Achillea millefolium New Vintage Violet

The Achillea millefolium 'New Vintage Violet' is a highly perpetual variety of Yarrow that offers a profusion of flowers in a beautiful violet-magenta colour with a cream centre. Its intense colour does not fade as the season progresses. It is a perennial plant appreciated for its dense and vigorous growth that colonizes the soil, as well as its heat and drought resistance. As ornamental as it is easy to grow, it is perfect for quickly filling slopes, dressing borders, or creating lovely country bouquets. Its small size and intense colour make it an excellent choice for container planting on the terrace or balcony. Exuberant and undemanding, this inhabitant of cottage gardens adds a charming touch to unpretentious flower beds.

The Achillea millefolium 'New Vintage Violet' is a lovely descendant of the Yarrow, a perennial herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family native to Europe and Asia Minor. From spring onwards, it forms a compact and upright tuft, spreading through stolons that allow it to colonize large areas. 'New Vintage Violet' reaches 35 cm (14in) in height when flowering, 10 to 20 cm (4 to 8in) for the foliage. It spreads over 30 cm (12in) and more. The remarkably long flowering period extends from June to September if the soil remains somewhat moist during the peak of summer. It takes the form of inflorescences called heads, flattened and slightly rounded, measuring approximately 7 cm (3in) in diameter. The flowers are actually florets, with tubular cream-coloured disk florets. The inflorescence is an intense violet-pink colour, retaining its colour without fading late in the season. The stem is channelled and villous, and the aromatic foliage is finely divided into feathery strips, with a dark greenish-gray, matte colour.

This hardy and undemanding perennial integrates well in rockeries, on top of walls, along flower beds and paths, or on slopes where it contributes to fixing and protecting against erosion. With its stolons, it can be used as a ground cover over large areas. It tolerates root competition from trees and can dress the base of a sunny hedge. As it is easy to cultivate and water-efficient, it is perfect for a weekend garden or a garden without irrigation. It also thrives in pots, brightening up the terrace with its vibrant colour. For example, combine it with small and medium-sized grasses such as Pennisetum orientale Karley Rose and Stipa tenuifolia, and for an intense scene, add a Salvia 'Caradonna' and punctuate with Sanguisorba officinalis Tanna.

As a medicinal perennial, Yarrow has healing, hemostatic, antispasmodic, and tonic properties. Its young shoots can be used in omelettes or salads.