Recommend me something lovely!

[TurduckenFucken]

I want something that goes with:
Carex
Brunnera
Fatsia
Rowan
Japanese Anemone

Ideally early to mid summer flowering, definitely bee friendly.

Other stuff in the garden includes Japanese Yew, ferns, geranium Roxanne, hydrangeas, foxgloves and irises.

The area I need to fill is east facing but gets sun until about 2pm, so it’s a bright, exposed spot.

Go!

Do you have forget-me-nots?

Also malva moschata (mallow). The white one with a hint of pink is beautiful.

Thanks! I hadn’t thought of forget-me-nots. I think the malva moschata might be a bit too similar to the white Japanese anemones.

Anything red or yellow spring to mind?

Alchemilla mollis
Crocus
Doronicum
Geum 'Mrs Bradshaw'
Penstemon
Potentilla
Pulmonaria

There are some lovely red salvias (royal bumble maybe, or hot lips is red and white), although they come out a bit later, from about June.

Fuchsias? Geranium Johnson's blue?

Do you have any acers or nandina firepower? Although those are both late summer/autumn flowering/foliage shrubs
The bees rather like the flowers on my nandina. I have a star jasmine too although it's taken a while to get going.

I tend to go with fuchsias (all different colours combinations) and begonias in my NE facing bed. Perhaps E facing could handle some more partial sun plants.

Penstemon are brilliant because (like hydrangeas) they are unbelievably easy to propagate from cuttings. I'm a keen but fairly crap gardener, and my three penstemon plants have become about thirty in the last three years Ditto the hydrangeas. And they flower all summer

Thanks for the suggestions.

I do have an acer, but it’s really windy here so it always looks a bit crap. It’s currently in a pot so I think I’ll Freecycle it. I also have a jasmine, good to hear they take a while to get going as mine hasn’t flowered since I took it out of the pot I’d had it in for a few years.

The garden is quite Japanese-y in terms of planting (except for the foxgloves and geraniums, but I found sticking solely with Asian gardening in my location was a bit limiting in terms of bees), I also have a few big bamboo in pots, and a rhododendron in a pot.

Penstemon look lovely! And I think they’ll work well in terms of airy height. Hopefully they’ll work with everything else. Last year was the first year the garden was really complete, and I felt a bit disappointed by the lack of flowers.

Keen but fairly crap describes me too, StillSurviving.

Thanks! I hadn’t thought of forget-me-nots. I think the malva moschata might be a bit too similar to the white Japanese anemones. The forget-me-nots will be quite similar to the Brunnera! You could try the pink Malva - much pinker than pink anemones, and the whole plant is different - a mass of lacy foliage covered by flowers, rather than tall stems with one or two flowers.

Our best thing for bees is scabious, Knautia macedonica. A range of pale and deep pinks and a long flowering season. Though I'm not sure how well it goes with your look.

Keen but crap describes me too

What about erysimum Bowles Mauve (purple wallflower)?

Another vote for @MereDintofPandiculation's suggestion of scabious which also flower for ages. Mine were busy with bees for at least three months this summer.
They might flower a bit late for you, but the cherry-coloured drumstick alliums were everywhere at Hampton Court last summer and are very elegant. They will be a new addition to my garden this summer and I'm excited about them growing!

The large sages/salvias are lovely (they need plenty of light)) but they grow anywhere, pineapple sage is yellowish too. Mine are covered in happy insects!

Salvia Amistad is about 1.2m Hugh and flowers all summer
Phlomis

Yes there are so many to choose from, from very delicate, greenhouse\indoor specimens to live forever tough ones!

I think they're my favourite shrub I have 2 which have literally just arrived in my garden, the old fashioned version of guaranitica which has beautiful dark blue flowers (though they need dappled shade and wetter autumns to flower prolifically). Also a sweet pinky red one, a tough version of microphylla 'pink blush'.

Yet again I thought I was on a baby names thread!

Salvia turkestanica is a beautiful plant, attractive leaves, long lasting lavender coloured flowers...but not for the front of the border as it emits a foul scent if you brush against it!

I think I can do without foul scents, thanks!

Ooh, those Edward Bowles phlomis are WEIRD! Definitely one for those hole-phobic threads that crop up on here from time to time.

I think I'm going to stick with Penstemon, thanks all!

It's the Phlomis Russeliana or Tuberose I like. They flower for ages and then the flowed and seed heads stay looking fab all winter.

Most sages have a nice musty smell, they are good for teas; the herbalists say that it's used for longevity. That traditional taste of English sausages is sage.