I’ve got a soft spot for herbaceous perennials. They pop up fresh in spring, strut their stuff all summer, then politely disappear underground in winter. The “herbaceous” bit means they die back each year, the “perennial” bit means they come back for more. Think of those lush European borders bursting with daisies, echinacea, and friends.

• Spacing matters. The scrappy clump emerging in spring will be a monster in weeks, so give it room. Resist the urge to cram other plants in the gaps—they’ll just end up fighting.

• Layer them. Tall ones at the back, shorties at the front. Once you know how they grow, shuffle them around like pieces of a puzzle for texture.

• Feed and water. They’re fast, soft-wooded growers, so treat them like hungry teenagers. Enrich soil before planting, feed with blood and bone, then switch to liquid bloom fertiliser once buds form. Results come fast.

• Keep them blooming. Deadhead spent flowers and they’ll reward you with encore performances.

• End-of-season care. In autumn, give a last feed so the plant stores energy for spring. If they’re overcrowded, lift and divide them in late winter—two forks back-to-back work wonders without butchering the roots.

They’re dramatic, generous, and always worth the space.