Hydrangea arborescens Strong Annabelle (‘Abetwo’) (sevenbark ( Incrediball )) £14.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Hardiness: fully hardy This recently introduced Hydrangea has tougher branches than many of the other arborescens types, which means that as they mature they will stand up better in more exposed positions and will rarely flop over when laden with flowers. The glorious bundles of white flowers will also get larger as the plant grows older, but even when they are still quite young, they will put on a dazzling and long-lasting display from mid summer. Garden care: In hot weather, thoroughly soak the plants roots when watering to prevent it drying out. Remove faded flowerheads in spring after the danger of frosts, cutting back the flowered stems to a strong pair of buds and take out misplaced or diseased shoots. Once established, remove a quarter to a third of the shoots to the base of the plant. Cutting it back in this way will keep it compact and will also result in a branching, bushier shrub. Mulch young plants with a well-rotted manure or compost in spring.

Hydrangea quercifolia (oak-leaved hydrangea) £12.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moist, well-drained, moderately fertile, humus-rich soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Flower colour: white Other features: contact with the foliage may aggravate skin allergies; the flower-heads make excellent dried flower arrangements Hardiness: fully hardy Conical clusters of white flowers appear from midsummer to autumn, fading to pink as they mature. This deciduous hydrangea makes a wonderful specimen plant for a partly shady border with moist, well- drained soil. Later-flowering than other varieties, the interesting, oak- shaped leaves turn shades of bronze-purple in autumn. Garden care: Requires minimal pruning. Where necessary remove misplaced or diseased shoots in spring

Convallaria majalis ‘Prolificans’ (lily-of-the-valley) £12.99
Position: partial or full shade Soil: leafy, fertile, humus-rich, moist soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: May Hardiness: fully hardy Branching stems carry tight clusters of small, rounded blooms, which create a showy effect. The perfumed flowers last very well after being cut and make wonderful additions to either a hand-tied posy or a vase. Garden care: Plant rhizomes 5-8cm deep and 20cm apart. Divide and replant congested colonies in September, applying a generous mulch of composted leaf mould around the base of the plant.

Echinacea purpurea ‘Rubinglow’ (coneflower) £7.99
Position: full sun Soil: most soils, except very dry or boggy Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to September Hardiness: fully hardy Pinky-red ray florets form a horizontal ruff around a prominent orange-brown cone of disc florets on these decorative flowerheads. Appearing for a long period from midsummer to mid autumn, they associate well with grasses. Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies in autumn or spring. In autumn cut back all dead flower stems to the ground. Coneflower s benefit from a spring or autumn mulch with well-rotted compost.

Linaria purpurea ‘Canon J. Went’ (toadflax) £7.99
Position: full sun Soil: moderately, light, well-drained, preferably sandy soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June to September Flower colour: pale pink Hardiness: fully hardy Longer, slender spires of pale pink flowers are produced from early summer through to early autumn above the slivery-grey foliage. A good plant for vertical interest in a mixed border though it will look as equally at home in a gravel garden, where it will cope well with dry, sunny conditions. It readily self-seeds and the seeds will come ‘true to type’ (ie just like their parent) if they are grown away from the species. Garden care: Dead-head regularly if you dont want seedlings popping up.

Centaurea montana (mountain knapweed) £6.99
Delightful, deep blue flowers with reddish violet centres from May to July and lance shaped, mid green leaves. This blue mountain knapweed looks lovely towards the front of a sunny herbaceous or cottage style border. An excellent plant for well drained chalky soils, the stems need staking with brushwood or canes before the flowers appear. Position: full sun Soil: well-drained, moist soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to July Flower colour: deep blue Other features: the flowers are attractive to butterflies and bees Hardiness: fully hardy Garden care: Stake with brushwood or bamboo canes before the flowers appear. Lift and divide large clumps every three years in spring Goes well with: Echinops ritro, Eryngium variifolium, Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’, Ceratostigma willmottianum, Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’, Stachys byzantina

Pulmonaria rubra ‘David Ward’ (lungwort) £5.99
Coral-red flowers variegated foliage

Luzula nivea (snowy woodrush) £4.99
Position: partial to full shade Soil: poor to moderately-fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil Rate of growth: slow-growing Flowering period: June to July Hardiness: fully hardy Providing attractive ground cover throughout the year, the slender, hairy leaves form loose clumps, which in midsummer are topped with tall stems carrying elegant clusters of white flowers. It self-seeds freely, so prompt dead-heading will be required if you want to keep the clump small. Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies between April and June. Remove tatty foliage in autumn.