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Galtonia candicans 

The RHS Award of Garden Merit is awarded for ease of cultivation, excellence and constitution but not necessarily hardiness. The Galtonia family hail from South Africa and these summer growing (and winter dormant) forms can be considered hardy as long as they get planted quite deeply and they are not waterlogged in winter. They have rather waxy foliage, quite blue-green in colour and appear in May. They produce a tall flower stem from the centre of the leaves which carries up to two dozen hanging waxy apple white bells - they look individually the shape of pixie's hats ! They flower in late July and August doing best on good soil that retains some moisture in the summer. Very effective as vertical accents in the summer borders in much the same way as Alliums are earlier in the year.  August flowering, 3ft tall, white bells.

Plant instructions

For sun or light shade planted 4" deep and 4" apart in good soil, not too heavy or wet. Beware slugs. In cold or wet areas, one can lift the bulbs out of the ground and store dry and frost free over winter. They do set seed and this can be harvested to sow in seed trays or in light soils they can become self sown colonies.