Verbena bonariensis

The ultimate see-through plant — and one of the most useful things you can grow in a modern cottage garden. Verbena bonariensis produces tall, wiry, almost invisible stems topped with tight clusters of electric-purple flowers that add height, movement, and an airy violet haze without creating a heavy block of foliage. Plant it at the front of a border and it weaves through everything around it with effortless grace.

Widely considered the single most important nectar plant for butterflies in the late summer garden — Red Admirals and Peacocks in particular are devoted visitors from midsummer until the first frosts. A short-lived perennial that self-seeds prolifically, ensuring a permanent presence once established. Listed on the RHS Plants for Pollinators.

• Verbena bonariensis — Short-Lived Perennial (H4)
• Height: 1.2–1.5m | Flowers: June–first frosts
• Approximately 250 seeds per packet
• Sow indoors February–April; surface sow, do not cover
• Full sun; free-draining soil — drought-tolerant once established
• Leave stems standing over winter for structure and overwintering insects
• RHS Plants for Pollinators listed

Grow it with Dahlia Bishops Children and Rudbeckia Marmalade for a late-summer border that butterflies will find from miles away.