In recent years there’s been a flood of new echinaceas, mainly from specialist breeders in North America and Europe. First it was all the new yellow and orange and red shades, now it’s double flowered varieties. Like the single flowered varieties, the first doubles that were available came in pink and white – now we have the ‘Fruity Doubles’ (click the picture to enlarge it).

This collection is made up of four of the best varieties from master Dutch echinacea breeder Arie Blom. Specialising in double echinaceas propagated vegetatively so they’re all identical, and never from seed, these are so superior to the original double, ‘Razzmatazz’, which I found to be a poor plant. The colours are better, they don’t produce single flowers, and they support themselves much more effectively.

This collection includes: ‘Coconut Lime’, white rays with a fluffy creamy lime cone; ‘Pink Double Delight’, in bright pink and like a more stable, self supporting version of ‘Razzmatazz’; and last year’s hot newcomer ‘Hot Papaya’, the first red double.

Completing the collection is the latest of Arie Blom’s new doubles – ‘Double Marmalade’, a fiery orange double which is also available separately.

Impressive in the garden and long lasting as cut flowers, give them plenty of sun and fertile soil which is well-drained in winter and they’ll thrive.

You can order the Echinacea Fruity Doubles Collection of plants from Thompson & Morgan.

You can also order Echinacea 'Double Marmalade', individually, from Thompson & Morgan and also from Mr Fothergill’s.