What is it? A jolt of magenta to brighten your summer borders. This achillea – a cultivated version of the wildflower yarrow – is a bee and butterfly magnet that will jolly up your garden and keep wildlife happy. With a height and spread of 60cm x 60cm, it fits in anywhere and flowers reliably from June to late August. Keep the display going for longer by being brave and cutting back by about half after the first flush of blooms.
Plant it with? Looks good against clouds of dark purple lavender ('Hidcote', say) and Salvia 'Superba', silver-leaved artemisias or a billowy grass such as Stipa tenuissima.
And where? Full sun is a must, as is well-drained soil: it will tolerate and even thrive in poor, dry soil once established. It hates winter wet and may well go west if you plant it in boggy ground.
Any drawbacks? Although it's hardy, 'Cerise Queen' is sometimes classified as a short-lived perennial: divide it in spring to prolong its life.
What else does it do? The flowers look great in a vase and dry well for a year-round indoor display. It also scores bonus points for not displaying the flaw suffered by most achilleas - blooms that fade unattractively as they age.
Buy it Buy one plant for £9.99, or two for £12.99 (prices include free p&p). To order, call 0330 333 6856, quoting ref GUA685, or go to our Reader Offers page. Supplied as 50mm jumbo plug plant. Delivery from September.