Cornflower Pink Ball

The romantic of the cornflower family. Pink Ball produces perfectly formed, double button-like blooms in a beautiful soft blush-pink — fluffy, ruffled, and far more substantial than wild cornflowers, adding a gentle, feminine warmth to borders and bouquets that the classic blue cannot provide.

A cut-and-come-again favourite on tall, wiry stems: the more you cut, the more it flowers. Ultra-hardy (H7, to -20°C), thriving in poor soil, and listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators. Autumn sowing produces the largest, most floriferous plants.

• Centaurea cyanus 'Pink Ball' — Hardy Annual (H7)
• Height: 75–90cm | Flowers: June–September
• Approximately 200 seeds per packet
• Direct sow September for early blooms, or March–May — do not transplant
• Full sun; thrives in poor, well-drained soil — do not over-feed
• RHS Plants for Pollinators listed — petals edible

Grow it with Nigella Miss Jekyll White for a dreamy, romantic combination that looks as though it has always been there.