For Borders

For late-spring theatre with a decidedly dark mood, Tulipa 'Black Parrot' delivers in impeccable style. The richly frilled, parrot-formed blooms open in sumptuous deep purple, reading almost black at the centre, and sit beautifully against grey-green foliage. Planted in generous drifts, it brings a sophisticated edge to borders and makes an indulgent centrepiece in large pots by the door.

• Colour: Deep purple, near-black
• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 50cm
• Position: Full sun; sheltered
• Ideal for: Borders, containers

Tulipa 'Orange Princess' is a thoroughly elegant Double Late tulip, opening into sumptuous, peony-like blooms in glowing apricot-orange. Soft yellow warmth and fine feathering in red and green lend a painterly finish—perfect for adding quiet richness to spring borders and smart container displays.

Flowering towards the end of the tulip season, it partners beautifully with creams, deep plums and fresh spring greens, and is equally at home as a refined cut flower for the house.

Why we love it

• Double Late form for a luxuriously full, layered look
• Glowing apricot-orange tones with subtle yellow, red and green detailing
• Excellent for pots, spring bedding and cutting

Narcissus ‘Erlicheer’ is a notably refined, early-flowering double narcissus, cherished for its richly scented clusters. Each stem carries several softly ruffled blooms in creamy white, gently warmed by a yellow centre—an elegant lift for borders, pots and spring arrangements.

Equally at home outdoors or brought into growth indoors, ‘Erlicheer’ is a dependable choice for forcing when you’d like a little spring ahead of schedule.

• Colour: White with soft yellow centres
• Flower form: Double
• Height: 35cm
• Spread: 15cm
• Flowering: March–April
• Planting: September–December
• Position: Borders, containers, naturalising in grass, under shrubs and roses

Narcissus 'Replete' is a beautifully composed double daffodil, with crisp white outer petals gathered around a softly ruffled centre of pale pink, lightly warmed with apricot. It brings a quietly luxurious note to early spring planting schemes—equally at home in a border drift, a smart pot by the door, or threaded through perennials for a well-considered, natural look.

• Colour & form: Double blooms in white with a gently blushed, ruffled centre
• Where it shines: Borders, containers, and underplanting
• Garden ease: Fully hardy and straightforward to grow
• Wildlife note: Pollinator friendly; also commonly left alone by deer

Plant in autumn and allow it to settle; by spring, ‘Replete’ returns with poised, richly textured flowers that look particularly handsome when repeated in groups.

Tulipa ‘Queensland’ is a wonderfully refined tulip, prized for its double, fringed flowers with a beautifully textured finish. Planted in autumn, it rises in mid-spring with an upright, composed habit—equally at home in smart patio pots, the front of a border, or gathered for the vase.

For the most polished effect, plant generously in groups, and pair with cool whites, soft greens and early-season foliage for a quietly luxurious spring display.

• Flower form: Double, fringed
• Ideal for: Pots & containers, front of borders, cutting gardens
• Season of interest: April to May
• Supplied as: Premium tulip bulbs

Tulip 'Angelique' is a study in quiet luxury: a fully double, peony-flowered tulip in soft shell-pink, with a subtle green flush at the base. Poised and romantic in borders, it is equally impeccable in generous pots by the door, and makes a beautifully refined spring cut flower.

Flowering late in the tulip season, Tulipa 'Angélique' is a particularly elegant way to carry your spring display through to its grand finale.

• Style: fully double blooms with a silky, layered finish
• Colour: soft pink and white, with gentle green at the base
• Best for: pots, borders, cutting garden and courtyard gardens
• Seasonal note: plant in autumn for flowers from March to May

Tulipa 'Carnaval de Nice' is a decidedly indulgent double late tulip, unfurling creamy white petals boldly flamed and feathered in deep red. In late spring it brings a touch of theatre to borders and looks wonderfully composed in generous pots—particularly when planted in confident drifts.

With an upright habit and elegant grey-green foliage (subtly white-edged), it is a refined choice for cutting too; allow the blooms to colour fully for the most sumptuous stems.

• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 40cm
• Bulb size supplied: 12/14cm
• Position: Sheltered

Narcissus 'Mount Hood' is the sort of daffodil that never feels showy—simply assured. Tall and beautifully proportioned, it carries refined trumpet blooms in spring, opening in soft creamy tones and maturing to a handsome milky white. Plant in drifts for a poised, natural look through lawns and woodland edges, or use as an elegant punctuation along borders and in generous pots by the door.

• Flower shape: classic trumpet
• Colour: white with gentle yellow notes as flowers open
• Ideal for: borders, containers and naturalising
• Reliable performer: fully hardy and easy to grow

Supplied as: premium-grade bulbs (12/14cm).

Narcissus 'Rip van Winkle' is a delightfully characterful little daffodil, prized for its starry, double blooms in golden yellow with a subtle green tinge through the centre. Held on neat, short stems, it brings a bright, detailed finish to the front of borders and looks particularly refined in pots where its intricate form can be admired up close.

Equally happy tucked into naturalised pockets, this fully hardy, clump-forming perennial returns each spring with quietly cheerful presence. An easy choice for elegant spring combinations, and a charming way to begin the season.

• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 15cm (compact and ideal for containers)
• Bulb size supplied: 10/12
• Position: borders, containers, or naturalised in grass

Iris hollandica ‘Mixed’ is a charming blend of Dutch iris in harmonising tones, chosen for elegant, upright flowers that lend a composed, architectural note to late spring planting schemes. Tuck them through borders for refined colour punctuation, or pot up in generous groups for a clean, modern look on terraces and steps.

With slender stems and a naturally poised silhouette, this mixture is also a lovely choice for the cutting garden—particularly when you’d like a succession of stems that feel effortless rather than over-styled. Where conditions suit, it will also settle in and return, quietly improving year on year.

• Bulb size: 7/8
• Height: 45–60cm
• Flowering: April to June
• Planting time: September to December
• Ideal for: borders, pots & containers, cutting garden, naturalising

Muscari 'Valerie Finnis' is a rather distinguished grape hyacinth, producing dense, pale blue flower spikes from early to mid-spring. It is particularly handsome when planted in generous drifts, allowed to naturalise through grass, or threaded neatly along the front of a border for a calm, tonal effect.

With a tidy, clump-forming habit and fresh green foliage, it suits both classic garden schemes and contemporary planting alike. For the most refined finish, combine with early narcissus, species tulips, or white spring flowers and let the soft blue do the rest.

• Colour: Pale blue
• Flowering: March–May
• Height: 25cm
• Spread: 10cm
• Best in: borders, containers, naturalising

Allium cowanii (Neapolitan garlic, Cowanii Group) is a quietly captivating allium, sending up loose, airy umbels of pure white, starry flowers on slender stems. Flowering in late spring and early summer, it brings a clean, lifted note to borders, gravel planting and pots—especially effective when threaded through grasses or soft, cottage-style perennials.

Compact and clump-forming, it settles in with ease and returns reliably year after year. Plant in autumn for an elegant drift of white that also proves popular with pollinators.

• Flower colour: White
• Flowering period: May–June
• Best for: Borders, containers, cottage gardens, city gardens
• Character: Airy, star-shaped flowers with a refined, natural look

Anemone coronaria 'Levante Rosso Double' brings a poised note of theatre to mid–late spring, with richly coloured, double blooms held neatly above fresh mid-green foliage. The effect is wonderfully tailored—ideal for smart containers by the door, and equally at home threading through the front of a sunny border.

With tidy stems and a refined flower form, it is also an excellent choice for the cutting garden, where a few stems lend instant polish to a simple jug arrangement. Plant in autumn for flowers from April to June.

• Colour: Red (with tonal variation)
• Flowering: April–June
• Height: 40–60cm
• Perfect for: Pots & containers, front of borders, cutting garden

Tulipa 'Apricot Beauty' is a beautifully mannered Single Early tulip, admired for its cup-shaped blooms in soft apricot-salmon pink, gently warmed with a hint of orange. In the spring garden it reads as quietly luminous—equally at home in smart pots by the front door as it is threaded through a border among fresh greens and early perennials.

Plant in autumn for a mid-spring performance, and allow the stems to rise to an elegant, upright finish. A refined choice for gardeners who prefer their colour nuanced rather than brash.

Allium 'Large Flowering Mix' is a generous selection of large-flowered ornamental onions, chosen for their poised, globe-shaped heads and a softly varied palette. Rising above fresh grey-green foliage, the blooms bring elegant structure from late spring into early summer—particularly effective threaded through borders, gravel gardens, or grouped in generous drifts for a naturalistic finish.

These fully hardy bulbs are wonderfully uncomplicated: plant in autumn, allow them to settle over their first seasons, and enjoy their refined, architectural presence year after year. They are also excellent for cutting—bringing a calm, contemporary note to arrangements.

• Large, globe-shaped flowerheads in a mixed colour palette
• Flowering: May–July
• Height: 60–85cm, with a neat, upright habit
• Pollinator friendly and deer resistant
• Superb for borders, gravel gardens and pots—and for cutting

Allium unifolium 'Eros' is a beautifully refined, compact allium, prized for its domed heads of pinkish-lilac, starry florets held neatly above grey-green foliage. At a modest height, it slips effortlessly into the front of a sunny border, and is equally at home in smart pots where its tidy habit can be properly admired.

Flowering in late spring, it brings a poised lift and gentle colour that partners elegantly with tulips, forget-me-nots and early grasses, while offering welcome interest for pollinators.

• Colour: pinkish-lilac
• Height: 35cm
• Flowering: May–June
• Best in: pots & containers; sunny borders

For a quietly enchanting start to spring, Narcissus 'Botanic Mixed' offers a naturalistic blend of botanical narcissus in gentle shades of yellow, white and cream. The effect is airy and unforced—just the sort of planting that looks as though it has always belonged, whether threaded through grass, tucked into borders, or arranged in pots by the door.

Flowering in March–April and reaching around 25–40cm, this mix is particularly well-suited to informal schemes and relaxed planting styles, while still feeling thoroughly refined. As a fully hardy bulb, it’s a dependable choice for autumn planting and a welcome early-season lift.

• Colour palette: soft yellow, white and cream
• Ideal for: pots & containers, borders, and naturalising in grass
• Season of interest: early spring (March–April)
• Noted for: deer resistant and pollinator friendly

Allium ampeloprasum is a wonderfully statuesque allium, prized for its papery buds opening into rounded, lilac-toned globes held aloft on tall, steady stems. Rising cleanly above broad, grey-green foliage, it brings an assured sense of height and structure from late spring into early summer—particularly handsome woven through mixed borders and naturalistic planting.

It also makes a refined cut flower: allow a few stems to open fully for a soft, architectural note indoors, while leaving plenty in the garden for visiting pollinators.

• Elegant, architectural flowerheads in pale pink-lilac and white
• Excellent height for adding lift through borders and meadow-style schemes
• Pollinator friendly and deer resistant
• Fully hardy and pleasingly low-fuss in well-drained ground

Supplied as autumn-planting bulbs.

Allium 'Ambassador' is a quietly dramatic choice for early-summer structure—generous, rich purple flower globes held aloft on tall stems, rising elegantly above neat green foliage. Planted in autumn, it returns as a reliable perennial, lending height and poise to borders and looking particularly accomplished weaving through perennials and ornamental grasses.

• Colour & form: rich purple, perfectly rounded globe heads
• Where it excels: borders, pots and containers, naturalising, and cutting for the vase
• Garden allies: pollinator friendly and noted as deer resistant
• Planting season: autumn planting for flowers in early summer

Choose a sunny, well-drained position and allow space for those impressive stems to stand with confidence. Whether dotted through a mixed border or repeated in a considered drift, 'Ambassador' delivers a refined, architectural finish just when the garden begins to gather pace.

English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non‑scripta) create one of the most recognisable spring displays: arching stems lined with fragrant, bell‑shaped blooms in deep, woodland blue. They’re a lovely way to bring a natural, British feel to gardens and wild corners.

They’re ideal for naturalising beneath deciduous trees, along shady hedgerows, or at the edge of a border where the soil stays cool. In the right spot, bulbs will spread steadily and form a beautiful carpet over time, returning reliably each spring and filling gaps before summer perennials wake up.

Bluebells prefer humus‑rich, moderately fertile soil that drains well but doesn’t dry out. If your soil is heavy or very sandy, improve it with leaf mould or compost to boost structure and moisture retention, and choose partial shade to keep the ground from baking.

Plant bulbs in autumn about 8cm deep and 8–10cm apart. Leave them undisturbed once planted—bluebells bulk up best when they’re allowed to settle and multiply in place, creating thicker clumps and more flower stems each year.

After flowering, let the foliage die back naturally to feed the bulbs for next year. Bluebells can spread in favourable conditions, so choose a planting area where you’re happy for them to roam and mingle, especially in woodland-style planting, alongside ferns and other shade lovers.

Narcissus 'Specie Mixed' is a charming, botanical-style blend chosen for naturalistic planting—ideal for easy drifts through grass, beneath deciduous trees, or threaded through spring borders. With a naturally varied selection, each mix brings its own nuanced balance of forms and tones, offering a quietly extended display as different varieties come into flower across the season.

These are modest, graceful narcissus with a gentle, meadow-like character—particularly handsome when planted in generous numbers. They also lend themselves beautifully to pots and containers, where their finer scale can be appreciated up close.

• Naturalising blend for relaxed, informal planting
• Fully hardy and reassuringly straightforward to grow
• Deer resistant and pollinator friendly
• Flowering: March to May

Please note: as this is a true mix, the precise combination of colours and flower forms will vary from season to season.

Camassia ‘Esculenta Quamash’ is a wonderfully graceful bulb for late spring, sending up refined spires of star-shaped violet-blue flowers above fresh, strap-like green foliage. It lends an effortless, natural air to meadow-style planting, relaxed borders, and lightly wild corners—particularly lovely woven through ornamental grasses and other naturalising favourites.

Dependable, fully hardy, and easy to grow, it settles in quickly and returns year after year, forming neat clumps that look increasingly assured with each season.

Why you’ll love it

• Starry violet-blue blooms held on elegant, upright stems
• Ideal for naturalising, informal drifts, and airy border planting
• Pollinator friendly, with flowers that are welcome in spring gardens
• Excellent structure for cutting gardens, with a poised, long-stemmed look

Planting notes

Plant in autumn for spring flowering. Choose a position in full sun or partial sun, in moist but well-drained loam. For a relaxed, meadow-like effect, plant in generous groups and allow the clumps to build over time.

Arum italicum is a quietly striking woodland perennial, treasured as much for its foliage as for its flowers. In autumn and winter it unfurls handsome, silver-marbled leaves that lend a refined, architectural note to shaded corners. Come April, curious greenish spathes appear, followed by bright red berries that bring a welcome dash of colour to naturalistic planting.

Superb beneath shrubs and between perennials, Italian arum settles in gracefully and looks particularly composed when allowed to weave through a lightly shaded border or woodland edge.

• Best for: woodland planting, underplanting and softly shaded borders
• Interest: marbled foliage, spring spathes, red berries
• Style: naturalising, understated, architectural

Ranunculus ‘Elegance Pastello Mix’ is a beautifully judged pastel blend from the refined Italian Elegance® series. Expect generous, exquisitely double blooms in softly contrasting tones—ideal for bringing a calm, romantic note to spring pots, borders, and the cutting garden.

Best grown in a sheltered position with moist but well-drained soil, these corms reward a little care with armfuls of handsome flowers from early to late spring.

• Colour: pastel mix (Multi-Color)
• Flowering: March–June
• Height: 25–40cm
• Perfect for: pots & containers, borders, cut flower garden

Tulipa 'Exotic Emperor' is a beautifully refined Fosteriana tulip, prized for its softly sumptuous, semi-double blooms. Creamy petals are warmed with a gentle yellow flush and elegantly brushed with green, creating a poised, painterly effect that sits just as handsomely in a smart pot as it does threaded through spring borders.

With sturdy, upright stems to around 45cm and grey-green foliage, it’s a dependable choice for early-season colour and a particularly graceful cut flower for the house.

• Flower style: Semi-double, creamy-yellow with subtle green streaking
• Where it excels: Borders, containers and spring cutting
• Type: Fully hardy, perennial bulb
• Easy to grow: An unfussy favourite for beginners and experienced gardeners alike