Lobelia

Lobelia erinus

Lobelia is an annual for edging, groundcover, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or moist ground, flowering Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.

Where to use it in a border

At around 15 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 30 cm of room to spread, roughly 3 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 2a to 11b and rated H3 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, wet soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Lobelia's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Allium 'Purple Sensation'to flower when it does not
• American Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls'for height behind it
• Apple 'Bramley's Seedling'for height behind it
• Apple 'Cox's Orange Pippin'for height behind it
• Avensto edge in front
• Avens 'Lady Stratheden'to edge in front

Garden styles

Cottage garden Wildlife garden