Red Penstemon

Up the back of the Island Bed I grow colourful perennials like this red flowering Penstemon. There are lots of red dahlias nearby, and a bright green flax.

The back of the border gets extremely dry and sun-baked in high summer. The soil is quite sandy, too, and the large gum trees in the Hump are too close for comfort.

My specially purchased dahlia Bishop Llandarff grows next-door to the red Penstemon, together with a random patch of bright orange Calendulas. If I was better organised I could turn this area totally into a 'hot colours' border. Hmm...