Plant identification march-june

Abelia x grandiflora

Medium -sized semi-evergreen shrub to 3m, with arching branches, bearing small, glossy oval leaves and clusters of pale pink, slightly fragrant flowers over a long period from mid-summer

Campsis radicans

self-clinging woody climber growing to 10m, with pinnate leaves and bright orange or red, trumpet-shaped flowers 8cm long, borne in clusters in late summer and autumn

Dahlia’Bishop of Llandoff

A popular, tuberous-rooted perennial to 1m in height, with very dark purple-green foliage. Peony-shaped, semi-double bright red flowers 6cm in width, with bright yellow anthers, appear from summer to autumn

Echinacea purpurea cv

Uprigh perennial to about 1.5m tall, with coarsely hairy, lance-shaped mid-green basal leaves to 15cm long, and solitary flowerheads to 12cm across with slightly reflexed, light purplish-pink rays and a golden brown central disk, from midsummer to autumn; native to prairies and woods of eastern USA

Lobelia cardinalis

Erect , clump-forming herbaceous perennial to 90cm in height, with rather glossy bright green oblong leaves and brilliant scarlet, two-lipped flowers 5cm in length in terminal spikes

Miscanthus sinensis cv ‘silberfeder’

A clump-forming, deciduous perennial grass of variable size but can be up to 3m tall. Its upright to arching, linear,mid-green leaves are 1-2cm wide, characterised by a prominent silver-white midrib and turn yellow to pale brown from autumn into winter. Erect, airy, silvery to pale pinkflower plumes held above the foliage are produced in late summer and autumn

Rudbeckia fulgida var deamii

rhizomatous perennial with hairy leaves and branching stems that carry flowers with deep-brown centres and warm-golden ray florets in mid to late summer and early autumn

Stipa gigantea

robust, tufted evergreen grass to 2m, with arching linear green leaves. Large panicles of oat-like, airy purplish flowers, maturing to gold, appear in summer and autumn

Symphyotrichum navi belgii cv Jenny

clump-forming, herbaceous perennial with narrow, lance-shaped mid-green to purple foliage and masses of daisy-like flowers in shades of purple, lavender-purple or white with yellow centres, which generally appear in the autumn. Heights can vary between 30cm and 180cm with many cultivars having a good resistance to powdery mildews

Verbena bonariensis

A tall herbaceous perennial with erect, branching stems to 2m in height, bearing sparse, oblong leaves. Numerous branched clusters of small, lilac-purple flowers appear from summer to autumn; these are a good nectar source for pollinating insects

Acanthus mollis

vigorous plant with large, glossy dark green leaves, pinnately lobed and, in late summer, tall racemes of white flowers with dusky purple bracts..Bears Breches

Acer palmatum Japanese maple

A variable small tree with small, deeply 5 to 7-lobed leaves often colouring well in autumn. Small red flowers in spring are followed by winged, red or green fruits

Achillea millefolium 

Yarrow

A spreading native wildflower with narrow, aromatic, very finely divided leaves and flat heads of small, white, cream or pink flowers in summer

Aegopodium podagraria 

Ground elder

Often seen as a troublesome weed, ground elder spreads quickly to form a mass of shallow roots and a carpet of leaves. While it may need controlling in some parts of the garden, it will attract wildlife if left in less cultivated areas.

Armenia maritima. Thrift

clump-forming evergreen perennial with dense, needle-like dark green leaves and erect stems to 20cm, bearing compact clusters of white, pink or red-purple flowerheads to 2.5cm wide, in late spring and summer

Astrantia major

Masterwort

An erect, clump-forming perennial with scarcely 3-5-lobed leaves, and flower stems to 60cm, bearing flower heads in stalked, compound umbels. Clusters of tiny, whitish-green flowers are surrounded by petal-like bracteoles which are whitish, tinged with green and pink, with conspicuous veining. Several subspecies of this plant have contributed to the many garden selections

Bellis perennis

Daisy

An evergreen perennial forming rosettes of dark green, spoon-shaped leaves, with small, solitary, yellow-centred, pink-tinged, white daisies in late spring and summer

Betula pendulum

Silver birch

Elegant, narrowly conical, deciduous tree up to 25m in height, with slender drooping twigs. Peeling white bark, becomes black and rugged at the base. Diamond-shaped, toothed, mid-green leaves, turn yellow in autumn. Flowers in catkins are yellow-brown and appear in early spring

Buddleja Davidii

Butterfly bush

Elegant, narrowly conical, deciduous tree up to 25m in height, with slender drooping twigs. Peeling white bark, becomes black and rugged at the base. Diamond-shaped, toothed, mid-green leaves, turn yellow in autumn. Flowers in catkins are yellow-brown and appear in early spring

Caltha palustris

Marsh marigold

A rhizomatous, marginal aquatic perennial to 50cm, with rounded, rich green leaves and clusters of deep yellow flowers 4cm in width

Calystegia septum

Hedge bindweed

A perennial, native wildflower with twining stems climbing to 3m or more. It has broad, heart-shaped leaves and, in summer, white, trumpet-shaped flowers 3-7cm across

Canna indica cv.

Indian shot

An erect perennial to around 2m tall with ovate, dark green leaves often flushed bronze. Racemes of small red or dark orange flowers with some yellow on the lip are borne from midsummer into early autumn

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Shepherds purse

Capsella is a genus of tough, annual or biennial plants, producing a rosette of toothed leaves which often overwinters. Tiny, white flowers are produced anytime from spring to autumn on upright stems to 50cm, followed by characteristic heart-shaped seed pods

Centaurea cyanus

Cornflower

A cornflower annual to 75cm tall, with lance-shaped, slightly lobed, mid-green leaves, and solitary deep blue flowerheads 3-4cm across, with violet-blue inner florets, in late spring and summer

Cordalis flexuosa

A herbaceous perennial to 30cm in height, dying down in summer, with divided glaucous leaves, sometimes tinged purple, and clusters of two-lipped blue flowers with white throats in spring and early summerIs

Corylus avellana

Hazel

Hazels are a versatile group of deciduous trees and large shrubs. They are probably best known for their yellow, dangling catkins on bare branches in early spring, followed by edible nuts in autumn. The common hazel (Corylus avellana) is excellent for wildlife gardens, hedgerows and woodland settings.

Cosmos bipinnatus

Cosmea

A tall, bushy annual to 2.5m, with very finely divided, mid-green leaves, and large flowers to 8cm across, usually white or pink the wide outer rays surround a central disc of tightly clustered, usually yellow, inner disc florets. Flowering late summer and into autumn, until frost occurs. Many named cultivars and selections are available, including doubles, forms with tubular rays, and picotee colours

Continus coggygyria

Smoke bush

A large, bushy, deciduous shrub to 5m, with rounded leaves turning yellow, orange and red in autumn. Large feathery inflorescences are buff at first, later greyish

Crataegus monogyna

Hawthorn

A rounded deciduous tree to about 10m in height, with thorny branches and glossy, deeply lobed dark green leaves, colouring gold in autumn. Flat sprays of fragrant, creamy-white flowers with pink anthers, are produced in late spring, followed by plentiful dark red edible berries in autumn. The fruit can be made into jellies or used for making herbal tea