Mullein

Verbascum Spica

• Position: full sun
• Soil: lean, well-drained, alkaline soil
• Rate of growth: fast
• Flowering period: June to August
• Hardiness: fully hardy

  
  Magnificent tall stems rise out of felted grey-green basal leaves and are studded up their length with many open cupped flowers in cool ivory colour. Each flower nestles a clutch of golden stamens at its centre. Provides rapid stature and volume to the sunny border, with flowers persisting from early June to August. This giant of a plant will compliment the horizontal profiles of Achilleas, Verbena bonariensis and Foeniculum. Try also with Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue'.

• Garden care:Apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch around the base of the plant in autumn to protect from winter extremes, taking care not to cover the crown. Stake in spring with bamboo canes or twiggy prunings before the flowers appear. Mullein moth caterpillars can be a problem, pick off the insects in early June as soon as they appear. Remove faded flower spikes.
  
  It is worth keeping in mind that these plants are mainly biennial, so although they usually self-seed freely, the plant will only live for two years.