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80 plants

• African lily

  Agapanthus spp. and hybrids

  Agapanthus flowers best in full sun with its roots slightly crowded. Deciduous varieties are the hardiest for UK gardens; evergreen types need a sheltered spot or winter protection.

  Perennial Flowers July–September

• Amelanchier

  Amelanchier lamarckii

  If you have room for only one small tree, amelanchier earns its place in three seasons: starry white April blossom, berries in June and brilliant autumn colour.

  Tree Flowers April

• Aquilegia

  Aquilegia vulgaris

  Aquilegia is a cottage-garden favourite that fills the gap between spring bulbs and summer perennials. Plant it in dappled shade, then let it seed around gently.

  Perennial Flowers May–June

• Balkan clary

  Salvia nemorosa

  Salvia nemorosa wants sun and good drainage. Cut the first spikes back once they fade and it will flower again, giving colour and bees from June to September.

  Perennial Flowers June–September

• Bergenia

  Bergenia cordifolia

  Bergenia is a near-indestructible evergreen with big glossy leaves and early spring flowers. Grow it in poorer soil and some sun for the best winter leaf colour.

  Perennial Flowers March–April

• Bigleaf hydrangea

  Hydrangea macrophylla

  Bigleaf hydrangeas want moisture-retentive soil and shelter from hot afternoon sun. Leave the old flower heads on over winter and only trim them back to a pair of fat buds in March.

  Shrub Flowers July–September

• Butterfly bush

  Buddleja davidii

  Buddleja thrives on poor, sunny ground and needs one hard cut back in March. Deadhead through summer to keep flowers coming and stop it seeding into walls and gutters.

  Shrub Flowers July–September

• Camellia

  Camellia japonica

  Camellias need lime-free soil, light shade and steady moisture in late summer, when next year's buds form. Keep them away from early-morning sun, which browns frosted flowers.

  Shrub Flowers February–April

• Catmint

  Nepeta × faassenii

  Catmint is a drought-tolerant edging plant with grey-green leaves and lavender-blue flowers. Shear it by half after the first flush and it repeats right through to September.

  Perennial Flowers May–September

• Ceanothus

  Ceanothus spp. and hybrids

  Give ceanothus your sunniest, best-drained spot, ideally against a warm wall, and never cut back into bare old wood; it rarely sprouts again.

  Shrub Flowers April–June

• Chinese silver grass

  Miscanthus sinensis

  Miscanthus gives height, movement and feathery plumes from late summer right through winter. Choose a variety sized for your space, plant it in sun and cut it back in February.

  Grass Flowers August–October

• Chinese wisteria

  Wisteria sinensis

  Prune wisteria twice a year: cut whippy shoots back to five or six leaves in July or August, then to two or three buds in January or February.

  Climber Flowers May–June

• Clematis

  Clematis spp. and hybrids

  Work out which pruning group your clematis belongs to before you cut anything, and plant it 5–8 cm deeper than it sat in the pot so it can regrow if wilt strikes.

  Climber Flowers March–September

• Climbing hydrangea

  Hydrangea petiolaris

  Climbing hydrangea is the answer for a shady north wall, but be patient: it often sits still for two or three years before it grips the wall and races upwards.

  Climber Flowers June–July

• Common box

  Buxus sempervirens

  Box is the classic small-leaved evergreen for low hedges and topiary, but box blight and box tree caterpillar are now widespread. Clip on a dry, overcast day and check plants regularly from spring onwards.

  Shrub Flowers March–April

• Common honeysuckle

  Lonicera periclymenum

  Plant honeysuckle where you sit on summer evenings: its scent is strongest at dusk, when moths come to feed, and the roots like shade while the flowers want light.

  Climber Flowers June–September

• Common ivy

  Hedera helix

  Ivy is one of the most valuable wildlife plants you can grow, offering late nectar, winter berries and shelter; trim it in late winter, before birds start nesting.

  Climber Flowers September–November

• Cosmos

  Cosmos bipinnatus

  Sow cosmos indoors in April, plant out after the last frost, and don't overfeed. Lean soil and regular deadheading give a cloud of flowers from July until the first frosts.

  Annual Flowers July–October

• Crab apple

  Malus sylvestris and hybrids

  A crab apple gives you blossom for pollinators in spring, glossy fruit for jelly and birds in autumn, and helps nearby apple trees set a better crop.

  Tree Flowers April–May

• Crocosmia

  Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora

  Crocosmia brings hot red, orange and yellow to late summer borders from sword-shaped leaves. Plant corms in spring in sun, and lift and split clumps every few years.

  Perennial Flowers July–September

• Daffodil

  Narcissus spp. and hybrids

  Plant daffodil bulbs in late summer or early autumn at three times their own depth, and leave the foliage alone for at least six weeks after flowering so the bulbs bloom again next year.

  Bulb Flowers February–May

• Dahlia

  Dahlia hybrids

  Plant dahlia tubers out once frosts have passed, feed and water generously, and deadhead every week for flowers until autumn frosts. Mulch thickly or lift tubers over winter.

  Bulb Flowers July–October

• Delphinium

  Delphinium elatum hybrids

  Delphiniums repay effort: stake them early, keep slugs off the spring shoots, feed generously, and cut the spent spikes in July for a smaller second show in early autumn.

  Perennial Flowers June–July, September

• English bluebell

  Hyacinthoides non-scripta

  Only buy English bluebells as cultivated stock from a reputable nursery, never from the wild, and plant them in dappled shade. Keep Spanish bluebells out of the garden, as they hybridise readily with natives.

  Bulb Flowers April–May

• English lavender

  Lavandula angustifolia

  English lavender needs full sun, poor free-draining soil and a firm trim straight after flowering every year. Skip the annual cut and plants turn woody and split within a few seasons.

  Shrub Flowers June–August

• Escallonia

  Escallonia (hybrids)

  Escallonia is the go-to flowering evergreen for windy, salty seaside gardens. It produces pink, red or white blooms all summer and is trimmed once, just after flowering finishes.

  Shrub Flowers June–September

• Forsythia

  Forsythia × intermedia

  Forsythia covers its bare stems in bright yellow flowers in March and April. It is almost indestructible, but prune it immediately after flowering, or you will cut off next year's display.

  Shrub Flowers March–April

• Foxglove

  Digitalis purpurea

  Foxgloves are biennials: they make a leafy rosette one year, flower the next, then die. Let a few spikes set seed each summer and they will keep reappearing on their own.

  Perennial Flowers May–July

• Garden phlox

  Phlox paniculata

  Garden phlox fills late summer borders with scented domes of flower. Its secret is moisture: plant in rich, damp soil and pick a mildew-resistant variety.

  Perennial Flowers July–September

• Golden oats

  Celtica gigantea

  Golden oats sends shimmering, oat-like flower heads high above a low evergreen tussock in summer. Plant it in sun and sharp drainage, and never cut it to the ground.

  Grass Flowers June–August

• Hardy fuchsia

  Fuchsia magellanica

  Plant hardy fuchsias deeper than they sat in the pot, in early summer, so the roots survive winter. Cut them back in spring once new shoots appear and they flower from July until the first frosts.

  Shrub Flowers July–October

• Hardy geranium

  Geranium

  Cranesbills are about as forgiving as perennials get: plant them almost anywhere except bog or deep dry shade, shear them after the first flush, and many will flower again until autumn.

  Perennial Flowers May–October

• Hart's tongue fern

  Asplenium scolopendrium

  Hart's tongue fern keeps its glossy, strap-shaped fronds all year, bringing life to shady corners in winter. Give it moist, shady ground; it loves lime.

  Fern

• Hebe

  Veronica (Hebe group; syn. Hebe)

  Hebes are tidy evergreens that love sun, wind and free-draining soil. Small, grey or tightly leaved types are the hardiest; the large-leaved, showy ones need a mild, sheltered spot.

  Shrub Flowers June–October

• Herbaceous peony

  Paeonia lactiflora

  Plant herbaceous peonies in autumn with the pink buds no more than about 5 cm below the soil surface. Too deep is the commonest reason for a peony that never flowers.

  Perennial Flowers May–June

• Heuchera

  Heuchera hybrids

  Heucheras are evergreen foliage plants for part shade and pots. Plant them in free-draining soil, replant crowns that rise above the soil, and check pots for vine weevil grubs.

  Perennial Flowers May–July

• Holly

  Ilex aquifolium

  Only female hollies carry berries, and most need a male plant nearby; check the label carefully, because cultivar names such as 'Golden King' and 'Silver Queen' are misleading.

  Tree Flowers May–June

• Hosta

  Hosta

  Hostas are grown for their bold leaves in moist shade. Pick thick-leaved varieties, start slug defences early in spring, and they will fill a shady corner for decades.

  Perennial Flowers July–August

• Ice plant

  Hylotelephium spectabile

  Tall sedums thrive on neglect: full sun, poor dry soil and no feeding. Rich soil makes them flop open, so chop them back by a third in late May if they sprawl.

  Perennial Flowers August–October

• Ivy-leaved cyclamen

  Cyclamen hederifolium

  Ivy-leaved cyclamen thrives in dry shade under trees where little else grows. Plant tubers shallowly, just below the surface, and enjoy pink autumn flowers followed by patterned leaves until spring.

  Bulb Flowers August–October

• Japanese anemone

  Anemone × hybrida

  Japanese anemones are slow to settle but then spread vigorously by roots. Plant them in spring where they can roam, in part shade and soil that does not dry out.

  Perennial Flowers August–October

• Japanese forest grass

  Hakonechloa macra

  Hakonechloa forms soft, cascading mounds that ripple in the breeze, ideal for shady edges and pots. Give it moist soil and patience; it spreads slowly.

  Grass Flowers August–September

• Japanese maple

  Acer palmatum

  Shelter is everything: plant your Japanese maple out of cold, drying winds and fierce afternoon sun, in moist but free-draining soil, and it will reward you for decades.

  Tree

• Japanese skimmia

  Skimmia japonica

  Skimmia is a compact evergreen for shade that gives winter colour from red buds or berries, then scented spring flowers. For berries you need a female plant with a male nearby, or a self-fertile form.

  Shrub Flowers March–May

• Kohuhu

  Pittosporum tenuifolium

  Pittosporum tenuifolium offers crinkly evergreen leaves on striking black stems and clips beautifully into hedges or balls. It loves mild, coastal gardens; inland, give it a sheltered spot out of icy winds.

  Shrub Flowers May

• Lady's mantle

  Alchemilla mollis

  Alchemilla mollis grows almost anywhere and edges a border beautifully. Cut it hard after flowering, before the seed ripens, or you will be pulling up seedlings for years.

  Perennial Flowers June–August

• Laurustinus

  Viburnum tinus

  Viburnum tinus is one of the toughest evergreens you can plant: it grows in sun or shade, on almost any soil, and carries pink-budded white flowers from late autumn right through to spring.

  Shrub Flowers December–April

• Lenten rose

  Helleborus × hybridus

  Hellebores flower when little else does, from January to April. Plant them in part shade in rich soil and cut off last year's leaves in early winter so the flowers can be seen.

  Perennial Flowers January–April

• Lungwort

  Pulmonaria officinalis

  Pulmonaria flowers from February, when bees have little else, then keeps its spotted leaves all season. Grow it in moist shade and shear it after flowering.

  Perennial Flowers February–April

• Lupin

  Lupinus polyphyllus hybrids

  Lupins love sun and light, slightly acidic, free-draining soil and dislike lime and heavy feeding. Deadhead spikes promptly and watch the stems for grey lupin aphids from May.

  Perennial Flowers May–July

• Male fern

  Dryopteris filix-mas

  The male fern is one of the toughest plants for dry shade under trees. Plant it once, water it through the first summer and it will look after itself for years.

  Fern

• Masterwort

  Astrantia major

  Astrantia likes soil that never dries out and a spot with some shade in the afternoon. Cut the spent stems after the first flush and it will flower again in late summer.

  Perennial Flowers June–August

• Mexican orange blossom

  Choisya ternata

  Choisya is a rounded, aromatic evergreen with scented white spring flowers and often a second flush in autumn. Give it sun or light shade, shelter from icy winds and a trim after flowering.

  Shrub Flowers April–May, September–October

• Michaelmas daisy

  Symphyotrichum novi-belgii

  Michaelmas daisies are among the last big nectar sources of the year, flowering into October. Keep the roots moist, divide often and choose varieties with good disease resistance.

  Perennial Flowers September–October

• Mock orange

  Philadelphus coronarius

  Mock orange fills early summer evenings with a heady orange-blossom scent. It grows almost anywhere, including chalk, and needs only one job: cut out flowered stems right after blooming.

  Shrub Flowers June–July

• Nasturtium

  Tropaeolum majus

  Sow nasturtium seeds straight into poor, sunny soil after the last frost. Don't feed them, or you'll get leaves rather than flowers. Every part above ground is edible, with a peppery taste.

  Annual Flowers June–October

• Orange coneflower

  Rudbeckia fulgida

  Perennial rudbeckia is a low-fuss late bloomer that prefers soil that does not dry out. Plant it in sun, divide every few years and leave the black seed heads over winter.

  Perennial Flowers August–October

• Oriental poppy

  Papaver orientale

  Oriental poppies give a short but spectacular show in late May and June, then die back. Plant them in sun and place late-flowering neighbours close by to fill the gap.

  Perennial Flowers May–June

• Ornamental onion

  Allium hollandicum

  Plant allium bulbs in autumn in full sun and well-drained soil. Their leaves wither as the purple globes open, so grow them behind leafy perennials and leave the seed heads standing.

  Bulb Flowers May–June

• Penstemon

  Penstemon hybrids

  Border penstemons flower from June until the first frosts if deadheaded. Plant them in spring in well-drained soil, and never cut them back hard before April.

  Perennial Flowers June–October

• Pot marigold

  Calendula officinalis

  Pot marigold is a hardy annual you can sow straight into the ground in spring or early autumn. Deadhead regularly for flowers from June to the frosts, and let a few plants self-seed.

  Annual Flowers June–October

• Purple coneflower

  Echinacea purpurea

  Echinacea needs sun and soil that drains well in winter. Choose the straight species or tough cultivars over fancy doubles, and leave the seed heads standing for goldfinches.

  Perennial Flowers July–September

• Purpletop vervain

  Verbena bonariensis

  Verbena bonariensis gives height without bulk: wiry stems topped with violet flower clusters from July until frost. Give it sun, sharp drainage and let it self-seed.

  Perennial Flowers July–October

• Red-barked dogwood

  Cornus alba

  Grow it for the stems, not the flowers: cut most of the shoots back hard every spring and you will get a thicket of bright young wood that glows red all winter.

  Shrub Flowers May–June

• Regal lily

  Lilium regale

  Regal lilies want sun on their flowers, shade on their roots and sharp drainage. Check plants daily from spring for scarlet lily beetles, and don't grow them if you have a cat.

  Bulb Flowers June–July

• Rhododendron

  Rhododendron spp. and hybrids

  Rhododendrons need acidic soil. On neutral or chalky ground, grow compact types in large pots of ericaceous compost, water with rainwater and keep the shallow roots cool and moist.

  Shrub Flowers April–June

• Rose

  Rosa (garden hybrids)

  Give roses at least five hours of sun, rich soil that never dries out completely, and a hard prune in late winter; choose disease-resistant repeat flowerers and they will bloom from June into autumn.

  Shrub Flowers June–September

• Rosemary

  Salvia rosmarinus

  Rosemary is a sun-loving evergreen herb that hates wet roots more than cold. Grow it in gritty soil or a pot, pick sprigs year-round and prune lightly once the spring flowers fade.

  Shrub Flowers March–May

• Rowan

  Sorbus aucuparia

  Rowan is one of the best small trees for a wildlife garden: light shade, white blossom for pollinators, then berries that thrushes and blackbirds strip by autumn.

  Tree Flowers May–June

• Siberian bugloss

  Brunnera macrophylla

  Brunnera lights up shady corners with sprays of forget-me-not blue in spring, then silver or variegated leaves all summer. Keep the soil moist and out of hot sun.

  Perennial Flowers April–May

• Silver birch

  Betula pendula

  Silver birch grows fast, casts dappled shade you can garden under, and shows off its white bark best when planted as a small group of three.

  Tree Flowers March–April

• Snowdrop

  Galanthus nivalis

  Snowdrops establish best when moved or planted 'in the green' just after flowering. Dry bulbs often fail, so buy growing clumps in late winter and plant them under deciduous trees or shrubs.

  Bulb Flowers January–March

• Spring crocus

  Crocus spp.

  Plant crocus corms in September and October, about 8cm deep, in sun or light shade. Crocus tommasinianus naturalises well in lawns and is one of the earliest pollen sources for emerging bumblebees.

  Bulb Flowers February–March

• Star jasmine

  Trachelospermum jasminoides

  Star jasmine needs a warm, sheltered wall and free-draining soil; once settled it gives glossy evergreen cover all year and sweetly scented white flowers all summer.

  Climber Flowers June–August

• Sunflower

  Helianthus annuus

  Sow sunflowers from April into May, indoors or straight into sunny soil, and guard seedlings from slugs. Stake giant varieties and leave ripe seed heads standing for garden birds.

  Annual Flowers July–September

• Sweet box

  Sarcococca confusa

  Plant sweet box beside a door or path in shade, where you will brush past it in midwinter; the flowers are tiny but the honeyed scent carries for metres.

  Shrub Flowers December–March

• Sweet pea

  Lathyrus odoratus

  Sow sweet peas in deep pots in autumn or late winter, plant out in spring against tall supports, and pick the flowers every few days. The more you cut, the more they bloom.

  Annual Flowers June–September

• Tulip

  Tulipa spp. and hybrids

  Plant tulips late, in October or November, deep in sunny, free-draining soil. Late planting reduces tulip fire, and species or Darwin hybrid types are the most likely to come back year after year.

  Bulb Flowers April–May

• Weigela

  Weigela florida

  Weigela flowers on last year's wood, so prune it as soon as the flowers fade in early summer, removing a few of the oldest stems at the base each year.

  Shrub Flowers May–June

• Yarrow

  Achillea millefolium

  Yarrow is a tough, drought-tolerant perennial with flat flower plates loved by hoverflies. Grow it in sun on lean soil; rich ground makes it floppy.

  Perennial Flowers June–September

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Pet-safe filter only shows plants we can cite as non-toxic; an unmarked plant is not necessarily safe. Hardiness figures are approximate minimum winter temperatures for established plants in well-drained soil.