Guide to hardy plants

Part three

Centaurea

The common cornflower is a centaurea but is an annual. There are also hardy perennial kinds, one of the commonest in gardens being C. montana with grey leaves and blue ‘cornflowers’ on 18in (46cm) stems in May. C. dealbata has silvery leaves and pink flowers on 2ft (60cm) stems from June to August. C. macrocephala has yellow flowers in June and July and is 4ft (1.2m) high, and so is C. ruthenica, a more slender plant with lemon flowers, also in June and July. All are easily grown in almost any soil and a sunny place, and can be increased by division in spring or autumn.

Chrysanthemum/Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta daisy, moon daisy)

In addition to [ x ], the Shasta daisy. Some have single flowers, some double flowers and, although all are hardy, some of the double-flowered varieties do not relish a cold, wet soil in winter. The singles will grow practically anywhere. All like sunny places and can be increased by division in spring.