Pinks & Reds

Ranunculus 'Red' brings a poised shot of colour to late spring and early summer, with neatly layered, rose-like blooms in a clear, confident red. Compact yet upright, it sits beautifully in sheltered borders and is equally at home in pots by the door—always ready to provide a well-cut stem for the house.

For best results, choose a bright, sheltered position in moist but well-drained soil. As a half hardy ranunculus, it appreciates a little protection from hard frosts and winter wet.

• Flowering: May–July
• Height: 40–60cm
• Bulb size: 6/7
• Perfect for: cutting, containers, borders

Allium atropurpureum brings a beautifully saturated note to late-spring borders: deep purple-red, half-spherical flowerheads poised on slender stems above neat green foliage. It slips effortlessly through tulips and early perennials, adding height and quiet drama without ever feeling heavy.

A refined choice for modern planting schemes, it also makes a smart cut flower and is notably attractive to pollinators. Plant in autumn for an elegant show in May and June.

• Colour: Deep purple-red globes
• Flowering: May–June
• Height: 60cm
• Best for: Borders, containers and cutting

Allium amethystinum 'Red Mohican' PBR is a wonderfully characterful allium, bringing late-spring height and an artful, lightly tousled silhouette to the border. Deep wine-red buds open to a clean white, then finish with playful elongated florets that give each globe a distinctly modern, slightly bohemian air.

Planted in generous drifts, it rises above emerging perennials to provide elegant structure in May and June, and it is a particularly fine choice where you’d like a little movement and pollinator interest woven through a planting scheme.

• Colour progression: wine-red buds opening to white with elongated florets
• Season of interest: May–June
• Style notes: tall, architectural heads with a softly untamed finish

A small treasure for pots, windowsills and sheltered terraces, Oxalis deppei ‘Iron Cross’ is grown as much for its foliage as its flowers. Each clover-like leaf is neatly stamped with a deep burgundy cross, creating a smart, graphic effect from the moment growth begins.

Come summer, slender stems lift dainty rose-pink blooms above the leaves, bringing a light, cheerful finish that suits container displays beautifully. A charming choice for indoor growing, and equally happy outside once nights are mild.

Why we love it

• Distinctive foliage: green leaves marked with a burgundy cross
• Pretty summer flowers in rose-pink
• Ideal for pots and compact spaces
• Easy to grow with minimal fuss

At a glance

• Botanical name: Oxalis deppei ‘Iron Cross’
• Type: Bulb (perennial)
• Height: 20–30cm
• Spread: 15–25cm
• Position: Sheltered; Full Sun or Partial Sun
• Soil: Well-drained; keep moist but well-drained
• Hardiness: Half Hardy

Tulipa 'Queen of Night' is the tulip for those who prefer their spring planting with a little intrigue. In late spring, tall, elegant stems carry glossy goblet blooms in a near-black shade, richly washed with maroon and deep purple. It brings instant depth to borders and a beautifully tailored look in pots—particularly when partnered with paler tulips or airy grasses.

• Colour: Near-black with deep maroon-purple tones
• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 60cm
• Bulb size supplied: 11/12

Plant in autumn into fertile, well-drained soil, and choose a sheltered position to keep the long stems looking pristine. A quietly dramatic classic for refined spring schemes.

Allium 'Forelock' is a wonderfully characterful allium, admired for its rich maroon-purple, egg-shaped flowerheads finished with a playful tufted ‘topknot’. Held on elegant stems, it brings composed, architectural punctuation to late-spring planting schemes—equally at home in smart borders or in generous pots placed where the detail can be appreciated.

As the season moves on, ‘Forelock’ continues to provide structure, pairing beautifully with airy grasses, soft cottage perennials, and other spring bulbs. A refined choice for sunny, sheltered positions with good drainage.

• Distinctive flower form: egg-shaped heads with a charming tufted finish
• Colour: deep maroon-purple (Colour Group: Purples & Blues)
• Garden value: strong late-spring presence for borders and containers
• Wildlife: pollinator friendly
• Practical bonus: deer resistant

Hyacinthus orientalis 'Jan Bos' is a wonderfully classic spring hyacinth, prized for its richly coloured flower spikes in deep rosy cerise and a beautifully strong perfume. Compact and poised at the front of a border, it is equally at home in smart pots by the door, where its fragrance can be properly enjoyed.

With glaucous green leaves and an upright habit, it also makes a refined cut flower—just a few stems bring instant polish to a small vase arrangement. Plant in autumn and look forward to an elegant flourish from March into April.

• Colour: Deep pink-red
• Fragrance: Highly scented
• Best for: Borders, containers and cutting
• Flowering: March–April

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

Ranunculus 'Picotee Café' is a particularly refined ranunculus, celebrated for its richly toned, picotee-edged blooms in deep, coffee-and-caramel shades. Whether planted in smart pots by the door or woven through the front of a border, it brings a composed, curated look—and the stems are equally at home in a cut-flower arrangement.

For best results, choose a sheltered position with moist but well-drained soil and steady moisture while in growth. In colder spells, protect from hard frosts, as this variety is Half Hardy.

• Ideal for: Borders, containers and the cut flower garden
• Colour: Burgundy red with warm orange-gold tones
• Flower form: Double
• Height: 40–60cm

Tulipa 'Apeldoorn' is a true classic of the Darwin Hybrid tulips: rich red, goblet-shaped blooms that open to reveal a dark base, finely lined with yellow. Held on strong, upright stems, it brings a poised, confident note to mid-spring planting schemes—equally at home threading through borders, underplanting roses and shrubs, or arranged in generous pots by the door.

With its reliable stature and clean green foliage, ‘Apeldoorn’ also makes a splendid cut flower—smart, simple, and unmistakably spring.

• Flower colour: Red with yellow lining and black base
• Flower shape: Goblet
• Established height: 55cm
• Ideal for: Borders, containers, courtyard gardens, cottage & informal gardens, underplanting, cutting

Tulipa ‘Beauty of Apeldoorn’ is a classic Darwin Hybrid tulip with a wonderfully confident presence. Each upright, cup-shaped bloom opens in late spring in a rich golden orange, boldly flamed with red—an impeccable choice for adding warmth and structure to borders, and equally handsome in a well-chosen pot.

With grey-green foliage and stems reaching around 60cm, it sits beautifully amongst emerging perennials and spring companions, and it is particularly fine for cutting when you want something smart, clean-lined, and thoroughly seasonal indoors.

• Colour: Golden orange flamed red
• Flowering: April–May
• Height: 60cm
• Use: Borders, containers, cut flowers

Paeonia 'Red Sarah Bernhardt' is a handsome, traditional peony with indulgently full, double blooms in rich deep pink-red tones. It brings a wonderfully composed grandeur to the border, with lush mid-green foliage and a generous, clump-forming habit that looks elegant from spring onwards.

Planted in autumn as a bare root, this perennial settles in quietly and rewards patience—taking a couple of seasons to reach its best. In May through July, the flowers are superb for cutting: generous, romantic heads that sit beautifully in a vase and lend a classic note to arrangements.

• Ideal for: borders and the cutting garden
• Flowering: May–July
• Height: 80–100cm (with a spread of 60–90cm)
• Position: sheltered; full sun or partial sun
• Soil: moist but well-drained loam; any pH
• Hardiness: fully hardy

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

Anemone coronaria (De Caen Group) ‘Bicolor’ is a classic garden anemone with a wonderfully crisp, tailored look: clean white petals neatly ringed in raspberry-red, set around a dark central eye. Planted in autumn, it brings poised colour to early spring borders and makes a particularly smart cut flower for small vases and mixed arrangements.

Exceptionally at home in pots as well as the front of a sunny border, ‘Bicolor’ suits cottage-style planting and Mediterranean-inspired schemes alike. In a sheltered position with free-draining soil, it will settle quickly and reward you with a fresh, refined display just as the garden is waking up.

• Botanical name: Anemone coronaria (De Caen Group) ‘Bicolor’
• Type: Fully hardy, perennial corm
• Flowering: March–April
• Planting time: September–December
• Position: Sheltered, sunny spot
• Ideal for: Borders, containers and cutting

Ranunculus ‘Elegance Cioccolato’ is a notably refined choice for spring, offering richly toned, layered blooms with a beautifully tailored finish. The colour sits in a warm, rusted orange, deepening towards a burgundy-red centre—exactly the sort of nuanced shade that elevates borders, pots, and cutting beds with quiet sophistication.

Part of the Elegance Series, it makes a charming, clump-forming plant at a neat height, ideal for threading through the front of a mixed border or planting in generous drifts in containers. Cut a few stems for the house and you’ll find the palette works effortlessly with creams, soft pinks, and plum tones.

• Botanical name: Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Elegance Cioccolato’ (Elegance Series)
• Form: Double flowers
• Colour: Rust orange with deep burgundy/red centre
• Height: 30–40cm
• Spread: 15–25cm
• Ideal for: Borders, containers, cut flower garden

Tulipa ‘Acuminata’ is a wonderfully characterful tulip, prized for its long, finely pointed petals and painterly spring colouring. Each bloom combines warm yellow and red tones, often finished with a subtle green tinge, creating an elegant, slightly untamed look that suits both pots by the door and well-drained borders.

With an upright habit and grey-green foliage, it brings height and movement without fuss. Plant in autumn, allow it a sheltered position, and look forward to its distinctive, species-style presence from March to April.

• Distinctive shape: slender, pointed petals with a refined, flame-like silhouette
• Colour: yellow and red, often lightly tinged green
• Versatile planting: particularly handsome in spring containers and neat drifts through borders

Tulipa 'Apeldoorn's Elite' is a distinguished Darwin Hybrid tulip, prized for its generous, open goblet blooms in rich red, finished with the lightest pastel-orange edging. Planted in autumn, it rises in early spring with an assured presence—excellent for giving borders a polished sweep of colour, and equally handsome in pots and patio containers.

• Colour: Rich red with soft pastel-orange edging
• Flower form: Goblet
• Flowering: March–April
• Height: 40–60cm
• Best for: Borders, pots & containers

For best results, plant into moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered position, allowing the foliage to die back naturally after flowering to feed the bulb for the following season.

Narcissus 'Pheasant's Eye' is a fragrant late-spring narcissus with elegant white petals surrounding a small golden-yellow cup edged in red. That distinctive centre gives the flower its familiar Pheasant's Eye name and makes it a refined choice for naturalistic and cottage-style planting.

Growing to approximately 35-45cm, it works beautifully through grass, beneath deciduous trees, in borders and in containers. The scented flowers are also excellent for cutting, while established clumps can return and increase over time when the foliage is allowed to die back naturally.

• Flowering period: April-May
• Flower colour: white petals with a yellow cup and fine red rim
• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Best used for: naturalising, borders, containers and cut flowers

Cyclamen coum is the sort of quietly exquisite plant that earns its keep when the garden feels at its most spare. Nestled low to the ground, it forms neat, clump-forming colonies of rounded, dark green leaves, often handsomely silver-marbled, followed by nodding, starry flowers in pink to purple-pink from mid-winter into early spring.

Superb for naturalising in a woodland-style setting, tucking beneath shrubs, or bringing a little refinement to pots by the door. Given a sheltered position in dappled shade and reliably well-drained soil, it will return each year with increasing presence.

• Season of interest: late winter to early spring
• Perfect for: naturalising, woodland gardens, underplanting shrubs, pots & containers
• Foliage: rounded green leaves, often silver-marbled
• Flower colour: pink to purple-pink (mixed shades)

Muscari 'Pink Sunrise' is a distinctive pink grape hyacinth with dense spring spires of small, urn-shaped blooms. Each spike opens soft blush pink and becomes paler towards the tip, creating a delicate two-tone effect that pairs beautifully with white muscari, hellebores, primulas and pastel tulips.

Compact and clump-forming at around 15-20cm tall, this fully hardy bulb is particularly effective in pots, rockeries, border edges and beneath deciduous shrubs or roses. Plant in a generous group for the strongest display, in full sun or partial shade and soil that drains freely.

• Flowering: March-April
• Colour: soft blush pink with paler, almost white tips
• Height: 15-20cm
• Best for: pots, rockeries, border edges and underplanting
• Hardiness: fully hardy (RHS H6)