Echinacea 'White Swan'

Love almost everything about this plant. Certainly a stunner from mid-summer until early winter. Love love love the flowers, and the succession of different stages at any one time. The flower 'cones' last well into winter. Just a pity the entire plant dies down over winter. Otherwise it would be practically perfect in every way.

I am growing these in the centre of a circle of Pittosporum 'Elfin' balls, with 7 Sophora (Kowhai) 'Dragon's Gold' trees amongst them, which will one day be tall standards, but with wonky trunks, rather than straight. I like a bit of randomness! The cones of the Echinacea repeat the ball theme. I grew leeks in there last year. Yeeha!

Echinacea also comes in a great purpley pinkle, with orange cone. I love that one, too, but not the right colour for this garden. That one is a bit of a show pony, albeit stunning en masse in the right place......