Forsythia x intermedia ‘Nimbus’ (PBR) (patio forsythia) £8.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: any moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast-growing Flowering period: March to April Flower colour: rich yellow Other features: flowers borne before leaves Hardiness: fully hardy This new patio forysthia is already a award winner. Garden care: After flowering has finished, prune out one or two old main stems at the base. Thin out crowded shoots from the centre and cut back flowered shoots to a strong bud.

Delphinium elatum ‘Sweethearts’ (New Millennium Series) (delphinium) £7.99
Position: full sun Soil: fertile, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: June and July Hardiness: fully hardy Heralded as the best pink delphinium, ‘Sweethearts’ produces magnificent spires of large, rich rose pink flowers. It is a sturdy grower that has been given the Award of Garden Merit by the RHS because of its vigour and reliability. Delphiniums are excellent in the mixed or herbaceous border if you want to create vertical interest, and for best effect they should be planted in odd-numbered clumps or drifts. To encourage a second flush of flowers in late summer you should cut the flowered stems back as soon as they have finished. Garden care: For best results, choose an open spot away from taller plants. Stake with bamboo canes as they start to shoot upwards in mid-spring and protect young foliage against slug and snail damage. During the growing season, apply a balanced liquid fertiliser every 2-3 weeks and wearing gloves cut back the faded flower-stems to a flowering side-shoot to encourage repeat flowering. At the end of autumn cut back and compost the faded flower stems.

Delosperma ‘Jewel of Desert Grenade’ (PBR) (Jewel of Desert Series) (ice plant) £6.99
Position: full sun Soil: well-drained, sandy Rate of growth: average Flowering period: May to October Hardiness: fully hardy border. Garden care: Avoid overwatering – particularly in winter.

Monarda ‘Squaw’ (bergamot) £6.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: fertile, moist, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average Flowering period: July to September Hardiness: fully hardy A long flowering season, lemony, aromatic leaves and distinctive whorls of narrow-petalled, tufted flowers set above a ruff of purple bracts, all add to the appeal of bergamot. ‘Squaw’ has bright, guardsman-red flowers surrounded by brownish-red bracts from July to September and pointed, mid- green leaves. It looks gorgeous planted en masse in the middle of a sunny, mixed or herbaceous border, where it will be smothered with butterflies and bees during the flowering period. It associates particularly well with ornamental grasses, and the flowers make a lovely winter silhouette as they die. It does best in a soil that retains moisture over summer. One of the newer varieties, this is less susceptible to powdery mildew than many other monardas. Garden care: Most monardas can be capricious, and do not like soil that is either too damp or too dry. These plants are susceptible to powdery mildew, and while this rarely causes long-term damage, it can look unsightly towards the end of the summer. You can help reduce this by applying a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around each plant. Resist cutting bergamot back in autumn, since the stiff, vertical stems look good all winter.

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘Honey Angels’ (montbretia) £5.99
Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: moderately fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil Rate of growth: average to fast-growing Flowering period: August and September Hardiness: frost hardy (needs winter protection in cold areas) A prolific flowering, shorter variety that has yellow flowers with rich honey tones and creamy coloured throats. These are produced in late summer above lance shaped green leaves. Perfect for adding late summer colour to the border, or plant it with grasses for a wilder look. Garden care: Resist removing the faded foliage in autumn and cover the crown of the plant with bracken or bark chips to protect the plant against frost damage. Lift and divide congested colonies in spring, planting the divided sections 8-10cm (3-4in) deep.