of interest: Summer, autumn
Height and spread: 75cm × 30cm (2ft 6in × 1ft)
Companion plants: Useful as a border gap filler, where the seedheads can be left to accompany late summer daisies such as rudbeckias and heleniums or goldenrods.
Scabiosa prolifera
Carmel Daisy Hardy annual
A sun-loving scabious which produces a mass of pale yellow flowers followed by dramatic, rounded seedheads whose sepals form cells rather like those of a honeycomb. Excellent for indoor decoration – fresh or dried.
Soil preference: Any free-draining, reasonably fertile
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 60cm × 20cm (2ft × 8in)
Companion plants: Pretty in an annual border, perhaps with nigellas, which also have pleasing seedheads and with such annual grasses as Lagurus or Briza maxima, whose drying heads are also handsome.
Papaver somniferum
Opium Poppy Hardy annual
The leaves of opium poppies are bold, ruffled, blue-green and hairless. Many-branched stems produce large conspicuous flowers that are single or double and vary in hue from mauve, purple and pink to crimson or white. Shapely pepperpot seed capsules follow the flowers and persist into autumn. See also pages ref 1 and ref 2 for more poppies.
Soil preference: Free-draining, well worked
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer, autumn
Height and spread: Variable to 1.5m × 45cm (5ft × 1ft 6in)
Companion plants: Surprisingly pretty among shrub roses, particularly when the leaves contrast, but also popular in cottage schemes with early perennials such as lupins, campanulas or cranesbills.
Lobelia erinus
Lobelia Half hardy perennial usually grown as an annual
A low allergen bedder with predominantly cool blue or white flowers – although some series come in mauve hues. ‘Cambridge Blue’ is an excellent, compact and long-flowering variety in pale blue. ‘Crystal Palace’ has bronze-tinted foliage and deep blue flowers. The old variety, ‘Mrs Clibran Improved’, is extremely neat with white-eyed blue flowers. (For other lobelias, see pages ref 1 and ref 2.)
Soil preference: Fertile, not too dry
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Variable to 20cm × 20cm (8in × 8in)
Companion plants: Traditionally used in pots or as border edging but also handsome when used informally amongst low growing border plants such as Euphorbia myrsinites or with purple-leaved heucheras.
Begonia semperflorens
Begonia Tender perennial grown as an annual
Ubiquitous but invaluable bedding plant, tolerating drought and shade, which produces fleshy stems and leaves and a constant run of small pink, white or red blooms on low, bushy plants. The ‘Alfa’ series have bronze-suffused foliage; the ‘Inferno’ series are remarkably vigorous; ‘Prelude’ series begin flowering very early.
Soil preference: Fertile, not too dry but free-draining
Aspect: Sun or part shade
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: Variable to 30cm × 20cm (12in × 8in)
Companion plants: Often used in large floral bedding schemes because of their uniformity, they are useful edgers for the patio or lawn and single colours work well in pots or to fill in spaces in box parterres.
Other good annuals
Omphalodes linifolia
Venus’ Navelwort Hardy annual
R. Coates
A rather fetching European member of the forget-me-not family with pale, grey-green, simple, narrow leaves and a long display of opalescent white flowers with navel-like centres. Though shortlived as an annual, this is a free-seeding species which, if happy, will form self-sustaining colonies.
Soil preference: Any free-draining, but not too dry
Aspect: Sun, part shade
Season of interest: Summer
Height and spread: 30cm × 20cm (1ft × 8in)
Companion plants: Best if allowed to spread in drifts among low-growing summer flowers such as violas and Mimulus, or to front low-growing shrubs. The foliage also harmonizes well with garden pinks, whereas the flowers make a pretty contrast in both colour and shape.
Orlaya grandiflora
Tender annual
A Mediterranean member of the carrot family whose finely divided foliage is crowned, from late spring to midsummer, by a succession of shallow, dome shaped umbels. The outer, sterile flowers on each umbel carry large, creamy white asymmetrical petals, creating a beautiful lace-cap effect. Can be directly sown in warm regions, where it will also self-sow.
Soil preference: Any free-draining
Aspect: Sun
Season of interest: Summer
Height
