Coneflower

Echinacea Art's Pride

• Position: full sun
• Soil: any soil type except boggy
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  This stunning new echinacea has slender, orange, reflexed petals around a dark brown centre from June to September. It's a tough and vigorous plant that does not need staking, and, like other coneflowers, it is long-flowering and will cope well with adverse weather conditions, except drought. Try it dotted through a sunny, mixed border or in bold drifts among grasses or as part of a 'hot' colour scheme, where it will extend the season of interest. It is attractive to bees and butterflies, and birds will flock to the seedheads.

• Garden care: Lift and divide congested colonies in autumn or spring. In autumn cut back all dead flower stems to the ground. Coneflowers benefit from a spring or autumn mulch with well-rotted compost.