Deep crimson, pincushion-like flowers are held high on slender, branched stems from June to September. This popular, airy perennial brings long-lasting colour to a mixed or herbaceous border. It's best planted in a well-drained soil in full sun and supported with twiggy pea sticks, since it has a tendency to sprawl. Although it prefers alkaline soil, it will thrive in neutral soil too. It is also a magnet for bees and butterflies.
Garden care: Support with twiggy pea sticks or brushwood well before the flowers appear. Cut down to the ground in autumn. This plant is susceptible to powdery mildew. To help prevent this, mulch with well rotted manure or compost in autumn and keep it well watered.
"Small wine-red buttons on airy stems on this long-flowering, dainty scabious - it will perform from June until late autumn if deadheaded even in drought"
Bought these to attract wildlife and they are constantly covered in bees and hoverflies. If you deadhead them they seem to go on forever but the seed heads look lovely too. Can get some mildew if planted in thin, dry soil.
Laura
Leicestershire
Excellent for pollinators
5
Tough plant that comes back year after year. A variety of bees and butterflies love this plant
Park keeper
West Midlands
Endless flowers!
5
This has got to be one of the most beautiful perennials I've ever grown. It is only slowing down a little bit now in August, but that is probably due to me not being able to reach it to deadhead properly. It is tall but flowers grow on stamens that are see through so you could get away with mid border position. It is important to deadhead and give some space in the bottom, which can be untidy. Best to have some support either of neighbouring plants or shrubs otherwise will fall over. The colour is magenta or dark red, changes with light. The bees can't have enough of it and it has been flowering since June non stop. I grow it in the sun on moist fertile clay in combination with agastache, echinops, veronicastrum, penstemon, campanula, geranium and loosestrife. It would look fantastic with some of the taller dahlias.
DJ
London
Nice but colour much paler than expected
3
Very nice, grows back bigger and bigger, pale in colour though. And a bit prone to powdery mildew so must be planted in a sunny spot.
Yvonne
Devon
Good plant once established
4
Planted last summer and has flowered really well this year, bees love it.
Claire592
Leeds
A versatile plant which is a great addition to the border.
5
This is quite a vigorous plant. I deadhead it which some people say you shouldn't do. I find though that it does promote more flowering and in heavy rain helps the plant to keep upright. Is suited to a more naturalistic style of planting.
Susie
Stoneleigh, Warwickshire
Bees love this!
5
Just plant this mid border & the flower stalks will grow through other plants supporting the lovely crimson flowers. Always a favourite with bees
Steve
Wirral
The bees love it.
5
I bought this last year as a small plant, with no clue what it would look like. (Pot luck). I planted it at the back of the border and it flowered quickly with maroon daisy like flowers reaching about 4 ft on quite strong stems. This year it is more vigorous with more stems and flowers of maroon and surprisingly some pale lilac coloured flowers. (a twofer). Yes you should deadhead for more flowers, but the dead heads look so attractive, like green stars that they are great to add to an indoor display. The bees adore this plant.
Katrina62
Cambridge
Great for mixed border
5
This is one of my favourite plants for the mid section of a perennial border. It is light and airy and mixes and weaves between other plants giving a pop of colour. The flowers last a long time and it repeat flowers from July to September. Nice informal plant
Burygardener
Midlothian
Always such a joyful plant
4
This little genius of a plant cant help but cheer-up A sunny corner with its deep and unual colour, this olabt gets the most comments from family and friends
Colly
London
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4.638
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should I deadhead these? the seed-heads look pretty, but I'd love to prolong the flowering
la54
Hello,
Many gardeners will suggest you take the dead-heading route to prolong the flowering, however as you have already discovered, the seed heads are really pretty - and they are a treat for the birds. The decision is yours.....
Helen
Hi, I planted 3 plants last spring and had beautiful flowers all summer. I cut them down in the autumn and mulched. Now this spring 1 of them has started growing but the other two look dead. What's happened?
Thanks
Linda
Linda
Hello,
I suspect that the wet weather has killed them off as although these plants can tolerate low temperatures, they must have well drained soil.
Helen
Hi, I've just read that you should cut this down to the ground in autumn. I haven't done this and it's 1st February. Should I do it now?
yakamoz
Hello there
Don't worry that you didn't cut it back in the autumn, but I would wait now and cut it back from March onwards.
Hope this helps
2006 Planting Chelsea Flower Show enquiry
Hi, I see you have plants available for the current show, but do you have a plant list for the 2006 award winner (Daily Telegraph,Tom Stuart Smith) available as I am interested in buying some of these plants? Thank you for your time, Kelly
kelly mackenzie
Hello Kelly, He did use a lot of plants in his garden - here is a list which includes most. Allium Purple Sensation Anthriscus Ravens Wing Aquilegia Ruby Port Astrantia Claret Carex testacea Cirsium rivulare atropurpureum Dahlia Dark Desire Euphorbia Fireglow Geranium Lily Lovell Geranium phaeum Samobor Geranium Phillipe Valpelle Geranium psilostemmon Geum Princess Juliana Gillenia trifoliata Hakonechloa macra Iris Dusky Challenger Iris Dutch Chocolate Iris Sultan's Palace Iris Superstition Iris Supreme Sultan Knautia macedonica Lavandula angustifolia Nepeta subsessilis Washfield Nepeta Walkers low Purple fennel - Giant Bronze Rodgersia pinnata Superba Rodgersia podophylla Salvia Mainacht Sedum matrona Stachys byzantina Stipa arundinacea (syn.Anemanthele lessoniana) Stipa gigantea Tulip Abu Hassan Tulip Ballerina Tulip Queen of Night Verbascum Helen Johnston I hope this helps. Helen Plant Doctor
Mediterranean gardens can take on various guises from the rustic and rambling to the formal elegance of an Italian courtyard. However, they all have key features in common, including the use of exotic, sometimes tender, drought-tolerant plants in pots and
Indulge a passion for ornamental grasses by creating a prairie- or meadow-style garden. They can be richly planted with native wildflowers or a selection of complementary perennials and self-seeding annuals to create a naturalistic planting effect.