Quick Guide: summer, hardy, full sun, height: 45cm/18in, width: 45cm/18in

Clumps of cotton lavender, studded with button-shaped yellow flowers, add height to the miniature landscape of the rock garden and look splendid in sunny borders. The fern-like silver foliage of this dwarf shrub is aromatic.

GROWING Plant container-grown plants at any time when the weather is favourable, but preferably in spring or autumn. Remove flower stems when they have faded. Cut back hard in spring to keep the plants compact.

PROPAGATION Take half-ripe cuttings 5 -7.5cm/2-3in long in summer and insert in a peat/sand mixture in a cold frame. Pot up the following spring and harden off before planting out in autumn.

SPECIES S. chamaecyparissus (syn. S. incana) forms a compact mound, lemon-yellow flowers; S. rosmarizzifolia (syn. S. virens,above), taller at 60cm/24in, spreads to 90cm/3ft, emerald green thread-like leaves, bright yellow flowers.