Yes, the stems of the New Millennium series are indeed strong, but it’s still wise to stake them in May and June since early summer storms can wreak havoc on tall perennials. Delphiniums thrive on lots of sun, and prefer a rich, evenly moist soil. When fed and watered, plants will have healthy foliage that resists most pests and diseases. Deadheading after flowering is wise, since these may produce another round of blooms on shorter stems in late summer and autumn. The rich purple and blue tones cry out to be combined with pink, mauve or white neighbours, or the fiery orange tones of Oriental Poppies. And, of course, New Millennium Delphiniums make amazing cut flowers, if you dare.

Use Firewitch Pinks in the rock garden, for edging sunny borders, on slopes or walls or even in mixed containers. All Pinks prefer a well-drained sandy or sandy-loam soil, which encourages them to stay compact. They are very drought-tolerant once established. Good companions are other rock garden perennials such as Sedum, Hens-and-chicks (Sempervivum) or Rock Rose (Helianthemum), since all thrive in full sun and well-drained conditions. Do not cut these back in the autumn, since they are evergreen. A light clipping after the first round of blooms is all they require.

Plant this in all-day sun, or full sun for at least half the day for best flowering. During the hottest part of summer the orange tones may lean towards salmon or coral, but with cooler autumn weather they become richer Stems are nice and long, and ideal for cutting. We suggest pairing this with the dusky mauve tones of Perovskia, bright golden Heliopsis or purple foliage such as ‘Diabolo’ Ninebark. ‘Sunset’ is not only outstanding in the border, it also works well in mixed containers. This may well prove to be hardy into Zone 3.

You don’t want to compete for attention with such an interesting bloom, so for neighbours we suggest choosing plants with smaller flowers in a contrasting colour, such as Baby’s Breath (Gypsophila) or Coreopsis ‘Crème Brulee’. ‘Razzmatazz’ lasts well as a cutflower. Plants will respond to deadheading as well as any other Coneflower, producing repeat blooms into the autumn. ‘Razzmatazz’ was selected from a batch of seedlings in 1997 by Netherlands cut flower grower Jan van Winsen. He attempted to offer it as a commercial cut flower but sales were dismal. Just as Jan was about to discard the plants, his nurseryman neighbour Marco van Noort heard about them and helped to introduce this terrific garden plant to the rest of the world.

Part of Terra Nova’s new Rainbow Series, this is taking fancy-leaved Coral Bells to new places. Foliage remains evergreen in mild regions, but even in cold winter climates it’s best to not prune the leaves in the autumn. Wait until spring and tidy them up if they need it. Flowers are brownish and not particularly special, though the deep maroon flower stems make a nice contrast to the foliage. Gorgeous for edging along a woodland path, especially when growing near blue-leaved Hostas or bright green ferns. Pink or red Astilbe would nicely echo the coral tones in the foliage of ‘Marmalade’.

’Sagae’ is most effective when used as a specimen, surrounded by a low groundcover. Grown in this way its handsome, upright and arching form can be best seen. It can also be effectively mass planted for more of a tall groundcover effect. A low companion groundcover of dark bronze-leaved Bugleweed (Ajuga) makes a stunning contrast to the golden margins and bold texture. For a nice colour echo, consider an underplanting of Golden Creeping Jenny. Tolerates both deep shade or part shade, in cool summer regions even a fair bit of direct sun if the soil remains evenly moist.

All Ligularia require a rich soil and plenty of moisture. Even still, in hot regions plants can look a bit wilted by day’s end in July, only to perk themselves completely up by the morning. The hotter the region, the more shade we recommend for this. It looks spectacular at the waterside, and is bold enough to use all by itself in a large container or tub. For contrast, look for fine-textured companions such as Astilbe or ferns.

Treat Lupines as short-lived perennials or biennials. Basically, in hot summer regions plants won’t live for as long. Either allow some of the plants to set seed and self-sow, or plan to add a few more plants to your border each year to produce flowers the following year. The Woodfield Hybrids have good resistance to some fungal diseases that often kill small seedlings before they get a chance to develop. Since Lupines usually look shabby after blooming, we suggest cutting the plants back to 6 inches when flowers are finished. Plan ahead for this and plant something in front that will fill in later, such as Russian Sage or Rudbeckia.

The charming, old-fashioned look of the blooms makes this ideal for growing in English-style perennial borders, and especially around shrub roses in a contrasting shade such as soft yellow. Just why this easy-care plant has never become available much in North America before is an excellent question, and something we hope to change.

Variegated Moor Grass really shines when its used right at the front of the border, surrounded by low plants so it looks like a fountain in a pool. This grows well in full sun or part day sun, in average to moist soil. It needs no special attention, just a trim to the ground either in late fall or early spring, before the new growth begins. Late fall colour is a soft golden yellow, though winter effect is minimal. An amazing combination to consider: plant this in front of a patch of fall-flowering pink or magenta Obedient Plant (Physostegia). The purple flowers are a great contrast to the flower stems of the grass.