The gardener's guide to growing penstemons

Most are easy to grow and propagate and a large number of them are ideal for perennial and mixed borders while some make excellent plants for raised beds, part-shade situations, rock gardens and patios.

The shorter alpine types present more of a challenge to the gardener but new techniques for growing them successfully, and new forms which demand less specific conditions, are now becoming known.

The extraordinary range of colour provided by the genus combined with their ability to flower over a long summer period compounds the appeal of this fascinating and collectable plant.