Cleome hassleriana 'Helen Campbell' Seeds

This is the most glamorous pure white flower and it's not just me that thinks so. The Royal Horticultural Society has awarded Helen Campbell the prestigious AGM (Award of Garden Merit) which is their seal of approval for plants that perform reliably well in UK growing conditions. Award winning Cleome hassleriana is a tall elegant plant with sturdy stems and large open flowers which add drama to any garden or vase.

Cleome is a native of South American countries such as Argentina , Peru , Uraguay and Brazil where it’s known as the Spider Flower. You only need to look at the dramatic flower heads with their long stamens and seed pods to see why. Cleome is a perennial plant there where winters are lovely and warm. They won't survive our cold wet winters so here in the UK we grow them as annuals. Like most half hardy annuals they are brilliant for summer and autumn colour. Just like Cosmos and Dahlias, Cleome will go on flowering long into autumn. If you want to grow architectural flowers for cutting or simply want to extend the flowering season in your garden then these plants are jolly useful.

Cleome makes a brilliant filler for large dramatic displays of flowers and will give you a good show in the garden. I love to grow it with other late flowering Half Hardy Annuals such as Sunflowers and Cosmos in complimentary colours. It is very easy to grow but needs a little tender care to get the seeds going... have a look at the SOW SEEDS section below to find out how to start them off.

Please note that Cleome stems have rose-like thorns. They are low down on the plant and easy to remove if you are cutting stems for a vase.