Saponaria officinalis 'Rosea Plena'

Fragrant terminal clusters of flowers appear in Summer and into Autumn

Plant in Spring in moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soil in full sun

Using a fork dig up plant, trying to keep the root ball as complete as possible. Split the root ball at the centre with a sharp knife or a spade, or by placing two garden forks back-to-back into the middle of the root ball, and pushing the fork handles apart.to lever the root ball apart. Replant the new clumps to the same depth as the original, and water well. Keep well watered until established.

Take softwood cuttings from new growth early in the day in Spring or early Summer. Cut, neatly, a 4" approx. piece of a non-flowering shoot, pinch out the tip, and cut off the bottom leaves. Dip the bottom of the cutting in hormone rooting powder, and carefully place in a pot of cutting compost with the leaves just above the level of the compost. Water, label, cover with a polythene bag, and place in a warm, bright place, out of direct sunlight. Take the polythene bag off periodically for a while for ventilation (at least twice a week)

Fill a pot, seed tray, or modular tray with proprietary seed-sowing compost (John Innes Seed for example), or use 50% multi-purpose compost mixed with 50% perlite or coarse grit. Firm the compost and water it, allowing any excess to drain away. Sow the seeds thinly, with a finger's width between each seed, or sow one or two per module (depending on the size of the modules). Large seeds need to be covered with sieved compost or vermiculite. Small seeds do not need covering and in fact some need light in order to germinate.