Flowers: Summer

Height: 4 feet

Hardiness Rating: 4 5 6 7 8

Germination: Easy

Aftercare: Easy

Description: An elegant sweet-scented cone flower with spidery petals. Fine border and cut flower.

Sowing Instructions: Sow early spring at 20-24C (70-75F) in a good seed compost, just covering the seed with compost. Keep soil damp but not wet. Do not exclude light, sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is helpful. Germination usually takes 10-21 days.

Growing Instructions: When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow on in cooler conditions. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost 45cm (18in) apart in sun and ordinary garden well drained soil.

Aftercare Instructions: Flowering is prolonged if the flower stalks are cut off as soon as the flowers fade.