Achillea

Achillea, commonly known as yarrow, are wonderfully useful hardy perennials for bringing broad, flat-topped flowerheads and soft, feathery foliage to summer borders. Their flowers appear in a wide range of shades, from white and soft yellow to pink, terracotta, orange and deeper red, often changing subtly as they mature. The strong horizontal flowerheads create a beautiful contrast with spires, grasses and more rounded blooms, making Achillea especially effective in cottage gardens, prairie-style planting and relaxed naturalistic borders.

These sun-loving Achillea perennials thrive in well-drained soil and cope well with drier conditions once established, making them a dependable choice for warm, open parts of the garden. Their flowers are rich in nectar and highly attractive to bees, butterflies and other pollinators, while the sturdy stems also make yarrow excellent for cutting. Fresh blooms work beautifully in summer arrangements, and the flowerheads can be dried or left standing later in the season to add texture and structure.

From soft pastel varieties to richer, warmer colours, Achillea plants for UK gardens offer months of interest with relatively little fuss. Plant them in generous groups for a stronger sweep of colour or thread them between ornamental grasses and other flowering perennials for a looser, layered effect. Their combination of long flowering, finely textured foliage and excellent wildlife value makes yarrow an easy plant to return to again and again in summer planting.