Every garden needs some twinkling highlights of tangy orange and Crocosmia 'Star of the East' is a reliable go-to perennial for the job. Use it to add a contrasting spark to a cool-coloured theme or let it be part of a fiery theme. Either way, this easy-to-grow and resilient plant looks great and is a good one to grow if you’re looking for something which is unfussy and returns every year with minimal help from you. This is a Montbretia with an interesting twist – wider, more pointed and reflexed petals which form a pretty star shaped open bloom. You’ll get the usual attractive grassy foliage and easy-going nature with Crocosmia 'Star of the East', but along with an RHS Award of Garden Merit, you can expect particularly strong garden performance.

Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora 'Star of the East' enjoys damp soils, which is good news if you have a moisture-retentive soil type like clay or if you have any damp soil areas to plant. This plant will grow in full sun or partial shade, providing the soil doesn’t completely dry out for prolonged periods during summer. Expect flowers between around August and September each year and watch as the clump gradually grows! Crocosmias like 'Star of the East' take a little time to settle in so in the first year you might find that they emerge late and concentrate on leaves, but normally they’ll flower by the second year.