Great Dixter, in East Sussex, is home to one of the most celebrated gardens in Britain. It is, of course, made up of many gardens, and they were created by the great gardener Christopher Lloyd.
His vision was to unite three strands of gardening: ornamental beauty, biodiversity and education.
One area is devoted to meadows and one of its most important late-flowering species is Centaurea nigra. It is more commonly known as lesser knapweed and has the appearance of a thistle with reddish-purple globe-shaped flowerheads. Not only do the bees and butterflies love it, but so do birds.
“This is a native wildflower that does a fantastic job of supporting our wildlife,” says Adrian. “From wrens who feed off its insects in the summer to finches and sparrows who love its seed heads in the winter, this perennial really packs a punch.”
It might not have the prettiest name, but it certainly deserves a bit of glory for all the work it does!
When to plant: autumn or early spring
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