Scabiosa, also known as ‘Pincushion Flower’ are known and loved for their gentle meadow appeal, producing delicate flower heads on long slender stems. They’re fully hardy and very resilient plants which are easy to care for. Attracting bees and butterflies, they are a valued addition to the border, patio containers or meadow areas, with blooms in shades of white through to lavender and blue. New compact varieties provide all the charm, producing larger flowers , but with a more formal and manageable habit which makes they suitable for a wider range of locations including patio containers.

How to plant:

— Scabiosa are supplied as 9cm root ball plants in spring for planting between February and May and in autumn for planting between September and December. In either vcase, they should be unpacked on the day of delivery as they will need moisture and light, and planted within a week.

— It is often ok to plant root-ball Scabiosa plants directly into a clear space in a border, providing it is well cultivated with good soil. Avoid planting them directly into a space with challenging soil (such as clay or dry sandy soil) or where they could become over-crowded by more established plants or weeds later in the season, new plants will struggle to compete and this could cause them to fail.

— If the conditions are a little more challenging (crowded, dry, stony, rocky, sandy or other poor soil), it is best to pot up your 9cm root ball plants into a 15-20cm diamater pot with multipurpose compost and grow it on outdoors until it's more established before transferring it into the garden. Growing on in pots first is produces the most reliable results as it will give them an easy start and then they can be transferred into a border once they have established more top and root growth.

— Grow them on in a sheltered spot outside until growth is established and the plants easily come out of the temporary pots with the soil held together by the roots. A good way to check if they are ready to transplant is to look at the drainage holes on the underside of the pot, if roots are visible through the holes, the plants are ready.

— Whether planting direct or into temporary pots first, plant so that the root ball is fully submerged in the soil, leaving the buds/crown just level with the soil surface. Any young shoots/leaves should be left exposed above the soil surface.

—Water-in after planting and continue to water regularly whenever the top 3cm of soil feels dry.

— When planting into the garden, choose a position in full sun or light shade. Scabiosa prefers a moist but well-drained soil. It can grow well in mixed borders, large patio containers, gravel gardens or mingled among other flowers in a meadow-type setting.

— As with all young plants, keep a close eye on your new plantings for pest damage and keep space clear around the young plant, removing weeds and also excess growth from neighbouring plants in the border to reduce competition. Keep hydrated when in growth, particularly during the first year. One established, they can tolerate quite dry conditions.

— This perennial is fully hardy and does not require winter protection.

Aftercare

— Cut back annually between autumn and early spring. New growth will emerge from the base of the plant in spring each year.

— Deadhead regularly during the growing season to prolong flowering. If regularly deadheaded, these plants can bloom throughout the summer season and into autumn.

— This is a mound forming perennial, which means that over time the plant will gradually spread and produce more flowering stems. You can divide clumps in autumn or early spring if they become congested.