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Free-flowering all summer, the perennial cinquefoil looks fabulous in pots or the border, writes Alys Fowler
WHAT THE SPECIALISTS SAY
John Snow, customer service manager, Bridgemere Graden World, Cheshire: We sell nine varieties of Potentilla. It is a very good plant to sell as it has good flowers and looks great in a pot. The red varieties tend to be the most popular, such as Potentilla gelida 'Gibson's Scarlet' and Potentilla 'Blazeaway'. The former is an extremely bright red with a strong contrast between the foliage and the flowers. It is particularly good in the garden. We have a raised border at our entrance, which we have planted up with potentillas.This has helped sales no end as people see them in flower and instantly want to buy them."
Jean Wiseman, co-owner, Ravensthorpe Nursery, Northamptonshire: Eighteen years ago, we sold an enormous amount of Potentilla. It seems to have gone into a decline, although this year it is reappearing on people's lists, think the problem is that the plants can get quite big and look a bit scruffy in winter. One we can never propagate enough and is really quite hard to find in the trade is Potentilla bulleyana. Another one we often get asked for is Potentilla 'Manchu', which has a white flower and is ground-hugging with a silvery leaf. It is always in demand but not widely available in the trade, it seems. Some of my favourites are Potentilla lovely Pink' and Potentilla 'Daydawn', which is beautiful and goes from palest yellow to apricot all in one flower and grows to a reasonable size. One we have in our garden that people always like is Potentilla 'Medicine Wheel Mountain'...