun or part shade.  Sow immediately, needs 2 successive winters to germinate.

Viburnum opulus ‘Xanthocarpum’ – European Cranberry Viburnum

A large, deciduous shrub with palmate leaves that have fantastic Autumn colour. Flat clusters of white flowers in spring and summer are followed by shiny, orange-yellow berries in Autumn. Sow immediately, needs 2 successive winters to germinate.