Red Campion

A quintessential sign of the English spring — often seen tumbling out of hedgerows alongside bluebells and stitchwort. Red Campion produces branching stems loaded with bright rose-pink flowers that glow against soft, hairy foliage, bringing a relaxed, wild feel to woodland edges, hedge lines, and wilder garden corners.

A short-lived native perennial that self-seeds generously to create a permanent, naturalising drift of pink. Ultra-hardy (H7, to -20°C), adaptable to semi-shade and heavy clay, and listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators — a vital early-season food source for long-tongued bumblebees.

• Silene dioica — Hardy Native Perennial (H7)
• Height: 60–90cm | Flowers: May–July
• Approximately 200 seeds per packet
• Direct sow September–October or March–May; press into surface, do not cover
• Semi-shade to full sun; adaptable — tolerates clay and competition
• Self-seeds freely — naturalises beautifully over time
• RHS Plants for Pollinators listed

Grow it with Foxglove Excelsior Mix for a tiered woodland edge of rose-pink and purple that is one of the most beautiful sights in the early summer garden.