Silene 'Petite Jenny'

Silene 'Petite Jenny' takes the familiar wildflower charm of ragged robin and gathers it into a neat, garden-friendly form, reaching around 35cm with a poised, upright habit. From late spring into early summer, its branched stems carry clusters of soft pink, delicately cut double flowers, each bloom frilled and feathered as if someone has taken tiny scissors to silk. The effect is pretty, but not in the least bit precious. Silene 'Petite Jenny' has that relaxed cottage-garden ease which works beautifully through the front of borders, in wildlife-friendly planting, or softening the edges of a path where its airy flowers can be properly admired.

Despite its delicate looks, Silene 'Petite Jenny' is a hardy perennial with a pleasingly straightforward nature. Plant it in moist but well-drained soil, in sun or partial shade, and it will bring a soft, romantic lift without sprawling about like an overenthusiastic guest. Its lance-shaped leaves form a fresh green base, while the pink flowers mingle gracefully with geraniums, geums, astrantias and ornamental grasses. Silene 'Petite Jenny' is especially lovely in naturalistic schemes, where it adds movement, texture and a little flirtation. Compact, charming and quietly distinctive, Silene flos-cuculi 'Petite Jenny' proves that small perennials can still make a beautifully memorable impression.

Lychnis is now widely treated as part of Silene because modern botanical classification has shown that the two groups are very closely related, with DNA research supporting their inclusion in the same genus. While many gardeners still recognise the old name Lychnis, especially for familiar plants such as ragged robin, Silene is the current accepted name used by many taxonomic authorities, helping to keep plant naming more accurate and consistent.