Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cuphea viscosissima

Family: (Lythraceae)

(A) to 20″. Blue Waxweed. A North American native and one of our most revered annuals. This non-stop summer bloomer has six deep, magenta-purple petals with the upper two being the longest and a tubular green calyx covered in fine purple hairs. An easy-care annual that requires no deadheading or staking. Very sticky stems trap unsuspecting insects. Self-sows. Sun. 4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Onopordum acanthium

Family: (Asteraceae)

(B) to 6′. Scotch Thistle. A very stately, very prickly, and very beautiful plant. Cobweb-like hairs cover broad, silver-grey, deeply lobed, spiny leaves. Light purple thistles are held upright in a tight crown. Self-sows. Sun. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cynoglossum amabile ‘Mystery Rose’

Family: (Boraginaceae)

(A) to 2.5′. We love this plant. This wonderful selection is smothered in dusty pink blossoms. A joy in the border. Sun. 3 & T2, cover and keep dark.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Papaver somniferum Mix

Family: (Papaveraceae)

(A) to 3.5′.  Southeast Europe, West Asia.  We are lucky to have a number of showy variants of the classic Opium Poppy that self-sow each year in the Flower Garden.  Stems and leaves are a glaucous, greyish-green and sparsely covered with coarse hairs.  Jaggedly incised and toothed leaves clasp the upright stems at the base.  Tissue paper-like flowers are typically four-petalled, but often double, vary widely in colour and can have dark makings at the petal bases.   Flower centres feature many attractive stamens arranged in multiple whorls.  The beautiful and persistent fruits are hairless, rounded, many-seeded capsules opening by pores just below the apex.  Whilst we cannot promise specific colours, we can assure you great satisfaction in establishing these self sowers in your full sun garden.  Best sown in situ upon receipt.

This year’s colours include: 

Lavender, Magenta, Orange, Pink, Peach, Purple and Red. 

 

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cynoglossum dioscoridis

Family: (Boraginaceae)

(B) to 2.5′. Grey foliage remains basal the first year. Discrete, rosy blooms tinged with blue culminate at stem tips. Definitely a plant for the front of the border. Sun. 3 & T2, cover and keep dark.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Perilla frutescens Green Leaf

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(A) to 4′.  Shiso.  Himalayas to East Asia.  A selection of superb, iridescent foliage plants.  Try one, or all of them in the flower border.  Easy to move around the garden to “fill in” when you need a good block of colour.  Self-sows.  Sun.  Best sown in situ or 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Leonurus sibiricus

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(B) to 6′. Chinese Motherwort. Native to Northeast China and Korea. A huge, imposing presence, each of the branching stems is heavy with small, pale pink, tubular blooms in dense, axillary whorls. Pinnately divided, dark green leaves are deeply veined. An ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Summer bloom. Small black nutlets follow. Bizarre and beautiful. Sun. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Peruvian Tassel Flower.  Many branched panicles of crimson, tassel-like flowers accentuated by the deep maroon foliage of this plant, creates drama in the border.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Mirabilis jalapa ‘Limelight’

Family: (Nyctaginaceae)

(A/TP) to 3′.  Four o’Clock, Marvel of Peru.  Delicate trumpets of shocking pink are accentuated by the astonishing, bright chartreuse foliage.  A show-stopper.  Sunglasses de rigueur!  Sun/partial shade. 4 & T3