This scabious is displaying heads of pincushion flowers on the Rock Garden.
One of 80 species of temperate annuals, biennials and perennials, Scabiosa ochroleuca (syn. S. columbaria ssp. ochroleuca) is a delicate species with branched stems to 70cm, simple or pinnatifid basal leaves, and pinnatifid or pinnatisect stem leaves, the upper of which are finely divided. The cream-yellow flowers are typical of the genus in their domed, pincushion-like appearance, having central florets surrounded by larger marginal florets. A native of Europe, Russia and Turkey, it thrives in well-drained, open situations in neutral to alkaline soils, and is a good plant for attracting pollinators.