Baptisia (False Indigo) have become very popular in recent years, with some groundbreaking breeding bringing more cultivars to the market. Baptisia flower for a long time, from May through to August and are great for pollinating insects. ‘Blueberry Sundae’ produces strikingly bright blue flowers to a height of 1m.

This rather quirky-named Pulmonaria ‘Shrimps on the Barbie’ is a new cultivar and arguably the best pink Pulmonaria there is. Highly floriferous, it produces bright shrimp pink flowers above beautiful silver-spotted foliage. Brilliant for early pollinators and ideal in a shady border. 25cm height x 50cm spread.

We grew Saruma henryi for the first time last year, for one of our Chelsea gardens and were immediately taken with it. Commonly known as Upright Wild Ginger, it’s a shade-loving woodlander with lovely heart-shaped foliage. This is followed by beautiful, fragrant, three-petalled yellow flowers in Spring. To use a technical term, tough as old boots, grows to around 45cm height x 100cm spread. Plant in part shade and humous rich soil.