Plants with pompon flowers

To make a border dynamic and full of interest, you should  aim for a mix of flower forms, from daisies to spikes and from fluffy grasses to umbellifers.

Discover eight essential border daisies.

Plants with pompon flowers contrast beautifully with other flower shapes, especially spikes, and add interesting accents to a planting scheme. Taller plants, such as alliums, seem to float above other lower growing plants, while others, such as chives or thrift are lower growing and add interest to the front of a border.

Try planting plants with pompon flowers in blocks or drifts and repeat them throughout a border for maximum impact.

Here are some beautiful plants with pompon flowers to try.

Pompon dahlias

Pompon dahlias, such as Dahlia ‘Charlotte Bateson’, pictured, have intricate, exquisite globe-shaped flowers in a range of colours. Ball dahlias are smaller, with a slightly flattened top. Discover some beautiful pompon and ball dahlias to grow.

Alliums

Alliums are a must in the late spring and early summer garden, where they combine especially well with the tall spires of foxgloves and seem to bob above other plants. They come in a range of sizes – Allium giganteum, shown, has huge, globe-like flowers. Plant bulbs in autumn.

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’

Viburnum opulus ‘Roseum’ is known as the snowball tree thanks to its ball-like clusters of white flowers (sometimes tinted with green or pink) in May and June. This attractive shrub also has good autumn colour. Grow in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade.

Zinnia

Zinnia ‘Queen Red Lime’ is a unusual zinnia with lime tips to its red petals.  It’s ideal for using to fill gaps in the border and also works well in containers. It makes an excellent cut flower. Grow it in a hot, sunny spot. Find out how to sow zinnias.

Hollyhock

Alcea rosea ‘Peaches n Dreams’ is a gorgeous and unusual hollyhock, with spikes of powder-puff-like, peachy blooms. Plant in groups at towards the middle or back of a sunny, cottage-style border. Cut down after flowering to encourage fresh growth.

Drumstick primulas

Drumstick primulas (Primula denticulata) do indeed look like mini drumsticks – the thin stems are topped with spherical heads of bell-shaped florets. They come in a range of jewel-like colours and love moist soil, so are ideal for growing at the front of moist borders, bog gardens or pond edges.

Chives

Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) bear pretty pink/purple flowers, loved by bees, in late spring and early summer. They make an attractive addition to a veg patch and for edging paths and borders, and grow especially well in pots. After flowering, chop them back for fresh new leaves for the kitchen.

Thrift

Thrifts have ball-shaped flowers on thin wiry stems, above a low mound of evergreen leaves. Armeria pseudoarmeria ‘Joystick Red’ is a hybrid thrift, bred as a cut flower. Grow at the front of the border or in a pot, in a sunny spot. The flowers look good in a vase and can also be dried.