Anemone Ruffled Swan

Overview and Key Features

Anemone 'Ruffled Swan' is a deciduous, clump-forming perennial that combines the elegance of woodland anemones with the robust, upright nature of Japanese hybrids. It produces large, semi-double, slightly ruffled white blooms with soft violet-blue reverses, appearing from midsummer through autumn, making it a valuable plant for extending seasonal interest in shaded or semi-shaded garden borders.

Introduced by Elizabeth MacGregor in Scotland, this variety is a sister seedling to 'Wild Swan', with slightly more upright flowers and a longer blooming season. It adds graceful structure and movement to borders and is highly valued by pollinators.

• Height: 60–80 cm

• Spread: 45–60 cm

• Flower colour: White with violet-blue reverse

• Form: Semi-double, ruffled blooms

• Foliage: Deeply lobed, mid-green leaves forming a tidy mound

• Flowering period: July to October

• Type: Herbaceous perennial

• Habit: Upright and bushy

• Hardiness: RHS H5 (-10°C to -15°C)

• Award: RHS Award of Garden Merit

• Attracts: Bees and hoverflies

Growing Conditions

Anemone 'Ruffled Swan' is highly adaptable, performing well in light shade or sun, provided soil is kept moist but well-drained. It brings brightness and movement to areas where colour is often lacking later in the season.

Light Requirements

• Best in partial shade or dappled light

• Can tolerate full sun if soil is moist, especially during hot summers

• Not suitable for dry, deep shade

Soil Preferences

• Grows well in moist, fertile, humus-rich soils

• Prefers loam or light clay that is well-draining

• Add compost or leaf mould to improve structure and moisture retention

Planting Tips

• Plant in spring or early autumn

• Position where the flowers can catch the evening light to highlight their coloured backs

• Allow space for clumps to spread gradually over several years

Care, Watering, and Feeding

Watering

• Water regularly during the first growing season

• In hot weather or sandy soils, increase watering to prevent drought stress

• Once established, the plant is moderately drought-tolerant

Feeding

• Apply a balanced, slow-release fertiliser in spring

• Top-dress with compost or leaf mould in autumn or spring

Deadheading and Pruning

• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage continuous flowering

• In late autumn, cut back stems once flowering has finished

• Remove any damaged or dead foliage in early spring before new growth appears

Winter and Long-Term Maintenance

• Fully hardy in most of the UK and Ireland

• Apply a mulch in autumn to protect the crown and enrich the soil

• Plants will form bigger clumps over time—divide every 3–4 years in early spring if needed

• Can be left undisturbed for naturalistic, spreading drifts

Design Use and Companion Plants

‘Ruffled Swan’ offers a long flowering season, refined form, and soothing colour palette, making it ideal for mixed perennial borders, woodland gardens, or cottage-style beds.

Best Uses

• Shade borders under deciduous trees or shrubs

• Naturalistic or informal plantings

• Mixed herbaceous borders with perennials and grasses

• Cut flower gardens (excellent vase life)

Companion Plants

• Combine with:

  • Brunnera, Hosta, Heuchera, Astrantia, Pulmonaria, and Ferns

  • Hydrangea paniculata, Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa)

  • Late bloomers like Sedum, Actaea, Sanguisorba, or Persicaria

Special Qualities

• Pollinator-friendly: Provides nectar into autumn

• Low maintenance: Easy to grow and resistant to most pests

• Deer and rabbit resistant: Not typically browsed

• Elegant colour contrast: White flowers with violet-blue undersides provide interest from all angles

• Award-winning: RHS Award of Garden Merit signifies reliability and garden-worthiness

We currently only deliver within the island of Ireland, other countries can be quoted for by contacting [email protected] or via telephone on 06964084
 

Standard Delivery is FREE on orders over €250*

All standard deliveries will be completed within 5-7 working days via Fastway Couriers, any delay to this delivery time, the customer will be notified by One of our staff.

The in-Store delivery charge will vary compared with online, in-store delivery charge is done on a case by case basis. 

* Only mainland Ireland addresses qualify for free delivery.
 

Live Plants Delivery

Our live plants are packed with care and diligence by our staff, our horticulturists review each plant before despatch to ensure quality is maintained.
Live Plant delivery charges are not calculated on weight but on the space required per package to ensure safe delivery, so delivery charges may vary as some plants require more space than others when packed.
All live plants are despatched within 3-5 working days where possible, our couriers aim to deliver within 48 hours of despatch from our Garden Centre to allow the plant to arrive in healthy condition.
 

Click & Collect

Can’t wait for delivery? Why not try our FREE Click & Collect service? Simply make your purchase online and collect it from our store located in Croagh Co. Limerick. Our staff will contact you by phone when your order is ready for collection (Please allow 24 hours minimum). When collecting your item, call the store on 069-64084. We will then load into your car as required. This service is available in-store 9am – 6pm Monday – Saturday (No collections on Sundays)

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If you have any further questions about the online order payment please contact us via ­069 640 84 or mail.