Echinacea pallidaAn exciting alternative to Echinacea purpurea; this Coneflower has lots of narrow drooping petals of a rich magenta-puce to pale pink colour, surrounding an orange-highlighted, pointed cone, borne on tall slender but stout stems. 1m (39”).
Echinacea paradoxaSo what’s the paradox? Well this Coneflower is yellow instead of purple! In fact it looks rather like one of the closely related Rudbeckia species; the flowers are a strong yellow with long drooping petals circling a bristly, bronzed-brown central button. 120cm (4ft).
Echinacea purpurea Purple ConeflowerOne of many daisies from the prairies of North America, this popular herbaceous species produces many upright stems with individual large purple flowers, with a central cone made up of numerous orange and brown anthers. 90- 20cm (3-4ft).
Echinacea purpurea ‘Rubinstern’ AGM.A good robust form with large flowers; the petals of the deepest pink to ruby-red, surrounding a large dark orange cone; providing long lasting summer and autumn colour. 90cm (3ft).
Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’A good cream-white flowered variety with a central cone of rich oranges and browns, the whole flower measuring 11cm (4 ½”) across. 60cm (24”) or slightly more in height.
Echinacea tennesseensis ‘Rocky Top Hybrids’An interesting alternative to the usual Echinacea species, this variety is shorter with smaller blooms than E. purpurea, but with a similar colouration. Each flower has upward curving, pastelpink to mauve petals and the central disk florets starting brown-black but turning orange-yellow when they open. The plant is a vigorous, compact, clump-former reaching 60cm (2ft) and requiring full or part sun, well-drained soil, only needing moisture to establish.
EchinaceasEchinaceas are all summer flowering perennials. They are North American Prairie plants and perform well in our gardens. They prefer rich, well-drained soil in full sun. The flowers are a good source of nectar for insects – butterflies, bees and hoverflies are frequent visitors. Regular dead-heading encourages repeat flowering and is time well spent. They are attractive planted individually or en masse in a naturalistic style.
Epimedium acuminatumFlowers are large, very pale dusky-pink outer petals, deep dusky-pink within. Marbled foliage. 30cm (12”).
Epimedium Asiatic hybridsA hybrid of several Chinese species bred by the plantswoman Elizabeth Strangman; producing large distinctive foliage and rose-pink flowers. 30cm (12”).
Epimedium davidiiA lovely large flowered variety with clear primrose-yellow, long spurred flowers, sitting above long, tapered, bristly foliage which is a rich copper colour when it first appears. 40cm (16”).
Epimedium diphyllumA charming delicate-looking species; forming attractive low domes of dense foliage. During April and May it produces masses of pendant, white, spurless, bell-shaped flowers. The foliage is strongly tinted bronze when young. 25cm (10”).
Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Crimson Beauty’Large jewel-like wine-red coloured, large spurred flowers, appearing in mid to late spring above the new ruby-flushed foliage. 40cm (16”).
Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Lilafee’An excellent small growing form with violet-purple flowers . Growing 25cm (10”) high, the foliage has metallic-purple tints when young.
Epimedium grandiflorum ‘Rose Queen’ AGM.Attractive copper-tinted foliage and wiry stems bearing clusters of deep pink flowers in spring.
Epimedium grandiflorum ‘White Queen’ AGM.An attractive hybrid, it produces massed sprays of numerous, large, pure white blooms, each with a hint of pink at their base, all held above handsome foliage. 40cm (16”).
Epimedium higoenseA small but perfectly formed elegant species with quite large (for its size), long spurred white flowers produced in spring. The fresh green new growth is attractively edged with crimson-brown markings. 7.5cm (3”).
Epimedium leptorrhizumAn attractive species with long spurred, large white to lilac-pink blooms. The handsome leathery foliage, when new is rich milk-chocolate-brown to copper, the margins edged with soft fine spines. 15cm (6”).
Epimedium membranaceumClear, pure yellow blooms with brown sepals up to 2.5cm (1”) across, creating a pleasing combination of chocolate and cream. 15cm (6”).
Epimedium perralderianumThroughout the year, this plant makes a good mound of fine-looking, glossy dark green, toothed foliage which doesn’t require trimming back, unlike most epimediums. In spring it produces bunches of bright, starry-yellow flowers. 30cm (12”).
Epimedium pinnatum subsp. colchicum AGM.A reliable performer, bearing rich yellow, outward facing blooms in tall, upright panicles throughout April and May. This species is well suited to shade where it will form a good dense ground cover with its coppery-red new growth. Tolerant of drought once established. 30cm (12”).
Epimedium pubigerumAnother delightful species, this time producing copious flowers on heavily branched inflorescences; each bloom is made up of creamy-white sepals and yellow petals carried on rosyred stems. The foliage is excellent, both smooth and glossy. 30cm (12”).
Epimedium sempervirensSimilar in appearance to Epimedium grandiflorum and its hybrids, as its name suggests it has evergreen foliage over which are held attractive white flowers.
Epimedium x setosumA graceful hybrid with white, bell-shaped flowers, held above attractive reddish-brown mottled foliage. 15cm (6”).
Epimedium x versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ AGM.One of the most popular epimediums and rightly so; pale yellow blooms on long stems held above good foliage which are strongly coloured in the spring and autumn. Vigorous, ground covering habit. 30cm (12”).
Epimedium x warleyense ‘Orangekönigin’Dense foliage reaching 40cm (15”) in height and carrying lovely orange blooms.
Epimedium x youngianum ‘Merlin’A small hybrid whose new growth is flushed through with purple; it bears short spurred, mauve flowers. 20cm (8”).
Epimedium x youngianum ‘Niveum’ AGM.A showy, free-flowering species, with pure white flowers above dark chocolate-brown young foliage. 25cm (10”).
Epimedium x youngianum ‘Roseum’Another of the smaller hybrids with dainty dusky-pink flowers, produced in spring, against a backdrop of almost downy foliage. 20cm (8”).
Epimedium ‘Enchantress’A fine variety with sprays of sugar-pink to mauve flowers held above strong, dark green, corrugated foliage which when turned over is almost white in colour. 30cm (12”).
EpimediumsEpimediums are valuable garden plants, not only for their exquisite flowers, but also for their varied and attractive, long-lasting foliage. Sometimes known as Bishop’s Mitre, they prefer a cool site and are best suited to a shaded or semi-shaded herbaceous border. Foliage can be cut back in winter to allow the spring borne flowers to be displayed to best effect.
Epipactis gigantea Giant HelleborineNot as big as the scientific and common name might suggest, its upright stems only reaching 40cm (16”) high and with lance-shaped leaves arising from a creeping rhizome. During late spring, clusters of curious flowers appear on the end of the stems, each flower a mix of bright greenyellow, the lip veined with maroon and sepals purple veined. Suitable for a moist but well-drained site on a neutral to alkaline soil in part shade where it will spread slowly.
Epipactis palustrisA rhizomatous hardy orchid with white/reddish flowers with maroon veins in spring/early summer. 30cm (12”) high, moist to wet soil in part shade.
Eragrostis curvulaAfrican or weeping love grass. 60-90cm (2-3ft) high in flower. Best sited in an open sunny spot with space around it to show off its beautiful arching form.
Erigeron karvinskianus AGM.An easy to grow, but often hard to come by little plant. Masses of small daisy flowers, white at first later pink, are produced throughout summer on wiry mounds of foliage 25cm (10”) high. For a warm, well drained site where it will self seed freely.
Erigeron ‘Dignity’Large, rich purple fine rayed flowers through summer and autumn. 45cm (18”) high.
Erodium pelargoniiflorumThis looks for all its worth like a tender Pelargonium except it is fully hardy and grows in most situations. It has pinnately lobed, hairy leaves, forming perennial hummocks that attain 30cm (12”) in all directions and during the summer months (and often the rest of the year!), bears clusters of white Geranium flowers each with pink flecking. If it is allowed to seed then it will slowly increase forming polite colonies.
Eryngium variifolium45cm (18”) high. Evergreen rosettes of strong white veined foliage. Stiff upright stems bear grey-blue flowers. Full sun. A true and long lived hardy perennial.
Erysimum mutabileFlowers open a good clear yellow, slowly turning a rich purple, such is the length of the flowering period it is usually adorned with yellow and purple on one stem and all shades in between. Like Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’ it requires a free-draining soil, ideally in full sun. 60cm (2ft) or more.
Erysimum ‘Bowles’ Mauve’ AGM.A perennial Wallflower producing long racemes of solid purple-mauve flowers throughout the early months of the year; and making a nice rounded subshrub with its narrow grey-green leaves. 60cm (2ft) or more.
Erythronium californicum ‘White Beauty’ AGM.Strong growing, spring-flowering, tuberous perennial. The foliage is arranged in a funnel around the base of the plants. From the centre rise stems of between one and three white nodding blooms. Increases quickly in a leafy soil under a deciduous canopy. 15cm (6”).
Erythronium dens-canisIn spring this plant reveals its enchanting flowers, each supported on a long stalk and with swept back petals of a light pink-rose colour. These are held over the brown specked, fleshy green leaves and reach 15cm (6”). Easy to grow in moisture retentive leafy soil or in thin grass in half shade. Once happy it will seed around freely before dying back each autumn to reappear afresh in spring.
Erythronium tuolumnense AGM.Hardy bulbous perennial. Bright yellow flowers on 30-40cm (12-16”) stems are produced in April-May. Good soil in shade.
Erythronium ‘Pagoda’ AGM.A justifiably popular hybrid, producing tall stems with lots of large, sulphur-yellow flowers held over sturdy, fleshy green, sometimes mottled brown, leaves. 35cm (14”).
Eupatorium purpureum subsp. maculatum ‘Atropurpureum’ AGM.Joe-pye or smoke weed. For a rich neutral to calcareous clay soil. 1.8m (6ft) or more high stems of pointed leaves in whorls carry fuzzy wine-red flowers in early autumn. Loved by butterflies and bees.
Euphorbia griffithii ‘Dixter’ AGM.An excellent form of griffithii spotted by Christopher Lloyd. In spring very dark green foliage emerges, tinged with reds and purples, each leaf with an orangey central vein, followed by the coppery flowers and flame-orange involucres (bracts), it is truly stunning. Happy in most soil types. 60cm (2ft).
Euphorbia griffithii ‘Fireglow’Another form of griffithii this time taller than ‘Dixter’ with paler green stem leaves and yellowyorange flowers with vermilion involucres (bracts), providing a long season of interest and spectacular autumn colour. To really colour up well it needs good light. 75cm (30”).
Euphorbia mellifera Honey Spurge AGM.A most rewarding species, highly regarded for its terminal clusters of honey-scented flowers held over bright green leaves that form a rounded evergreen subshrub. Excellent when planted in a sheltered spot, in full sun and free- draining soil, where it will make a most useful architectural feature. Up to 1.8m (6ft).
