Planting suggestions please for a sunny bed.

AnniD

My 81 year old dad has asked me for planting suggestions for a sunny well drained island bed. He is going to replace some tatty old lavenders with new ones and he also has salvia Hotlips which does very well. I have suggested some other shrubby salvias and also hardy geraniums and pinks.  Has anyone any other ideas please, maybe something of a similar height to the salvias ? Many thanks 

Borderline

Sedums are very low maintenance and keep their form right the way through the winter. Blue Pearl can get quite tall and has lovely foliage as well as flowers. You need contrast to the small leaves of shrubby salvias.

Anthemis Tinctoria 'Sauce Hollandaise' adds silvery foliage and in summer full of creamy flowers stand upright from the clumps. When it's deadheaded, will throw out a second flush. Trouble-free and very tough if soils are free draining and very drought tolerant. 

Fairygirl

Hebes will give structure and all year round colour. Lilies, as long as they don't dry out too much. Heleniums for later colour.
Ground cover like Cerastium will be happy there too, and even things like Aubretia and alpine phloxes for early cover with spring bulbs  

AnniD

Thank you both, there are some lovely ideas there ! I will pass them on to dad and arrange a tip to the Garden Centre.