Lacy purple foliage with a sprinkling of white flowers. Position: full sun or partial shade Soil: well-drained soil Rate of growth: fast Flowering period: May to July Hardiness: fully hardy An elegant purple form of common cow parsley, this has pretty clusters of tiny, creamy-white flowers in late spring and early summer, highlighted by the lacy, deeply cut dark purple foliage. This plant is biennial or a short-lived perennial, but it self-seeds freely unless you remove the spent flower heads. This makes it a perfect plant for a wild garden or meadow, and an effective companion to ornamental grasses. Garden care: Support with brushwood or link stakes in spring before the flowers appear. In autumn cut it back to just above ground level and apply a generous layer of mulch around the roots.
