Scabiosa columbaria ssp. ochroleuca

Crowds of small, pale lemon pincushion flowers are carried on wiry stems above feathery grey-green foliage. This delightfully dainty Scabiosa blooms prolifically all summer long — simply keep deadheading to maintain the display.

It is wonderfully useful for adding bright pinpoints of colour into a planting scheme, creating a fashionable layered effect or lightening areas of darker, denser planting. Drought-resistant and very hardy, it is ideal for a gravel garden and will self-seed freely — a welcome bonus for many gardeners, though seedlings are easily removed if not required. It looks stunning combined with blues such as Salvia 'Little Spire' and Aster, violet-purple Verbena and Allium, and dark red or purple Penstemon. Easy to grow, it prefers full sun in alkaline to neutral, free-draining soil.

Height × Spread: 60cm × 60cm