Geranium x antipodeum‘Pink Spice’ is a gorgeous, low spreading perennial with bright pink flowers with paler edges opening from May to September over a carpet of dark bronze evergreen foliage. Ideal for the front of a herbaceous or mixed border or sunny bank. Height and spread 15cm by 90cm.

Lavandula stoechas 'Anouk' (French lavender) is a compact variety of French lavender bearing a long succession of showy pale purple flowers in summer over fine, intensely aromatic foliage. Highly attractive to butterflies and bees and excellent for cutting and drying.

Cistus x obtusifolius 'Thrive' (rock or sun rose) is a compact variety bearing a profusion of glistening white flowers with golden centres for a long period in summer. (Named for the national charity which gives disabled and disadvantaged people the opportunity to improve their health, skills and quality of life through gardening.)

Euphorbia x martinii 'Ascot Rainbow' is a compact perennial which is colourful and attractive at all times of the year, forming a neat evergreen clump of slender blue-green leaves edged creamy yellow, flushed red in cold weather. Spikes of cream, lime and green flowers open in late winter and spring.

Hemerocallis 'Stella de Oro' (Day lily) Is justifiably popular and still holds its own in the day lily world! With fragrant, soft, yellow, funnel-shaped flowers with attractive prominent stamens and a ruffled texture to the sturdy petals, the flowers last for just a day but it keeps on producing for many weeks from mid summer onwards. The scented flowers are held above the narrow strap-like leaves.

Gunnera manicata (Gunnera or so called Giant Rhubarb) is a spectacular plant with its giant rhubarb-like leaves held aloft on thick, prickly stems; an architectural show stopper for a large bog garden area or beside a large pond. It needs space to thrive but if you have the space and a boggy area it is worth having! The new growth is susceptible to frost damage so will need protecting with a thick covering of mulch in the autumn.

Clematis 'Gillian Blades' has huge pure white, star-shaped flowers with prominent stamens which have the palest hint of yellow that matures to gold, first appearing in early summer and often again in late summer, they are excellent garden performers in any aspect and are suitable because of the modest height.

Aconitum 'Spark's Variety' (Monkshood) is the unsung hero of the herbaceous world, a fabulous tall variety of monkshood that actually thrives in part shade! Tall erect self-supporting slender spikes of hooded, deep violet-blue flowers above stunning vivid green, feathery, finely cut foliage produce a show stopping display from mid to late summer.

Aquilegia 'Colorado' (State Series) (Columbine) is a classic columbine with clusters of blooms in late spring and early summer, a central flute of pale cream flowers with dominant pale yellow stamens charmingly framed by a ring of slender sky blue petals, these gorgeous garden worthy flowers are held proudly aloft the grey-blue foliage on erect self- supporting stems.