As summer progresses and the colours of the plants start to wane it’s time for a hit of vivid colour to livens things up.  You can’t help but notice any Crocosmia when it is in flower, with a variety of flower colours from yellow to red.  We’ve zoned in a a particularly vibrant and useful variety for our plant of the month; the Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’

Crocosmias or montbretia as they are sometimes called come from grassland areas in South Africa and despite their tropical origin are completely frost hardy in the UK.  Growing to a height of 1-1.2m with bright tomato red flowers and linear, lance shaped leaves the crocosmia is a good cutting flower as well as being valuable for both bees and hoverflies.

Crocosmias prefer a sunny spot but will cope with partial shade, although with less vibrant flowers.  To maintain flowering vigour the clumps should be lifted and divided to prevent congestion.

We like to combine Crocosmias with Sedum ‘Herbstfreude’ and Phlomis russeliana.  As a backdrop the yellow leaves of the Lonicera nitida ‘Baggesen’s Gold’ make a great colour contrast.

So, don’t suffer from jaded, washed out mid summer borders get some Crocosmias in.