Coreopsis × grandiflora ‘Early Sunrise’

We’ve grown ‘Early Sunrise’ for years on our Thurning nursery, and it’s a firm favourite for its cheerful, long-lasting flowers. The semi-double, golden-yellow blooms are held on slender stems and appear from late spring right through to late summer, especially if you deadhead them. They are fantastic for attracting bees and butterflies into the garden.

This is a compact, clump-forming perennial, reaching about 45-50cm in height. It prefers a spot in full sun and will thrive in most well-drained soils; in fact, it performs particularly well in poor, sandy or rocky ground and is tolerant of drought once established. Its foliage is finely-divided and provides a delicate backdrop to the bright flowers.

To keep the flowers coming, be sure to deadhead the spent blooms regularly. If the plant becomes a bit untidy in summer, you can cut it back hard to encourage fresh growth. It’s an excellent choice for the front of a sunny border, cottage garden schemes, or in containers on the patio.