Plant of the Moment – No. 6 Thalictrum delavayi

One of the more frequently encountered species of meadow-rue in British gardens, Thalictrum delavayi hails from the hillsides of Yunnan Province in south-western China. This is a tall, refined plant, whose flowers need to be viewed close up to be fully appreciated, and form a delicate, see-through haze of pink when seen from a distance. Sprays of basal foliage, resembling that of maidenhair ferns, set off the branching flower heads, each carrying dozens of small, rounded, drop-shaped pink buds dangling from wiry, thread-like stalks. The four petals open and lift, forming a pink cap over a tuft of bright yellow stamens. The flowers are succeeded by dangling clumps of tiny green seed pods that are attractive in their own right.

T. delavayi 'Album'  (below) has pure white flowers, brighter green foliage and pale green stems, in contrast to the purple-flushed stems of the pure species. Both need a degree of shelter, and some kind of support, to prevent wind-damage to their brittle stems and are best grown in semi-shade in rich, humusy soil that doesn't get too dry. Their airy presence lends an effortless elegance to woodland-style plantings and their flowering usefully peaks at a tricky time when the stars of spring and early summer have mostly gone over, but late-season stalwarts such as Hydrangea and Fuchsia have yet to hit their stride.