Achillea clypeolata Little Moonshine

The 'Little Moonshine' Achillea is a compact version of the beautiful Moonshine hybrid yarrow, appreciated for its radiant spring-to-summer golden yellow flowering. While its flower stems are shorter, its clusters of very bright yellow flowers are just as wide, and they appear 2 to 3 weeks earlier than those of its older sibling. They dominate beautiful, finely cut silver-green foliage and are decorative all year round. This sun-loving perennial is ideal in a rock garden or a dry garden in well-drained soil.

The Little Moonshine yarrow was introduced in England in 2015. It is an herbaceous perennial plant resulting from a hybridisation between the Achillea clypeolata, native to the Balkans, and the A. aegyptica var Taygetea, native to Greece. All yarrows belong to the Asteraceae family. It is a bushy plant, forming a cluster of about 25-30 cm (10-12in) in all directions, 10 cm (4in) for the foliage. It consists of light, deciduous or semi-evergreen leaves, depending on the severity of the winter and where it is grown. They are finely cut into strips, lobed, feathery and grey-green with silver reflections.

The remarkably long flowering period extends from May-June to September. The flower heads are very bright, with sun-like yellow florets. These tiny heads, which appear at the tops of 25 cm (10in) stems, form numerous tight clusters with a flat or slightly domed top, 7 to 8 cm (3in) in diameter. The plant produces fruits known as achenes. Its stem is grooved and covered with tiny hairs.

This wildflower is easy to care for and adds a charming touch to simple beds, especially in rocky and dry soils during the summer. It's great for rock gardens, on walls, as a border, or on slopes, where it helps prevent erosion. You can use it as a ground cover in smaller areas to avoid mowing, particularly in less busy spots. To complement it, consider planting creeping thymes (Thymus ciliatus, serpyllium) or Lippia nodiflora. This plant is perfect for sunny beds and the base of shrub roses since it's drought-tolerant and easy to grow.