Potentilla 'Miss Willmott'

Potentilla nepalensis 'Miss Willmott': Cheerful Blush for Sunny Spaces

Delightfully floriferous and easy to grow, Potentilla 'Miss Willmott' brings waves of warm pink flowers to the summer garden. Each bloom is saucer-shaped with a deeper rose eye, floating above tidy mounds of bright green foliage. Blooming steadily from early to mid-summer, this hardy perennial adds a cottage-garden charm to sunny borders and is ideal for informal plantings, rockeries, and pollinator-friendly beds. Low-maintenance and long-lasting, it offers an easy splash of cheerful colour in full sun.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 30–45 cm
• Spread: 40–50 cm
• Flower Colour: Bright pink with a deep rose centre
• Flowering Period: Early to mid-summer
• Foliage: Bright green, finely divided and low-growing
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun
• Soil Requirements: Well-drained, average to sandy soil; drought tolerant once established

Uses and Benefits: 'Miss Willmott' is a reliable bloomer in hot, dry sites, where its compact habit and vivid flowers provide long-season interest with minimal upkeep. Ideal for edging, rock gardens, and sunny borders, it’s also a favourite with pollinators, especially bees. Its tidy growth and early summer bloom make it a great transition plant between spring and peak summer colour.

Companion Plants: Pair with the vivid red-edged foliage of Sedum 'Wildfire', the slender blush-pink spikes of Veronica 'Pink Candles', and the airy, warm-season texture of Bouteloua gracilis for a sun-loving, drought-tolerant combination that blends fine texture with bursts of colour and pollinator appeal.

Care Instructions: Plant in full sun with well-drained soil. Once established, it is drought tolerant and thrives in poorer soils. Deadhead to encourage prolonged bloom and cut back spent foliage for a fresh flush. Divide every few years in spring to maintain vigour.

History: Named after famed horticulturist Ellen Willmott, this cultivar of Potentilla nepalensis brings an old-world charm and modern resilience to the garden. Native to the Himalayas, it has adapted well to dry, sunny conditions across temperate regions.

Final Thoughts: Bright, breezy, and delightfully unfussy, Potentilla 'Miss Willmott' is a classic summer perennial that thrives on sunshine—offering weeks of cheerful colour and timeless garden charm.