Herbaceous perennials are the star performers in the garden. To create maximum impact they need the right partners and knowing which plant to put with which is an art that often eludes even the most knowledgeable of gardeners. Here Anna Pavord helps solve this tantalizing problem by suggesting 60 plants that she feels deserve a place in every garden - her star plants - and two ideal partners to accompany them. She shows season by season how to create irresistable planting associations that juxtapose texture shape colour and scent. In these small-scale recipes she uses herbaceous perennials annuals and bulbs that either perform simultaneously or dovetail to provide interest for most of the year. To extend the options Anna also gives scores of alternatives for each combination. Stunning photographs and Anna's unique ability to awaken us to the delights and idiosyncracies of these her favourite plants work together to provide a marvelous source of planting ideas. These can be visited time and time again whether we want merely to fill one small gap transform an awkward corner or start a whole new border from scratch.