A very popular border plant for its clouds of flowers which are useful for flower arrangement, everlasting flowers or just for providing a pretty, misty background for other flowers. Flowers summer. Height: 3-4ft.

Sow on the surface of the compost in spring in John Innes Seed Compost. Make sure that the compost is moist but not wet and seal in a polythene bag until after germination which usually takes 10-21 days at 21C (70F). Do not exclude light which is beneficial to germination.

Transplant when large enough to handle into 8cm (3in) pots and grow on in cooler conditions at 10C (50F). Later plant out in a sheltered spot and grow on until autumn when they should be planted out 60cm (24in) apart in well drained soil in a sunny spot.