Plant this desirable perennial in a sunny or slightly shaded spot and you can enjoy a succession of brightly coloured bell-shaped flowers that are carried on short, upright spikes throughout summer and into autumn. A classic cottage garden perennial that is totally winter hardy and easy to grow. Perfect for beginners and experienced gardeners alike, you’re guaranteed masses of spectacular flowers which can also be cut for your home. Superb grown in beds and borders alongside other perennials or among ornamental grasses, Penstemon likes well-drained soil and forms large clumps in time, rewarding you with even more flowers. Looking after them is easy; occasionally dead-head fading blooms to prolong the display and cover plants with a dry mulch of compost in late autumn to keep roots snug and protected from frost. Varieties Included Penstemon Heavenly Blue - A low mound of leaves absolutely smothered in electric-blue flowers with a hint of pink. Penstemon King George V - A robust penstemon with stocky growth, covered in red flowers with a white throat. Penstemon Snowstorm - An upright penstemon with bright green leaves and beautiful white bells tipped with pink. Penstemon Raven - One of the darkest penstemons with dramatic trumpets of deepest purple. Specifications Supplied as 12 Jumbo plug plants Availability: March to August Planting time: March to July Flowering time: June to October Top Tips Cut back hard to just above new growth once it appears in spring. Care Information Plants are best planted out in the spring or summer, especially if your soil is clay as they dislike winter wet. Penstemons do best in a warm, sunny position and are drought tolerant once established. When planting, add well-rotted manure or compost to the planting hole. Unpack plugs immediately, and stand them in water for an hour. If you can’t do this, they can sit in Mini Greenhouses for a week if upright and not too wet. Plugs may be slightly dry or yellow after being in a dark box in the post but they’ll quickly recover. Put them somewhere warm, light and airy such as a windowsill or greenhouse. When potting on, handle plugs carefully. Pot on using our 9cm pots using good multi-purpose compost. Give your plants a good watering initially, then only when the top compost starts to dry. They don’t like to be left in standing water. Plant approx. 20cm (8in) apart to allow them room to grow. Water well until established. Feed using a high potash feed such as Blooming Fast Superior Soluble Fertiliser for Flowers & Fruits, to encourage flowering. Dead-head when flowers fade to encourage more flowers.
