Ranunculus in a Jug (gouache style)

Garden ranunculus, sometimes called the Persian buttercup, comes from the eastern Mediterranean and south-west Asia. It's in the same genus as the native buttercups, but its flowers are far showier, built from many layers of tissue-thin petals that can look like a rose or a small peony. Plants grow from small, claw-shaped tubers. Colours run from white and cream through pinks, oranges and reds to deep burgundy.

Because they're tender, soak the tubers for a few hours before planting, claws pointing down. Start them in modules under cover in late winter, or in autumn in a frost-free greenhouse or polytunnel for earlier flowers. Plant out in spring once the hardest frosts have passed, into full sun and free-draining soil. They flower from late spring into early summer. Cut stems when the buds are coloured and slightly soft. When the foliage yellows in summer, lift and dry the tubers or start fresh next year.

In this image apricot, pink and cream ranunculus are gathered into a jug on a garden table. It's how they're most often enjoyed, cut and brought close where the layered petals can be seen. The soft, warm colours sit together easily, a reminder of how well these flowers last once cut.