Yarrow

Achillea Walther Funcke

• Position: full sun
• Soil: well-drained, including dry
• Rate of Growth: average
• Flowering period: June to September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Achilleas are in vogue again, thanks in part to the many different colours and cultivars that have become available in recent years. Achillea was named by Linnaeus, the modern father of horticulture, in honour of the Greek hero Achilles.They are generally short-lived perennials, with flat, plate-like flowerheads held high on tall stems, and ferny foliage beneath. This one has masses of tiny, burnt-orange or brick-red flowers with yellow centres, aging to ochre or terracotta, and is more resistant to flopping over in wet weather than most other achilleas. It is long flowering, and drought-tolerant. Try it in a sunny spot towards the back of an herbaceous border, in a border of ‘hot’ colours or among grasses. It makes an excellent cut flower.
  
  
• Garden care: Stake using bamboo canes or brushwood before the flowers appear. Cut down to the ground in late winter, but resist the urge to do this earlier, as the seed heads look lovely in the winter light. Pull out seedlings as they appear, as they rarely match the host plant. Lift and divide large clumps in late autumn or early spring.