My Top 5 Plant picks for Gardenesque
From the field edge
I was delighted to be asked by Gardenesque if I would help design the planting scheme to showcase their wonderful pots and containers at RHS Badminton last month.
Taking inspiration from the surrounding landscape, I focused on the textures and soft tones of local field edges to guide my plant selections. Here are my top 5 picks and the reasons I chose them:
1. David Austin’s Rosa 'Kew Gardens'
This rose is simply gorgeous. With its blush-cream flowers produced in great abundance, its single blooms are fantastic for pollinators while bringing a relaxed, wild-rose feel. It makes an exceptional choice for a pot or container because it is virtually thornless, meaning zero risk of scratches if placed next to a seating area!
2. Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)
A gorgeous ornamental grass for container planting, Stipa tenuissima adds gentle movement and delicate texture. It naturally mingles around companion plants, providing the perfect soft foil for bolder flowers. Its warm, oaty tones are a wonderful nod to late-summer grassy field edges.
3. Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'
With its crisp white petals and glowing honey-orange cones, 'White Swan' was chosen for its a clean, elegant daisy like flower. It holds its head high above the surrounding foliage, attracting bees and hoverflies through summer while leaving stylish seedheads that look striking well into autumn.
4. Salvia 'African Skies'
A captivating salvia with soft, sky-blue blooms held on slender stems. It offers an exceptionally long flowering period, aromatic foliage, and an airy structure that brings a luminous, tranquil feel to a naturalistic scheme.
5. Scabiosa 'Flutter Rose Pink' (Pincushion Flower)
Rounding out the top five is this delightful pincushion flower. With soft pink blooms bobbling dance-like on slender, wiry stems, it adds a touch of playful lightness and echoes the wild scabious you see scattered along sunny field edges.
Elle
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David Austin’s Kew Gardens Rose
Stipa tenuissima
Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan
Salvia 'African Skies'
Scabiosa 'Flutter Rose Pink'
