For Borders

Erythronium d.c. 'Purple King' is a quietly distinguished spring-flowering bulb, prized for its poised, nodding blooms in polished purple-rose tones. It slips beautifully into lightly shaded borders and woodland-style planting, where it reads as wonderfully natural rather than ‘placed’.

In mid to late spring, slender stems rise above attractively mottled foliage, bringing a refined flourish beneath deciduous trees and at the edge of shrubs. Given a settled spot with moisture and good drainage, it will form graceful clumps over time.

• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 25–40cm
• Best for: naturalising, woodland gardens, shady borders
• Position: sheltered, lightly shaded sites; woodland edges and beneath deciduous trees

Narcissus ‘Sweetness’ is a refined jonquil-type daffodil, prized for its beautifully fragrant golden-yellow blooms. Compact and clump-forming, it lends itself perfectly to pots and containers, neat drifts through borders, or a more natural look when naturalised in grass and beneath shrubs.

With a quietly luxurious perfume and a bright, polished colour, it is an elegant choice for early spring—particularly near paths, doorways, and seating, where the scent can be properly appreciated. An easy perennial, it settles in well and improves year on year.

• Botanical name: Narcissus ‘Sweetness’
• Type: Bulb (Fully Hardy, Perennial)
• Flower colour: Golden yellow
• Flowering: March–May
• Height: 40cm
• Fragrance: Yes
• Pollinator friendly: Yes
• Deer resistant: Yes
• Bulb size supplied: 12/14cm

Narcissus 'February Gold' is a quietly brilliant herald of spring—an early daffodil with clear, golden-yellow blooms and neatly reflexed petals that look wonderfully crisp in the low February light. Compact, clump-forming and reliably perennial, it’s a refined choice for borders, pots by the front step, and naturalising through grass for a bright, effortless drift.

• Colour: Yellow
• Flowering: February to April
• Height: 30cm
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Best planted: September to December
• Bulb size supplied: 12/14

Plant in full sun or partial shade in well-drained soil. Allow foliage to die back naturally after flowering to feed next year’s display.

Narcissus papyraceus 'Ziva' is a wonderfully refined tazetta narcissus, bearing neat clusters of pure white flowers, each softly lifted by golden stamens. Exceptionally fragrant, it’s best placed where the perfume can be properly appreciated—by a doorway, along a path, or in handsome pots on the terrace.

In borders, it settles into a tidy, clump-forming habit with mid-green foliage, returning year after year with minimal fuss. For cutting, the stems are a charming way to bring a little spring ceremony indoors.

• Flowering: March–May
• Planting: September–December
• Scent: Highly fragrant
• Garden use: Borders, containers, courtyard gardens and cutting beds

Muscari botryoides 'Album' is a crisp, white form of grape hyacinth, sending up neat, spire-shaped flowers in early spring. Its refined colour palette sits beautifully at the front of borders, tucked beneath shrubs, or threaded through lawns in natural-looking drifts. Equally, it makes a charming feature in pots where the clean white blooms read as quietly modern.

Compact and clump-forming, it returns year after year and is wonderfully straightforward to grow—an excellent choice for creating those finishing touches that make a spring garden feel considered.

• Colour: White (Whites & Creams)
• Flowering: March to May
• Height: 15–20cm
• Best for: pots & containers, borders, naturalising

Allium cernuum (lady’s leek) brings a pleasing note of refinement to early-summer borders: slim stems topped with gently nodding, bell-shaped umbels in deep pink, held neatly above fresh green foliage. It is particularly elegant when threaded through grasses and perennials, and it looks equally at home in gravel planting or a well-dressed container.

Fully hardy and admirably undemanding, this clump-forming allium is also a fine choice for pollinator-friendly schemes, offering nectar-rich flowers through the summer months.

• Colour & form: deep pink, bell-shaped umbels with a graceful nod
• Garden use: borders, gravel gardens and smart containers
• Wildlife value: pollinator friendly
• Practical bonus: deer resistant

Tulipa ‘Botanical Tulips Mixed’ is a delightful little assortment of botanical tulips, chosen for their naturally neat proportions and easy charm. Expect a lively blend of spring colour that looks particularly at home at the front of borders, tucked into rock gardens, or planted generously in pots for a refined, relaxed display.

These petite tulips are ideal where you want the look of tulips without towering stems—perfect for naturalistic planting schemes and smaller spaces, with a quietly elegant finish.

Why you’ll love it

• A mixed collection of low-growing botanical tulips in varied colours
• Excellent for pots and containers, and for weaving through the front of borders
• Fully hardy and straightforward to grow in well-drained soil
• Flowers through April–May for a fresh, bright spring moment

Tulipa (Lily-flowered Group) ‘Lily Flowering Mixed’ is a beautifully curated blend of lily-flowered tulips, selected for their poised, tapered blooms and naturally elegant silhouette. Expect a refined, colour-rich display in late spring—particularly striking when planted in generous drifts through borders, or staged in pots by the front door.

With an upright habit and graceful presence, this mix brings a lightly architectural note to planting schemes and cuts impeccably for indoor arrangements.

• Elegant form: slender, tapered blooms with a refined finish
• Versatile planting: superb in pots, and equally at home in beds and borders
• Excellent for cutting: long-stemmed spring colour for the vase

Muscari aucheri 'Blue Magic' is a most polished little grape hyacinth, sending up densely packed spires of rich blue, each tiny bell neatly finished with a fine white rim. It has a wonderfully composed look—ideal for threading through the front of borders, tucking into pots, or slipping beneath spring perennials and shrubs for a calm, well-dressed understory.

Compact at around 20cm tall, it’s perfectly scaled for small spaces and elegant containers, yet generous when planted in drifts. As a fully hardy perennial bulb, it settles in readily and returns with quiet reliability.

• Colour: Blue with a crisp white edge
• Best for: Borders, containers and underplanting
• Flowering: March to May
• Pollinator friendly: Yes

Tulipa 'Blushing Parrot' is a beautifully theatrical parrot tulip, prized for its ruffled, painterly petals and softly shifting colour. Opening cream-white, each bloom gradually flushes with rosy pink and deeper edging as it matures—utterly charming in pots by the door and quietly magnificent in a spring border.

With strong, upright stems and a refined presence, it also makes an excellent late-spring cut flower—particularly when gathered just as the buds begin to show their first hint of blush.

• Ruffled, parrot-style flowers with a cream-white base and pink-red blushing edges
• Splendid in containers and front-of-border plantings
• Ideal for cutting in late spring

Tulipa ‘Double Surprise’ is a beautifully poised, late-spring tulip with sumptuous, peony-flowered blooms. Each ivory-white petal is artistically brushed and splashed with pink, with a faint suggestion of green in the mix—an effortlessly chic choice for refined spring displays.

Held on sturdy stems above neat grey-green foliage, it brings a composed elegance to beds and borders and is equally at home in handsome patio containers. Plant in autumn for a polished flourish through April and May, and enjoy its quietly opulent double flowers at close quarters.

• Flowering: April–May
• Colour: White with pink splashes and light green tones
• Form: Peony Flowered (double)
• Height: 50cm
• Spread: 15cm
• Bulb size supplied: 10–12cm

Tulipa 'Pink Impression' is a handsome Darwin tulip with generous, goblet-shaped blooms in a refined rose-pink. Held on sturdy, upright stems, it brings a poised, confident lift to spring borders and makes a particularly polished showing in generous pots.

Plant in autumn for a quietly sumptuous display through April–May. With its reliable form and good stem length, it is also a favourite for cutting—excellent for bringing a little spring ceremony indoors.

• Flower colour: Pink
• Form: Goblet-shaped flowers on strong stems
• Best for: Borders & beds, pots & containers, cutting garden
• Hardiness: Fully hardy

Leucojum aestivum (summer snowflake) is a quietly distinguished bulb for gardens that favour a little moisture and a natural, unforced elegance. In spring it sends up slender stems carrying nodding, bell-shaped white flowers, each neatly finished with fresh green tips—particularly lovely threaded through damp borders or at the edge of woodland.

Clump-forming and fully hardy, it settles in beautifully over time and is well suited to naturalising where conditions are kind. Plant in autumn and allow it to establish; the effect in drifts is gentle, poised, and effortlessly refined.

• Flowering: March to May
• Height: 50cm
• Position: Borders, woodland edges, damp ground, beside ponds
• Pollinator friendly: Yes

Fritillaria imperialis 'Rubra' brings unmistakable theatre to the spring border: tall, assured stems crowned with a whorl of glossy green leaves, then finished with a dramatic ring of rich scarlet, bell-shaped blooms topped by a jaunty tuft of leafy bracts. It is a wonderfully architectural choice for naturalistic planting as well as more formal schemes, rising confidently through fresh spring growth.

Plant in autumn in fertile, well-drained loam and choose a sheltered position to protect those statuesque stems. The bulbs are best handled with care and planted deeply for a secure, long-lived display. Once settled, 'Rubra' will reward you year after year, taking a little time to build to its full presence.

Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Elegance Rosa Striato’ is a wonderfully refined choice for spring colour, with rose-pink blooms brushed and striped with deeper magenta. Part of the coveted Elegance Series, it brings a tailored, couture finish to pots, and a gracious lift to the front of borders.

Planted in autumn in a sheltered spot, these top-size corms produce clump-forming plants with mid-green foliage and beautifully bowl-shaped flowers—ideal for cutting when the buds are just beginning to loosen.

• Colour: Rose pink with magenta striping
• Flowering: March to June
• Height: 30–45cm
• Best for: Cutting, containers, beds & borders

Tulipa 'Seadov Parrot' is a richly dressed Parrot tulip, prized for its finely cut, serrated petals and painterly colour. Each bloom opens with a green-flushed base that graduates into deep crimson red—an assured choice for mid to late spring borders, and particularly handsome in statement pots near the front door.

With an upright habit to 45cm, it brings height and theatre without heaviness. Plant in autumn into fertile, well-drained soil, and choose a sheltered position to keep the show looking immaculate in spring.

• Flowering: April–May
• Best for: borders, pots & containers, and cutting
• Style note: exquisite when paired with deep purples, soft creams, or fresh spring greens

Narcissus 'Pueblo' is a quietly elegant spring Narcissus, valued for its poised, upright habit and clean, luminous colouring. Planted in generous drifts through borders and beds, or arranged with restraint in smart pots by the door, it brings a composed sense of structure just as the garden begins to properly wake.

With a refined trumpet form in white with pale yellow centres, 'Pueblo' is equally at home in the cutting garden, where its fresh, clear note pairs beautifully with early foliage and other spring bulbs.

• Colour: White with pale yellow centres
• Flower shape: Trumpet
• Height: 35cm
• Bulb size supplied: 12/14
• Good for: Pots & containers, borders & beds, cutting garden
• Wildlife & garden resilience: Pollinator friendly; deer resistant

Harding & Bloom notes: For the most natural effect, plant in small clusters and repeat them through a scheme. In containers, use fresh compost and ensure excellent drainage for a crisp, reliable show.

Allium 'Party Balloons' brings a buoyant note to late spring planting schemes, lifting neat, airy globes on slender stems for a finish that feels both architectural and light. It sits beautifully among tulips and cottage perennials, threading height through borders without heaviness, and it makes a rather composed cut stem for simple vases.

Plant in autumn and allow it to settle in quietly; by late spring into early summer it provides a refined punctuation of purple, with a crisp, upright habit that looks especially smart repeated in groups.

• Seasonal interest: flowers from May–June
• Form: elegant globe heads on upright stems
• For: borders, containers and cut flowers
• Wildlife: pollinator friendly; typically avoided by deer

Fritillaria persica 'Alba' is a quietly dramatic Persian lily, sending up tall, upright spires lined with creamy, green-flushed bells from early to mid-spring. Its elegant, architectural form threads beautifully through well-considered borders and makes a refined statement in generous pots, particularly against darker foliage and stone.

Best planted in autumn into fertile, moisture-retentive yet sharply well-drained soil, this fully hardy perennial settles into a clump-forming habit over time, rewarding patience with increasingly poised spring displays.

• Colour: Creamy green
• Flower shape: Bell-shaped
• Height: 50–100cm
• Flowering: March–May
• Position: South- or west-facing in full sun

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Blue Star' is a beautifully traditional spring hyacinth, prized for its dense, perfumed spires in a clear sky-blue, delicately traced with deeper blue veining. Rising neatly above fresh, strap-shaped foliage, it brings a poised, polished note to borders and containers alike.

Plant in autumn and allow the bulbs to settle through winter; come March and April, 'Blue Star' offers a refined flourish that sits particularly well beneath roses and shrubs, or arranged in pots by a doorway where its fragrance can be properly enjoyed.

• Colour: Blue-purple
• Flowering period: March–April
• Height: 25cm
• Best in: borders, pots and containers; sheltered spot

Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ is a beautifully poised, large-cupped daffodil—creamy white petals surrounding a softly primrose-yellow cup that gradually mellows towards ivory as the flower matures. The effect is subtle, luminous, and wonderfully versatile.

Reliable and floriferous, it settles quickly into borders, threads neatly through shrubs, and looks particularly smart in generous pots by the door. Planted in drifts, it also naturalises gracefully through grass for a spring display that feels effortless yet considered.

• Flower colour: Creamy white with primrose-yellow cup (fading paler)
• Form: Cup Shaped; large-cupped
• Height: 40cm
• Spread: 15cm
• Bulb size: 12/14
• Position: Borders, under shrubs, containers, naturalising in grass
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Pollinators: Pollinator Friendly

Narcissus 'Carlton' is a steadfast classic: a large-cupped daffodil in clear, sunny yellow, finished with a slightly paler trumpet. It has a pleasingly robust presence in the spring garden, returning year after year with an air of effortless reliability.

Exceptionally versatile, it settles happily into borders and underplanting, and looks equally smart in pots by the front door. For a more natural look, scatter through grass and allow the clumps to build over time for an unforced sweep of colour in March and April.

• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 50cm
• Bulb size: 12/14
• Hardiness: Fully Hardy
• Growing skill: Easy
• Also noted for: AGM, Pollinator Friendly, Deer Resistant

Muscari armeniacum is the sort of spring bulb one comes to rely upon: neat, clump-forming foliage topped with dense, upright spires of violet-blue bells, each delicately tipped in white. Thread it through borders for a crisp early lift, tuck it beneath shrubs and roses, or let it quietly naturalise in grass where it will settle in and return with increasing charm.

Exceptionally easy to grow and fully hardy, it is a refined little workhorse for pots, pathways and rock gardens—particularly handsome when planted in generous drifts.

• Colour: Violet-blue with white tips
• Flowering: March to May
• Height: 20cm
• Best for: Containers, borders, underplanting, naturalising in grass

Fritillaria persica ‘Ivory Bells’ is a beautifully poised fritillary, valued for its tall, architectural spires of softly nodding, green-tinted ivory bells. Rising above cool grey-green foliage, it lends a composed, contemporary note to spring borders and looks equally distinguished when threaded through meadow-style planting.

Plant in autumn into fertile, well-drained soil and allow it a little time to settle; by its second or third season it will reward you with a statuesque presence from April through to June. An assured choice for gardeners who appreciate structure as much as flower.

• Quiet drama for late spring — elegant, bell-shaped flowers in refined ivory with a fresh green touch
• Superb vertical form — ideal for borders, naturalising and handsome containers
• Pollinator friendly — a welcome stop for spring-foraging insects