Gladiolus italicus
gladiolus bulbs
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: May to June
- Hardiness: hardy (borderline)
An unusual, late-spring flowering bulb which produces spikes of up to 20 funnel-shaped, magenta flowers. It looks stunning planted in groups among shrubs, where it will spread freely, or for providing vivid vertical accents among silver-leaved plants. The exotic-looking flowers also make lovely cut flowers. - Garden care: Plant corms 10-16cm (4-6in) deep in autumn, on a bed of sharp sand to aid drainage.
Erysimum 'Bowles's Mauve'
wallflower
Stunning mauve flowers
£7.99
1.5 litre pot
within 2-3 days excludes weekends
Phlox divaricata subsp. laphamii 'Chattahoochee'
phlox
Masses of lilac flowers. Perfect in partial shade
£7.99
2 litre pot
within 2-3 days excludes weekends
Achillea millefolium 'Lilac Beauty'
yarrow
An unusual lilac, yarrow
£7.99
2 litre pot
within 2-3 days excludes weekends
Euphorbia polychroma
spurge
Vivid acid yellow flowers
£7.99
2 litre pot
within 2-3 days excludes weekends
Centaurea cyanus 'Black Ball'
cornflower
Wonderful near-black flowers
£2.49
approx 300 seeds
within 2-3 days excludes weekends
Rosa 'Felicia'
rose Felicia (hybrid musk)
Sweet-smelling blooms
£14.99
4 litre pot
available to order from autumn 2013
Planting bulbs
Bulbs are ideal for anyone who rates themselves as 'keen-but-clueless' because they are one of the easiest plants to grow. Provided you plant them at the right time of year at more or less the right depth, they will reward...
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May flower power - spikes of deep-magenta to follow on from tulips, or to pop up through silver aromatics with the strident allium ‘Purple Sensation
Val Bourne - Garden Writer