Add a welcome burst of colour, texture and joy to your garden this Spring and Summer with our edit of the best flowers and shrubs to plant now. Compiled in partnership with the new Hillier Online Shop
IMAGES: (L TO R) YOKSEL ZOK; EMIEL MOLENAAR; UNSPLASH
The arrival of Spring is full of promise, anticipation and optimism. As those first shoots, buds and leaves slowly unfurl from their slumbers, they urge us all to shed the heaviness of Winter and look forward to the joy of a new season. Now, as we head towards Summer, our gardens have again become a welcome extension of our living spaces and it’s not too late to introduce an extra burst of colour and texture to take it through Spring and Summer.
From fragrant Lavender to frilly Peonies, delicate Irises to sculptural Phormium; our edit of the best flowers and shrubs to plant now has something to tempt all tastes and suit any plot. And not only will they revive your garden, with a little care and attention, many of these plants will bring joy for years to come. All are available to buy from Hillier.
IMAGES: (L TO R) CISTUS ARGENTEUS SILVER PINK; CISTUS OBTUSIFOLIUS THRIVE; DIANTHUS CANDY FLOSS
Cistus argenteus Silver Pink (3L, £14.99)
An outstanding, hardy, evergreen shrub producing silver-green foliage. In summer it produces masses of peach-pink flowers. Raised by Hillier in 1910. Drought tolerant once established, works well in a mixed border or a patio pot. Buy here.
Cistus obtusifolius Thrive (3L, £14.99)
A compact, hardy, evergreen shrub with narrowly lance-shaped, dark green leaves, flushed bronze in winter. In summer, white flowers with yellow centres are produced. Drought tolerant once established, works well in a border or a patio pot. Buy here.
Dianthus Candy Floss (2L, £9.99)
Mound-forming, evergreen-perennial with grey-green foliage. Highly perfumed sugar-pink double flowers throughout summer. Great for planting at the front of borders, rock or gravel gardens or in a container. Buy here.
IMAGES: (L TO R) DIANTHUS COCONUT SUNDAE; DIANTHUS SUGAR PLUM; DIANTHUS TICKLED PINK
Dianthus Coconut Sundae (2L, £9.99)
Mound-forming, evergreen-perennial with grey-green foliage. Masses of fragrant white, slightly double with a splash of burgundy red in the centre. Flowers are produced through the latter part of the summer. Great for planting at the front of borders, rock or gravel gardens or in a container. Buy here.
Dianthus Sugar Plum (2L, £9.99)
Mound-forming, evergreen-perennial with grey-green foliage. Masses of frilled reddish pink flowers with dappled white edging with a great fragrance produced through summer. Great for planting at the front of borders, rock or gravel gardens or in a container. Buy here.
Dianthus Tickled Pink (2L, £9.99)
Mound-forming, evergreen-perennial with grey-green foliage. Masses of spicely fragrant, double, deep lavender flowers are produced through the summer. Great for planting at the front of borders, rock or gravel gardens or in a container. Buy here.
IMAGES: (L TO R) IRIS GERMANICA CHERISHED; IRIS GERMANICA CLIFFS OF DOVER; IRIS GERMANICA JANE PHILIPS
Iris germanica Cherished (2L ,£10.99)
A hardy perennial with lance-like, light green leaves. Delicately ruffled pale pink flowers bloom in early summer. Ideal for planting in mixed, herbaceous or cottage gardens for some early colour. Buy here.
Iris germanica Cliffs of Dover (2L, £10.99)
A hardy perennial with sword-like, light-green leaves. Large intense white flowers are produced in early summer. Ideal for planting in mixed, herbaceous or cottage gardens for some early colour. Buy here.
Iris germanica Jane Philips (2L, £10.99)
A hardy perennial with lance-like, grey-green leaves. Fragrant light blue scented flowers are produced in early summer, the falls whitish with darker veins at the base and a white beard. Ideal for planting in mixed, herbaceous or cottage gardens for some early colour. Buy here.
IMAGES: (L TO R) IRIS GERMANICA OLA KALA; LITHODORA DIFFUSA GRACE WARD; PAEONIA LACTIFLORA BOWL OF BEAUTY
Iris germanica Ola Kala (2L, £10.99)
A hardy perennial with lance-like light green leaves. Scented golden-yellow flowers are produced, in early summer. Ideal for planting in mixed, herbaceous or cottage gardens for some early colour. Buy here.
Lithodora diffusa Grace Ward (1.5L, £9.99)
A hardy, mat-forming, evergreen shrub with oblong to elliptic, hairy, dark grey-green leaves. Terminal clusters of star-shaped, dark-blue flowers are produced from late spring into summer. Perfect for tumbling over rocks or walls and to edge paths or rock gardens. Buy here.
Paeonia lactiflora Bowl of Beauty (4L, £19.99)
A hardy perennial with mid-green leaves held on upright stems. Large, anemone-like rose-pink double flowers with a creamy fringed centre are produced in summer. Beautiful in beds and borders, also popular as a cut flower. Buy here.
IMAGES: (L TO R) LAVANDULA STOECHAS PAPILLON; LAVANDULA STOECHAS PROVENÇAL; LAVANDULA STOECHAS VICTORY
Lavandula stoechas Papillon (2L, £9.99)
An evergreen plant with aromatic, grey-green leaves. From late spring and into early autumn, slender, upright stems bearing dense spikes of dark purple flowers topped with lilac bracts are produced. Beautiful in borders or in patio pots, adored by bees. Buy here.
Lavandula stoechas Provençal (2L, £9.99)
An evergreen shrub with linear, aromatic, grey-green leaves. From late spring and into early autumn, short stalks bearing dense spikes of dark purple flowers topped with conspicuous, light red-purple bracts are produced. Beautiful in borders or in patio pots, adored by bees. Buy here.
Lavandula stoechas Victory (2L, £9.99)
An evergreen shrub with linear, aromatic, grey-green leaves. From late spring to early autumn, dense spikes of tiny, fragrant, dark purple flowers topped with conspicuous, purple bracts are produced. Beautiful in borders or in patio pots, adored by bees. Buy here.
IMAGES: (L TO R) PAEONIA LACTIFLORA SHIRLEY TEMPLE; PHORMIUM MAORI QUEEN; PHORMIUM YELLOW WAVE
Paeonia lactiflora Shirley Temple (4L, £19.99)
A hardy perennial forms a bushy mound of dark green, divided foliage. Large, fragrant, fully double, rose-pink flowers are produced in late spring. Beautiful in beds and borders, also popular as a cut flower. Buy here.
Phormium Maori Queen (3L, £17.99)
A hardy, evergreen shrub with leathery, short, arching sword shaped leaves that are olive-green with rose-red edges that fade to cream. Trumpet flowers on tall stems are produced when mature. Adding shape or texture to the mixed border. Looks good growing through gravel and in containers. Buy here.
Phormium Yellow Wave (3L, £17.99)
A hardy, evergreen, clump-forming shrub with arching, strap-shaped leaves, heavily striped with bright yellow. Flowers seldom produced. Adds shape or texture to the mixed border. Looks good growing through gravel and in containers. Buy here.
IMAGES: (L TO R) PIERIS FLAMING SILVER; PIERIS FOREST FLAME; TIARELLA SPRING SYMPHONY
Pieris Flaming Silver (2L, £14.99)
A hardy, upright evergreen shrub, the young foliage bright red, becoming green, boldly margined with silvery-white. Small creamy-white bell-shaped flowers in branching clusters produced in spring. Low maintenance shrub for mixed borders, ideal for patio pots and containers. Buy here.
Pieris Forest Flame (2L, £14.99)
A hardy, evergreen shrub with green foliage that starts off red, changes to pink and cream and finally becomes green. Panicles of small, cream flowers are produced in spring. Low maintenance shrub for mixed borders, ideal for patio pots and containers. Buy here.
Tiarella Spring Symphony (2L, £10.99)
A hardy, perennial with deep-green, palmate foliage. In spring it has slender stems that rise above the foliage with light pink, star-shaped foamy flowers on top. Great for edging mixed borders, spring or shady gardens. Buy here.
This is a paid advertorial feature produced in partnership with Hillier
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