Introducing our May seasonal outdoor plant collection

May is a beautiful time in the garden with plants blossoming all around us, each day feels like a celebration. Bluebells, Alliums, and Aquilegias are greeting us with their beauty and the trees finally have their leaves again. It's a really exciting time to be in the garden and we really hope this collection of plants will bring you as much joy as it has me.

We are very proud that most of the plants in this box are nectar-rich perennials which are loved by pollinators. It is an ongoing commitment of ours to always include pollinator plants in our outdoor plant collections, due to bee and pollinator populations being in decline, in part due to reduction in habitats and availability of flowering plants. By planting pollinator plants in your garden, you're doing your bit to reduce that decline.

Plants such as Allium 'Red Giant', Bergenia rotblum, Campanula persicifolia 'Caerulea', Coreopsis 'Zagreb', Digitalis 'Albiflora' and many more will keep your garden buzzing with bees and butterflies all summer long! 

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This month's boxes include some of the following plants depending on the subscription options you have selected. 

GEUM coccineum 'Tosai'



Geums are lovely, clump-forming perennials which produce orange-red flowers on tall, upright stems in late spring - late summer. Water well before planting and keep well-watered until established in the ground. May need more frequent watering if grown in pots. Will be happiest in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil. Can die back in winter in cold climates and may be evergreen/semi-evergreen in warmer regions.

ALLIUM Red Giant

A wonderfully unusual Allium, the 'Red Giant' is a low-growing variety which produces large, ribbed leaves and huge heads of dark pink - purple flowers in early summer. It's recommended by the RHS as a 'Plant for Pollinators' as it is adored by bees and butterflies. They are easy to grow, undemanding plants that will prefer a sunny spot with well-drained soil and will add vertical interest to beds, pots and borders. These Alliums naturalise easily each year, clumps can be dug up and split every few years.

AQUILEGIA caerulea 'Spring Magic White'

This is a compact cultivar that produces gorgeous pure white flowers during spring and summer. This plant will be happy in full sun to partial shade in moist, well-drained soil. The display of white flowers will add a lovely touch to your pots and borders and they will also attract bees into your garden.

BERGENIA rotblum



Bergenias are incredibly hardy plants with thick leathery green leaves that turn a gorgeous bronze colour during the winter. In mid-spring, beautiful rose coloured flowers emerge through the dark, glossy foliage which are attractive to pollinators such as butterflies. They tolerate full sun or partial shade and are happy in most soil conditions.

CAMPANULA persicifolia 'Caerulea'



These Campanulas bear gorgeous bell-shaped blooms in shades of purple, which will attract bees and butterflies to your garden and add a splash of colour to your outdoor space. They work wonderfully in containers, borders or as an edging plant along pathways. Campanulas prefer moist, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade.

COREOPSIS verticillata 'Zagreb'



An award-winning, compact perennial with delicately textured foliage and a profusion of golden-yellow blooms. It's a tough performer which thrives in poor, rocky soils and is pretty drought tolerant. It's easy to grow and will be happy in a sunny position in beds, borders or containers, and will attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Remember to deadhead spent flowers to promote new blooms.

CORYNEPHORUS canescens 'Spiky Blue'



This RHS award-winner is a compact, tuft-forming spiky grass with foliage in shades of deep green with hints of blue. It will add texture and contrast to your planting scheme and works well in borders, coastal gardens, pots and containers. Plant in well-drained soil and allow soil to dry between thorough waterings. This plant tolerates poor soil as well as drought and heat. Small flower spikelets may appear in summer. This plant can be relatively short-lived, but will self-seed.

DIGITALIS purpurea 'Albiflora'



A beautiful, white flowering foxglove which look so elegant planted in a partially shaded border. It's tall spires will add vertical interest to your garden and the flowers will attract many beneficial pollinators such as bees and butterflies. Foxgloves are happy in shaded areas in humus rich soil. Flowers normally appear in their second year. They are mainly biennial but self-seed freely.

FRAGARIA vesca 'Alexandra’


AKA - Strawberry 'Alexandra', this is a spreading perennial cultivar which produces white flowers in spring followed by edible strawberry fruits in the summer. These plants also produce stolons which are horizontal stems above the ground which can root to form new plants. Only harvest fully red berries by cutting them away at the stem. Keep well watered, ideal planted in full sun to partial shade.

GYPSOPHILA cerastioides



A dwarf, semi-evergreen variety which has a creeping habit and puts on a display of white, trumpet-shaped flowers in spring and summer, which will attract many pollinators to your garden. It's a fast growing plant which is drought tolerant and works well in rockeries and alpine gardens. Ensure the soil is airy and free-draining. Do not over water. Prefers full sun.

HELENIUM 'Short n Sassy'



A compact variety which produces beautiful bright orange and gold blooms surrounding a brown cone. Flowering period lasts throughout summer and into autumn. These plants prefer full sun in moist but well-drained soil. Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering.

HEUCHERA micrantha 'Palace Purple'



Purple Palace is an excellent choice for planting towards the edge of the border or in containers and tubs. It's gorgeous, maple-shaped leaves vary from bronze-green to rich purple-red, with spikes of creamy-white flowers appearing in early summer. Plant in moist, well-draining soil in moderate sunlight to partial shade. Interesting fact - the darker the Heuchera, the better adapted it is to shaded areas.

LAVANDULA angustifolia 'Munstead'



This fragrant, evergreen shrub with its lavender blooms is perfect for edging borders or pathways in herb/kitchen gardens, rock gardens or planted in containers. It is great for attracting pollinators, and will thrive in full sun, in drier, well-drained soils. It's reasonably winter hardy, however may need winter protection in colder regions.

LEUCANTHEMUM x superbum 'Madonna'



These cheery little Shasta daisies will brighten up your borders, pots and patios, and will provide you with a continuous supply of gorgeous white flowers for months on end, if regularly deadheaded. They will be happiest in full sun to partial shade and the soil must be well-drained, particularly if grown in containers.

PHLOX paniculata 'Famous Light Purple'



A lovely evergreen groundcover which produces magenta/purple flowers in spring and attract many pollinators such as bees and butterflies. This plant looks wonderful in beds and borders as well as in pots, window boxes and containers. Grow in moist, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.

SALVIA argentea



Also called 'Silver Sage', this short-lived perennial has large silvery leaves with a soft downy appearance due to a layer of silver hairs on the surface. In late summer tall stems appear bearing white, nectar-rich flowers which are enjoyed by pollinators. This plant can often die after flowering so cut flowering stems back before seed set to prolong the life of the plant. These Salvias are often grown for their unique foliage. Grows best in full sun to partial shade in rich, moist but well-drained soil.

SALVIA x superba 'New Dimension Blue'



A compact, bushy perennial which produces tall spikes of vivid violet-blue flowers which appear in late spring and are adored by bees and butterflies. Remove faded blooms to prolong flowering. Grow in full sun in moist, free draining soil.

SEDUM telephium 'Seduction Green Rose'



A lovely stonecrop with grey-green foliage and large clusters of rose pink flowers which appear during summer and autumn, attracting butterflies and other pollinators.. The dried seed heads can be left and add great winter interest. It's easy to grow and looks great in beds, borders and rock gardens. Grow in light shade in dry-medium moisture, well-drained soils.

TANACETUM coccineum 'Robinsons Pink'



These pretty daisies will add cheer to your garden with their pink flowers which appear in spring. It's a compact plant which is easy to grow, attractive to pollinators and its ferny foliage adds textural interest to your pots and borders. This plant will enjoy full sun to dappled shade in moist, well-drained soil.

VERONICA spicata 'Rosa Zwerg'



A compact perennial with dark green leaves and tall stems of small, deep pink, star-shaped flowers which appear in summer and attract many beneficial pollinators. Plant in fertile, moist, well-drained soil in full sun to dappled shade. Looks wonderful as ground cover, in the borders, garden edging or in patio containers.

ECHINACEA purpurea 'Doubledecker'



This unique cultivar of Echinacea will definitely add interest to your garden with its two-tiered flowers with long, deep pink petals which appear in late summer and into autumn. These plants are magnets for bees and butterflies and look wonderful in borders or containers. Grow in full sun in moist but well-drained soil. These plants appreciate a rich, fertile soil so the addition of well rotted manure can be useful prior to planting.

Love the look of these plants and want to add them to your garden? They will be included in our seasonal outdoor plant boxes throughout May. View our seasonal outdoor plant options here!