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Welcome to Bide-a-wee Cottage Garden
National Collection
Conservation for the future.
Centaurea is part of the Knapweed family whose common feature is the structure of the flower, a scaly brown base tightly gather the multiple petals, very reminiscent of the thistle, but without the spikes in the majority of species.
Many hundred of species exist with only two perennial species truly native of the British Isles C. nigra and C. scabiosa.
Centaurea nigra grows in abundance in Northumberland, often in wet pasture, moor and along burns.
Our extensive and unique Centaurea collection boosts over 90 species and cultivars, the majority are integrated throughout the garden at Bide-a-Wee, and in the fullness of time are offered for sale through the Bide-A-Wee Nursery.
Centaurea range in size from the ground hugging Centaurea mollis, with prostrate foliage and lavender blue flowers. To the giant Centaurea macrocephala, growing up to 4ft with large yellow flower heads. The first Centaurea to flower are the montana's a European native which in late May flower in a variety of pastel shades. Robust in constitution, a survivor in many a neglected garden. Responding well to being cut back after flowering it is eminently suitable to naturalise in meadows.
The end of the summer and our open season is marked by the flowering of
C. nigra, our native hard head, providing a succession of mauve flowers from late summer, growing here on nearby Simonside together with Heather (Calluna vulgaris) both flowering brilliantly at the same time and good for our bees to boost their winter stores
To find out more about the National Collection and the NCCPG use the following links: