Low maintenance

Dahlia 'Decorative Mixed' brings a mixed selection of decorative dahlias in a wide colour range to summer borders and cutting gardens, with bold flowerheads held on sturdy stems. Whether planted in drifts or dotted through mixed beds, the blooms add instant impact and keep coming through the warm months.

Once established, this clump-forming dahlia typically reaches 80–120 cm, producing plenty of long stems for cutting. Regular picking and deadheading encourages a steady succession of flowers from midsummer into autumn.

Start tubers in a frost-free place in spring, or plant outside once the risk of frost has passed. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and enrich the planting area with compost for best results.

Water during dry spells, especially while buds form, and feed every two to three weeks through the flowering period. Taller plants benefit from discreet staking, and removing faded blooms keeps the plant productive and tidy.

Perfect for borders, patio pots and cutting gardens, dahlias are also pollinator-friendly in single-flowered forms. Lift and store the tubers after the first frosts in colder areas to enjoy an even better display the following year.

Crocosmia 'Large Flowering Mixed' produces a showy mix of large flowers in hot summer shades on graceful, arching stems, adding movement and hot colour to mid and back borders in late summer. The flowers are loved by pollinators and make strong cut stems too.

Reaching an established height of around 60–90 cm, crocosmia forms clumps of sword-like foliage and throws up branching sprays of bloom. It’s a reliable perennial that provides colour into early autumn.

Plant corms in spring in full sun or light partial shade, in soil that is fertile and moist but well-drained. A sheltered position helps stems stay upright and extends the flowering display.

Water in dry spells during active growth, and feed in late spring for best flowering. After flowering, remove spent stems if desired, but leave foliage to die back naturally to feed the corms for next year.

Ideal for prairie-style borders, cottage gardens and large containers, crocosmia pairs beautifully with grasses and late-summer perennials.

Dahlia 'Kelvin Floodlight' is a summer-flowering dahlia grown from a tuber, loved for huge primrose-yellow blooms that glow at dusk. The fully double, show-stopping blooms sit above fresh foliage and bring instant impact to borders, cutting gardens and large pots.

Flowers appear from mid-summer until the first frosts, especially if you keep deadheading. Dahlias are excellent cut flowers—snip stems regularly to encourage new buds. Its bright yellow is a classic choice for exhibitions and big borders.

Plant in fertile, humus-rich soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Start tubers in pots under cover in March or April, then plant out after frost risk has passed, or plant directly outside in May. Set tubers about 10–15cm deep and space plants 45–60cm apart.

This variety typically reaches 0.5–1 m with a spread of around 0.1–0.5 m. Taller types benefit from staking in windy spots. Water during dry spells and feed with a high-potash fertiliser every couple of weeks once buds form.

In autumn, once frost blackens the foliage, cut stems back and lift tubers to store cool, dry and frost-free. In very mild areas you can mulch and leave them in the ground. Replant in spring for another season of colour.

Dahlia 'Pompon Mixed' brings a mixed selection of pompon dahlias in a wide colour range to summer borders and cutting gardens, with bold flowerheads held on sturdy stems. Whether planted in drifts or dotted through mixed beds, the blooms add instant impact and keep coming through the warm months.

Once established, this clump-forming dahlia typically reaches 80–120 cm, producing plenty of long stems for cutting. Regular picking and deadheading encourages a steady succession of flowers from midsummer into autumn.

Start tubers in a frost-free place in spring, or plant outside once the risk of frost has passed. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and enrich the planting area with compost for best results.

Water during dry spells, especially while buds form, and feed every two to three weeks through the flowering period. Taller plants benefit from discreet staking, and removing faded blooms keeps the plant productive and tidy.

Perfect for borders, patio pots and cutting gardens, dahlias are also pollinator-friendly in single-flowered forms. Lift and store the tubers after the first frosts in colder areas to enjoy an even better display the following year.

Eucomis 'Autumnalis White' produces creamy white flowers topped with a leafy tuft, sending up dramatic flower spikes that add height, scent, and structure to summer borders and patio pots. The blooms open progressively up the stem, giving a longer display and excellent cut flowers.

Reaching an established height of around Up to 75 cm, this bulb forms neat clumps of fresh green foliage, then delivers its flowers in the warmest part of the season when many spring bulbs have finished.

Plant in spring in a warm, sunny, sheltered position with well-drained soil. Work in compost to improve fertility and drainage, and avoid waterlogged ground, which can rot dormant bulbs.

Water during dry spells while growth is active and feed every two to three weeks once buds form for stronger flowering. Remove spent flower stems if you prefer a tidy look, but leave foliage until it dies back naturally to feed next year’s bulb.

Ideal for borders, containers and cutting gardens, these spikes bring a tropical note to planting schemes. In colder areas, lift and store bulbs once foliage yellows, or protect them well in a sheltered spot.

Dahlia 'Arabian Night' brings velvety deep red decorative blooms to summer borders and cutting gardens, with bold flowerheads held on sturdy stems. Whether planted in drifts or dotted through mixed beds, the blooms add instant impact and keep coming through the warm months.

Once established, this clump-forming dahlia typically reaches 90–120 cm, producing plenty of long stems for cutting. Regular picking and deadheading encourages a steady succession of flowers from midsummer into autumn.

Start tubers in a frost-free place in spring, or plant outside once the risk of frost has passed. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and enrich the planting area with compost for best results.

Water during dry spells, especially while buds form, and feed every two to three weeks through the flowering period. Taller plants benefit from discreet staking, and removing faded blooms keeps the plant productive and tidy.

Perfect for borders, patio pots and cutting gardens, dahlias are also pollinator-friendly in single-flowered forms. Lift and store the tubers after the first frosts in colder areas to enjoy an even better display the following year.

Dahlia ‘Park Princess’ is a charming semi-cactus bedding variety that packs a punch of bright pink colour into a compact, manageable size. Unlike its taller cousins, this variety is perfectly scaled for pots, window boxes, and the front of garden borders.

Forming a neat, low-growing mound of healthy green foliage, it produces a profusion of spiky, vibrant pink flowers that cover the plant throughout the summer. Its shorter stems mean it rarely requires staking, making it a low-maintenance option for busy gardeners.

Plant in full sun for the best flowering density, in high-quality potting compost if growing in containers. Ensure container-grown plants have excellent drainage to prevent the tubers from becoming waterlogged.

Water daily during hot spells if planted in pots, as containers dry out quickly. Deadhead faded blooms regularly to keep the plant looking tidy and to encourage new buds to form continuously until autumn.

A brilliant choice for patio gardening and small spaces, ‘Park Princess’ delivers the exotic look of a cactus dahlia without the need for large beds, pairing well with low-growing annuals like lobelia or alyssum.

Dahlia 'Almand’s Joy' brings giant dinnerplate flowers in soft purple and white shades to summer borders and cutting gardens, with bold flowerheads held on sturdy stems. Whether planted in drifts or dotted through mixed beds, the blooms add instant impact and keep coming through the warm months.

Once established, this clump-forming dahlia typically reaches 1 m, producing plenty of long stems for cutting. Regular picking and deadheading encourages a steady succession of flowers from midsummer into autumn.

Start tubers in a frost-free place in spring, or plant outside once the risk of frost has passed. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot in fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil, and enrich the planting area with compost for best results.

Water during dry spells, especially while buds form, and feed every two to three weeks through the flowering period. Taller plants benefit from discreet staking, and removing faded blooms keeps the plant productive and tidy.

Perfect for borders, patio pots and cutting gardens, dahlias are also pollinator-friendly in single-flowered forms. Lift and store the tubers after the first frosts in colder areas to enjoy an even better display the following year.

Begonia 'Fimbriata Pink' produces deep pink, frilled flowers with a softly ruffled finish, bringing rich colour and a soft, petal-packed look to summer containers and sheltered borders from early summer onwards.

Forming a upright, leafy clump, this tuberous begonia typically reaches an established height of around 30–50 cm in a single season, with repeat-flowering stems that keep the display fresh when you remove faded blooms.

Start tubers in a frost-free place in spring, then plant outside once all risk of frost has passed. Choose humus-rich, well-drained soil and a sheltered spot with bright shade or gentle morning sun, as strong midday sun can scorch leaves and flowers.

Water carefully until growth is established, then keep the compost evenly moist (never waterlogged). Feed every two to three weeks through the growing season for stronger flowering, and protect plants from heavy rain and wind to prevent damage to the blooms.

Ideal for patio pots, window boxes and shaded beds, these begonias provide long-lasting colour and are easy to overwinter: lift the tubers after the first frost, dry them off, and store in a cool, frost-free place until spring.

Hosta 'White Feather' is a distinctive foliage perennial whose leaves emerge creamy white in spring before gradually developing green veining and more colour as the season progresses.

The effect is luminous in shady borders and pots, where the bright young foliage helps lift darker planting combinations. Pale lavender flowers appear in summer above the clump.

Plant in partial shade in moisture-retentive but well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. Avoid hot, exposed spots, especially where the white young foliage could scorch.

Water regularly during dry periods and protect emerging shoots from slugs. Mulching each year helps keep the soil cool and fertile while the clump establishes.