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Here are just a few of the perennials you will find at Ashtead Park Garden Centre depending on the season and availability:

Keeping a display going from May to September is usually a tricky juggling act involving careful choice of&nbsp;plants to flower one after the other, and luck.
You can make things easier by simply controlling when your perennials flower, using a trick known as&nbsp;the 'Chelsea chop' – because you do it when the Chelsea Flower Show is on, around the end of May.
This works well with lots of perennials, and you'll find most of them in our garden centre. They include&nbsp;daisies: dyer's chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria), echinacea and helenium; and many cottage garden&nbsp;favourites like Phlox paniculata, sedums and goldenrod (Solidago).
At the end of May, use secateurs (found in our garden centre) to cut back every stem by a third to a half. It&nbsp;seems brutal, but all you're doing is delaying flowering for a while. Cut back some clumps and not others,&nbsp;and some flower at the normal time with a second display arriving a few weeks later.
You'll find plants grow sturdier and less leggy – so you don't need to stake them: you get double the flower&nbsp;power, too. So get chopping!
Please ask the staff in our garden centre for more information and advice about using the Chelsea chop to&nbsp;delay flowering.

The Chelsea Chop

If a garden were a picture, trees and shrubs would make the frame, but the paint would be perennials,&nbsp;bringing the whole thing to life with colour and movement.
Here are our top tips for picking combinations from the fantastic choice of perennials in our garden centre in %locations%&nbsp;to&nbsp;make your garden a work of art.
Design in triangles to avoid a 'blobby' effect. Combine tall verticals – say, foxgloves - with hummocky&nbsp;shapes like geraniums and low-growing horizontal ground cover.
Contrast shapes to bring out the best in your plants. Look for opposites: strappy-leaved daylilies with broad-&nbsp;leaved heucheras, or upright, airy grasses with daisy flowered rudbeckia.
Use repetition to pull your design together. Several bold clumps of the same variety of helenium at strategic&nbsp;points, for example, make the garden feel whole.
Manage colour to create the mood you want. Zingy reds and oranges with clashing blues and purples are&nbsp;exciting, whereas similar shades together calm things down.
Plant in groups or drifts for real impact. Odd numbers work best: three is a minimum but you can go up to&nbsp;nine, eleven or fifteen plants at a time for real wow factor.
Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about designing with perennials.
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Designing with perennials

There's a spell in late August when the garden can hit the doldrums. Late summer is a tricky time, when the&nbsp;main razzmatazz is over and plants start to tire.
Get the show going again with some of the many perennials you'll find in our garden centre which are at their&nbsp;best in late summer. Here are our top ten:
Helenium 'Moorheim Beauty' starts in July: its coppery-red daisy like flowers go on for months
Phlox paniculata 'Mount Fuji' froths with fragrant white flowers into autumn
Aconitum 'Sparks Variety' flowers till late September with spires of midnight blue
Plume poppy (Macleaya microcarpa) is a dramatic, towering perennial with handsome foliage
Red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria) has spires of tubular flowers from red to pale yellow
Aster 'Little Carlow' is one of many Michaelmas daisies, with cheerful lilac flowers
Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' carries pure white flowers on dancing stems till autumn
Penstemon 'Garnet' has deep wine red foxglove-like spires till October
Sedum 'Ruby Glow' tops succulent purple leaves with flat ruby-red flowerheads
Crocosmia 'Lucifer' produces fiery red sprays of tubular flowers from August
Please ask the staff in our garden centre for more information and advice about perennials that look good in&nbsp;late summer.

Late summer perennials

Perennials play an exuberant starring role in vibrant summer displays – but you may be surprised to know&nbsp;there are many which perform well into winter.
In our garden centre we've got plenty of perennials to bring colour to the garden through even the coldest&nbsp;months: here are five of our favourites.
Bergenia are also known as elephants' ears: big, broad, leathery leaves turn shades of red and purple in&nbsp;autumn and stay evergreen all winter. Fat flower spires top the display in spring.
Heuchera foliage comes in every colour from lime green to deep purple: they have pretty flower spires in&nbsp;summer but in winter make bright splash of welcome colour.
Hellebores are among our best-loved winter flowers: Christmas rose (Helleborus niger) flowers in December&nbsp;while H. orientalis starts in early spring. The handsome leaves are evergreen, too.
Cuckoo pint (Arum italicum) reverses the seasons, dying down in summer but returning in autumn with&nbsp;handsome marbled leaves and spikes of red berries.
Phlomis russeliana is one of many perennials which holds architectural seedheads into winter, contrasting&nbsp;well with the equally sculptural winter remains of grass flowerheads.
Please ask the staff in our garden centre for more information and advice about perennials that look good in&nbsp;winter.
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Winter perennials

The real heart-stopping, breathtaking beauty of a garden comes from that most easy-going of all the plant&nbsp;groups: the perennials, generous, free-flowering plants which die down each winter only to bubble up again&nbsp;from spring, peaking in midsummer with a fireworks display of flowers.
Pack your garden in %locations%&nbsp;with perennials from the huge selection in our garden centre and you'll have something in&nbsp;flower for every week of the year. Here are a few tips to help you choose:
Visit the garden centre often as we have different perennials in stock according to the season. Choose whatever takes your fancy each month for really long-lasting display.
Cut perennials back after flowering and they'll often give you a second flush of flowers. You'll find&nbsp;secateurs for the job in our garden centre.
Plant the right plant in the right place: there are perennials for every spot in your garden, whether it's&nbsp;shady, sunny, dry or damp. Ask our garden centre staff for help if you're not sure which to choose.
Plant in threes or fives for greatest impact: drifts or groups of the same plant really catch your eye and&nbsp;demand to be noticed.
Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about growing perennials.

Filling your house with the colour and fragrance of fresh flowers cut from the garden is one of the great pleasures of gardening. The trouble is, though, if you take all the flowers from the garden, there&#39;s nothing left to look at outside.

The answer is to create yourself a cutting garden &ndash; an area of your garden dedicated to raising flowers to enjoy indoors. The whole purpose of such a garden is to be harvested regularly, rather like a vegetable garden, so you don&#39;t mind if it&#39;s sometimes got a few bare patches.

You&#39;ll find all you need to create your cutting garden in our garden centre in %locations%. Here&#39;s how to go about it:

<ol>
	<li>Find the right spot: you&#39;ll need somewhere in full sun, as your plants will only flower to their full potential with plenty of light. Planting densely also demands a lot from your soil, so choose the best-quality patch you&#39;ve got.</li>
	<li>
	Get ready: before you start, dig over the area, removing weeds and large stones, and work in plenty of well-rotted farmyard manure. Then put in hedging and edging: you&#39;ll find plants for low hedging in our garden centre, and materials to lay a smart path.
	</li>
	<li>Choose your plants: select &#39;hardy annual&#39; seeds from the range in our garden centre. Great choices are bright, cheery Sunflowers, Cosmos with lovely daisy-like flowers and of course sweetpeas to train up a wigwam in the centre. Asters are also lovely and a great tip is to cut them early in the day.</li>
	<li>
	Start sowing: Sow your flowers from March onwards just like vegetables, in straight lines to make picking them easier. Make shallow drills and sprinkle the seed sparingly along the bottom. Cover with a little soil, label and leave.
	</li>
	<li>Keep the display going: sow little and often so you&#39;ve got some plants to pick, some coming up to flowering and some just sown. Support taller varieties like larkspur by sticking canes in each corner of the row and threading round string at intervals up the height of the plants.</li>
</ol>

Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about planting an annual cutting garden.

Annual cutting gardens

Dahlias are among the loveliest of late-summer bulbs, flowering their socks off for weeks on end (especially if you dead-head them regularly to keep the blooms coming).
You can choose a dahlia to suit your garden whatever your style: spidery cactus varieties like 'Black Narcissus' for an exotic look, or pretty pompom 'David Howard' for a classic herbaceous border. Single-flowered dahlias suit natural planting styles: in our garden centre in %locations%&nbsp;you'll find delicate pure white 'Twynings After Eight' and what are popularly known as 'The Bishops' – 'Bishop of Llandaff' in scarlet, yellow 'Bishop of York' or lilac 'Bishop of Leicester'.
All, however, are frost-tender, so need special care over winter.
In a well-drained soil in a warmer area of the country, you may be able to leave your dahlias in the ground: insure against hard frosts by covering the ground around the plant with a mulch up to 15cm thick of dry autumn leaves or coarse bark chips. Hold it in place with a double layer of fleece, pegged down to stop it blowing away. In spring remove the mulch to allow the plant to shoot up again.
If you're reluctant to risk losing your tubers in a hard winter, though, lift and store them in autumn under cover. Here's how:
<ol>
<li>Once the foliage has been blackened by frost, dig up the tubers and let them dry for a day or so. Then brush off excess soil and trim back the stems to about 15cm above the roots. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Line a shallow tray with newspaper and place your tubers on top with the stalks uppermost. Pack loosely with dry compost or sand, so the tubers are just covered. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Store somewhere dry, cool and frost-free: a garden shed won't be reliably frost-free unless it's heated, so cover your dahlias with sheets of newspaper if a frost is forecast. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Inspect your tubers regularly through the winter and get rid of any showing signs of rotting or disease, as otherwise it'll spread quickly to other healthy tubers in storage.</li>
</ol>
Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about storing dahlias over winter.

Getting dahlias through winter

Clematis win a place in the heart of every gardener for their breathtaking flower displays as they scramble becomingly up fences and over trellises. Most varieties are very well-behaved and just need a little tucking in to their supports every so often and an annual prune to keep them performing year after year.
One of the many good things about clematis is that there's never any need to be without their charming, sunny flowers, as there are varieties which flower at all times of the year. In our garden centre in %locations%&nbsp;you'll find clematis that flower in spring, summer, autumn and winter: here's our pick to give you a clematis for every month.
January:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Clematis cirrhosa var. balearica has pretty ferny evergreen leaves and curious red-speckled&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; flowers: the fluffy seedheads which follow last for months
February: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'Wisley Cream' is another early bird with greeny-white flowers and glossy evergreen foliage:&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; silvery, silky seedheads follow the flowers
March:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Clematis armandii is evergreen, with glossy, leathery leaves and almond-scented blossom
April:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Alpine clematis have daintily nodding, violet-blue flowers that last weeks: 'Frances Rivis' is&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; deep violet-blue and a prolific favourite
May:&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Clematis montana comes in white or pink and is cheerfully rampant, a froth of flowers in May
June:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Early large-flowered clematis like 'Perle d'Azur' and 'Prince Charles' have huge and plentiful&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; satiny flowers
July:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Clematis viticella types are tough and trouble-free and come in rich, velvety colours: 'Etoile&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Violette' is deep purple
August:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Late-flowering 'Gravetye Beauty' is an eyecatching ruby red with lovely pompom-like&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;seedheads to follow the flowers
September: &nbsp; &nbsp; Clematis rehderiana needs plenty of room but if you give it the space it's an eyecatching&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;choice, with big panicles of scented pale yellow flowers like little bells
October:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;'Bill McKenzie' has bright yellow flowers with curiously thick petals, curling outwards like&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; lemon peel, and long-lasting silky seedheads
November: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Clematis tangutica is smothered in lantern-like flowers followed by big fluffy seedheads
December: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Clematis cirrhosa var purpurascens 'Freckles' is a very reliable evergreen type with deeply&nbsp;&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; speckled dusty pink flowers right through winter
Please ask the staff in our garden centre for more information and advice about growing clematis year-round in&nbsp;%locations%.
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Year-round clematis

Natural planting using swathes of gently-swaying grasses shot through with drifts of tall, open perennials to mimic the wild look of the American prairie lands caught the imagination of gardeners across Europe in the 1990s, and it's been going strong ever since - you can see some fabulous examples at public gardens like Trentham in Staffordshire. It's a look you can adapt easily at home in %locations%&nbsp;for a gorgeous, contemporary design that's also very low maintenance.
You'll find all the plants you need in our garden centre: here's how to create your own back-garden prairie.
<ul>
<li>Choose the right spot: prairies need sunshine, so pick an open, bright area of your garden, preferably not too damp as most prairie-style plants prefer free-draining conditions. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Restrict your varieties: prairie planting relies on repetition for its effect, so limit your range of plants to a handful of grass varieties and a few perennials or annuals - just plant lots of them. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Start with the grasses: these form the backbone of your design, so choose carefully. Tall grasses move gracefully in the wind: good choices are Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', Molinia caerulea 'Transparent' or evergreen Stipa gigantea. All have spectacular flowers which sparkle in the frosts of winter. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Mix in the flowers: flat-headed or spherical flowers work best with grasses as contrasts in texture and shape. They often flower at the same height, too, giving that level prairie-like look. Go for achilleas, autumn-flowering asters, and other daisies: both echinacea and rudbeckias were made for prairie settings. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Plant in drifts: design your planting not in blobby groups, but in drifts of the same plant meandering naturally in waves through the design. Plant seven, nine or eleven of the same plant together: be generous for maximum impact. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Don't be too tidy: part of the charm of a prairie planting is the effect of frosty winter weather on seedheads and dead stems, so leave clearing up until February, when you can just chop everything back down to the ground and let it do it all over again.</li>
</ul>
Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about designing prairie planting.

Prairie planting

Most gardens have a shady spot: a north-facing wall, perhaps, or under a tree, or in the shadow of a nearby building. Learn to love your shade: you'll find a world of new plants opens up, and you get a cool, pleasant nook to sit out of the heat of the day: perfect for enjoying an iced drink after a hot session gardening.
The range of plants you'll find in our garden centre in %locations%&nbsp;to grow in shade is extensive and includes delicate woodlanders, broad-leaved foliage plants and pretty spring flowers. We've picked our top ten shade-loving plants to turn your shady bits into garden highlights.
<ul>
<li>Hostas: there's an ever-wider choice of bold, broad-leaved hostas, from beefy ribbed 'Sum and Substance' to white-splashed 'Fire and Ice'. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Ferns: damp shady spots cry out for graceful Osmunda regalis or silver-and-purple Japanese painted ferns.&nbsp; If your shady spot is dry, grow Dryopteris felix-mas: 'Cristata' has curly-ended fronds. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Rodgersia: massive leaves like a bronzed horse-chestnut 30cm across erupt from the ground, followed by stately plumes of white or pink flowers 
.</li>
<li>Foxgloves: living wild in woodland, foxgloves love dappled shade. Grow common foxglove in purple or white, or an eyecatching modern multicoloured hybrid. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Epimediums: among the prettiest spring woodlanders, the young emerging leaves in shades of copper are almost as lovely as the dancing flowers. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Pachysandra terminalis: a really useful ground-cover plant with a dense covering of evergreen leaves that grow even in the deepest shade. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Euonymus: choose from silver-and-green 'Silver Queen' or gold-and-green 'Emerald 'n' Gold' for an easy, evergreen, low-maintenance shrub that sings out from a shady spot. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Brunnera: with broad, ground-smothering leaves (in 'Jack Frost' they're silvery-green), it's the flowers which really steal the show, powder-blue and prolific throughout spring. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Hardy geraniums: among the easiest plants to grow, geraniums flower profusely in shade: choose pale-coloured varieties like Geranium sanguineum 'Album' to glow in low light. 
&nbsp;</li>
<li>Heucheras: heuchera leaves are every bit as colourful as flowers, from rich plum 'Palace Purple' to 'Amber Waves', the colour of butterscotch. They're evergreen, too.</li>
</ul>
Please ask the staff in our %locations%&nbsp;garden centre for more information and advice about choosing plants for shade.

Perennials at Ashtead Park

A selection of Perennials at Ashtead Park

Perennials 1 litre starter plants 4 for £12

Perennials at Ashtead Park

A selection of Perennials at Ashtead Park

Primula

Begonia

Osteospermum

Delphiniums

Foxgloves

Echinacea