Popular plants: Penstemons

The new Penstemon Ice Cream series offers five tantalising 'flavours' with more to come

Penstemon Juicy Grape from the new Ice Cream series

Blueberry Fudge

Strawberries & Cream

* Type of plant: half-hardy to fully hardy, semi-evergreen perennial.
* Habit: bushy and free-flowering with large or small, tubular-, bell- or funnel-shaped flowers and smaller or dwarf varieties available.
* Good for: borders for flowering from summer through to autumn (larger varieties), and as bedding. Smaller and dwarf types such as P. newberryi suit rock gardens and work well as edging plants.
* Conditions needed: border plants need well-drained, fertile soil in full sun or partial shade; dwarf and shrubby species need a gritty, sharply drained, poor to moderately fertile soil.
* Best features: their elegant spires of foxglove-like flowers and vibrant flower colours including pink, red, purple and white.
* Growing tips: Deadhead regularly after flowering to prolong the season. Later in the year, if you live in an area prone to heavy frosts, protect them with a dry winter mulch.

Adapted by Sarah Brocklehurst