Obedient plant!!! Be careful. I was given 6 stalks of these 2 years ago and now I believe I have 600!!! And that is after thinning every year!!! Very pretty...but VERY invasive.

I am totally unfamiliar with what you can or can't grow in 'SW UK 8/9', or what local names plants are given. Here, Sub-tropical New South Wales, Australia, the name 'summer bedding' is certainly not used. I also checked with my English neighbours and they'd never heard the term. Many colourful varieties of coleus are grown here - nurseries are full of them - all year round. You might find that informative, flora_UK!

Grief, I HATE that whole dwarfing thing going on - bad enough that plants are selectively bred for innate height restriction but mucking about with gibberellin inhibitors to keep plants small (for a season) really infuriates me beyond reason. Why? The plants invariable retain large flowers on a stunted looking plant (the travesty campanula lactiflora 'pouffe' is one that makes me desire to crush it under my heels). I am always on the lookout for tall graceful perennials but will accept that people like little cushiony ones too (I like the little alpine pinks and armeria, androsace, aubretia, as much as anyone) but a plant such as platycodon is disusting as a squat little thing when, left to its own devices, it will gain a height of 70cm (2.5feet), swaying gently while still remaining utterly self-supporting - what could there be to not like about that?

Yes, I believe GG's ID is right; looks good. What does the tag say? Am guessing just 'Foliage'? KarenS, NYC