Daucus ‘Dara’.

Some flowers feel like old friends who’ve just popped round for tea — easy in your company, no fuss, and looking fabulous without even trying. Daucus ‘Dara’ is one of those. She’s the country cousin of the carrot (which explains the feathery foliage), but instead of orange roots she gives us these airy, lacy umbels in shades that wander from creamy blush to soft rose to the deepest claret. They hover above the border like parasols at a village fête, catching the light and throwing a bit of romance about the place.

I grow her every year, without fail. Not just because she looks as though she’s wandered out of a Dutch still-life painting, but because she behaves beautifully in the cutting garden. Those tall, willowy stems mean you can snip a bunch and they’ll fall naturally into a jug, no arranging required. She’s also the sort of flower that flatters everyone else — tuck her in with bold dahlias, sultry zinnias, or a clutch of sweet peas, and she softens the whole thing, gives it movement.

If you’re after longevity in the vase, she’s your girl — pick her just as the flowers are opening and she’ll last a week or more. Bees and hoverflies, incidentally, think she’s marvellous too, so you’ll often find her being gently rummaged through by a little crowd of pollinators.

Sow her direct where you want her to flower, from early spring through May, or start her off in modules for tidier planting out. She’s hardy, unfussy, and will quietly get on with it while you fuss over the more delicate divas.

In short: if you like your flowers to have a bit of grace, a bit of poise, but still carry a whiff of the wild hedgerow, Daucus ‘Dara’ is worth a corner of your patch. I wouldn’t be without her.

150ish seeds per packet.

Hardy/Biennial.