Anemones & Ranunculus

Ranunculus 'Mixed' produces a mixed selection of layered ranunculus flowers, creating a refined, romantic look in spring and early-summer borders. The blooms are especially prized for cutting and stay fresh in a vase.

Growing to around 30–60 cm, ranunculus forms low, ferny foliage and a steady succession of flowers in cool, bright conditions. Plant in groups for the fullest display and to make harvesting stems easy.

Soak the ‘claws’ for a few hours before planting, then set them in well-drained soil in full sun. In colder areas, start in pots in a frost-free place and plant out once conditions are mild.

Keep soil evenly moist while growth is active, but avoid waterlogging. Feeding every couple of weeks once buds form helps support a long flowering period.

Perfect for pots, borders and cutting gardens, ranunculus is a brilliant way to add high-end florist style at home. After flowering, let foliage die back naturally to recharge the tubers.

Anemone × hybrida ‘Königin Charlotte’ (Queen Charlotte) is an award‑winning Japanese anemone with rich rose‑pink, semi‑double flowers carried on tall stems from late summer into autumn. The large blooms add colour and movement when many borders are fading. Overlapping petals give a fuller look, with a warm yellow centre.

Grow it in full sun or partial shade in moderately fertile, moist but well‑drained soil. It’s excellent at the back of a mixed border, where its stems can weave naturally through neighbouring plants and grasses. A little afternoon shade can be helpful in hotter gardens.

Over time it forms a substantial clump and can spread, so allow space and try not to move it once established. Pair it with asters, salvias and ornamental grasses for a long season of interest. It’s particularly effective in drifts, where repeated clumps create rhythm through the border.

Mulch in spring, water in dry spells, and avoid excessive winter wet. Stems usually hold well, but a light support can help in exposed gardens. Adding organic matter helps sandy soils hold moisture and supports better flowering.

Cut back after flowering, or leave stems standing over winter and tidy in spring. A dependable perennial for late‑summer colour with a soft, romantic feel. As an RHS AGM cultivar, it’s a dependable choice for late‑season colour.

Anemone nemorosa 'Royal Blue' is a woodland classic, bringing lavender-blue spring flowers to shady corners in early spring. The starry blooms appear in a fresh carpet above finely cut foliage, brightening banks, underplanting and the front of borders when little else is flowering, and they look especially beautiful planted in repeating groups.

Reaching about 10–25cm in flower, wood anemones spread steadily to form natural-looking colonies. They are ideal beneath deciduous trees and shrubs, where they enjoy spring light before the canopy closes, and they naturalise beautifully in woodland-style gardens.

Plant rootstocks in autumn or early spring in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. A position in partial shade is ideal, though they will tolerate sun in cool, damp ground. Water after planting and keep soil just moist while new growth establishes.

Once settled, wood anemones are low maintenance. Leave foliage to die back naturally after flowering so plants can recharge for next year. A light mulch of leaf mould or compost in autumn supports healthy colonies and helps retain soil moisture.

Use wood anemones to create spring drifts under shrubs, along pathways and on woodland edges. The flowers are pollinator-friendly and provide early nectar, while the spreading habit helps knit planting together for a soft, natural finish.

Anemone nemorosa 'Blue Eyes' is a woodland classic, bringing white flowers with a sky-blue eye to shady corners in early spring. The starry blooms appear in a fresh carpet above finely cut foliage, brightening banks, underplanting and the front of borders when little else is flowering, and they look especially beautiful planted in repeating groups.

Reaching about 15–25cm in flower, wood anemones spread steadily to form natural-looking colonies. They are ideal for planting beneath deciduous trees and shrubs, where they enjoy spring light before the canopy closes, and they naturalise beautifully in woodland-style gardens.

Plant rootstocks in autumn or early spring in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. A position in partial shade is ideal, though they will tolerate sun in cool, damp ground. Water after planting and keep soil just moist while new growth establishes.

Once settled, wood anemones are low maintenance. Leave foliage to die back naturally after flowering so plants can recharge for next year. A light mulch of leaf mould or compost in autumn supports healthy colonies and helps retain soil moisture.

Use wood anemones to create spring drifts under shrubs, along pathways and on woodland edges. The flowers are pollinator-friendly and provide early nectar, while the spreading habit helps knit planting together for a soft, natural finish.

Anemone × hybrida 'Whirlwind' brings semi-double to double white blooms with a yellow centre to late-summer borders, opening on slender stems above handsome, deep green foliage. The saucer-like blooms hover gracefully and keep the garden going just as many perennials begin to fade, adding movement and light to mixed planting schemes.

Typically reaching around 75–100cm once established, Japanese anemones form clump-forming plants that spread gently by suckers over time. They flower for weeks from late summer into autumn and are excellent for weaving through grasses and shrubs, as well as for cutting when stems are harvested in bud.

Plant in full sun or partial shade in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil. Choose a sheltered spot and enrich the planting area with compost to help retain moisture. Water well after planting and keep the soil evenly moist while roots establish.

Mulch annually in spring to conserve moisture and feed the soil, and water during prolonged dry spells. Deadhead spent flowers for a tidier display, and cut back stems once the plant has finished in autumn. Divide congested clumps in early spring if you want to control spread or increase stock.

Perfect for naturalistic borders, cottage-style planting and late-season pollinator support, these anemones also make long-lasting cut flowers. Their airy habit pairs beautifully with asters, rudbeckias and ornamental grasses, extending colour and texture into the autumn months.

Anemone nemorosa 'Robinsoniana' is a woodland classic, bringing soft lavender-blue spring flowers to shady corners in early spring. The starry blooms appear in a fresh carpet above finely cut foliage, brightening banks, underplanting and the front of borders when little else is flowering, and they look especially beautiful planted in repeating groups.

Reaching about 15–25cm in flower, wood anemones spread steadily to form natural-looking colonies. They are ideal for planting beneath deciduous trees and shrubs, where they enjoy spring light before the canopy closes, and they naturalise beautifully in woodland-style gardens.

Plant rootstocks in autumn or early spring in humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. A position in partial shade is ideal, though they will tolerate sun in cool, damp ground. Water after planting and keep soil just moist while new growth establishes.

Once settled, wood anemones are low maintenance. Leave foliage to die back naturally after flowering so plants can recharge for next year. A light mulch of leaf mould or compost in autumn supports healthy colonies and helps retain soil moisture.

Use wood anemones to create spring drifts under shrubs, along pathways and on woodland edges. The flowers are pollinator-friendly and provide early nectar, while the spreading habit helps knit planting together for a soft, natural finish.