Anemone Plants
Anemone was a nymph in Greek mythology, turned into a flower by a jealous goddess, her name meaning ‘daughter of the wind’. It’s easy to see how the association started when you see these bright, cheerful flowers dancing in the breeze on stems that sway gracefully in the wind. Their open form and prominent stamens mean that they’re especially attractive to bees and butterflies looking for a hit of late summer nectar. Anemones really do go with everything – we only wish their name was easier to pronounce!
Which anemone?
Anemones come in a variety of types, colours and shapes, including Japanese anemones, like Prinz Heinrich and Honorine Jobert. These plants typically grow to an eventual height of between half a metre and a metre and a half. Their inviting flowers can be single, semi-double and double in appearance.
Planting schemes and partners
Anemones suit an array of planting schemes, including cottage, prairie, wildlife and coastal gardens. Plant them with other perennials that flower later into the year – e.g. echinacea, rudbeckia and sedum – to create a combination of powerful colours, or plant your anemones together with no other plant species, and let a spreading carpet of delicate, dancing flowers develop over time.
Growing tips
If only all plants were as easy to grow as anemones… The amount of sunshine anemones like depends on the variety; Japanese anemones, for instance, prefer a partially shaded spot, while Mediterranean-style anemones, on the other hand, like full sun. Plant your anemones in humus rich, moist (but not overly damp) and well draining soil. Give them a good mulch in the springtime, and deadhead them as their flowers wither and fade – this helps elongate their blooming period.
Graceful blooms that dance on the wind
- Bright white, semi double flowers on tall stems
- Blooms right from May to September
- A must for prairie and meadow gardens
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
Elegant late summer colour
- Deep rose pink semi-double flowers on tall wiry stems
- Blooms from late summer into autumn
- Plant singly or in groups amongst ornamental grasses
- Attracts butterflies to your garden
Delicate swan-white anemones
- Swan-white cup shaped flowers with a lilac flush
- Flowers all summer from May to September
- Ideal for front borders and underplanting
- RHS Plants for Pollinators
The flowers that dance in the wind
- Delicate flowers rising on tall, slender stems from ferny foliage
- Perfect for pollinators
- Blooms right from July to September
- Ideal for meadow, praitie and wildlife planting schemes
Ruffled petals and swaying stems
- Cotton white, ruffled semi double flowers 10cm across
- Flowers from July to September
- Use as accent plants or groups in a butterfly friendly border
- RHS Award of Garden Merit
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