Our Plant of the Moment

Echinacea

Also known as Coneflower these fully hardy perennials are frost and drought tolerant, providing a fabulous floral display in summer through to Autumn. They are extremely easy to grow as they tolerate most soil types. Their flowers are long lived and are also excellent for cutting and bringing indoors.

Echinacea play a beneficial role in the environment by supporting pollinators like bees and butterflies,  who are often found resting on the blooms, and providing food and habitat for wildlife ,also contributing to soil health by using its deep roots to break up compacted soil ,improving aeration and water infiltration. And of course adding organic matter to the soil when they die back in winter. 

An ideal plant for a bright border with their large solitary blooms often hanging downward surrounding a large central disc. Being a later flowering plant, they also are still blooming when a lot of other plants are past their best again adding to their benefits.  

These plants prefer a sunny site or at least 8 hours per day for them to perform at their best, often reaching a height of 1 to 1.5 metres. A prefect addition to a mixed border