plants to grow in clay soil

Aster
Great cut flower, From miniature alpine plants to giants up to 6 feet tall, there are over 250 asters, with plenty of colors to choose from. Asters are a great way to brighten up the Autumn garden

Butter daisy

With its demure veil of jeweled blooms, coreopsis adds charm to cottage gardens and formal flower beds alike. Dainty flowers, thin stems and fine foliage disguise the fact that this plant's as tough as nails. It's also great for cutting and readily attracts butterflies.

Daylily.

This garden favorite  seems to grow anywhere and does well in clay soil

Fern.
Ferns are so versatile. You can find a plant for just about any growing condition...sun, shade, even  clay!

Japanese iris.

Japanese Irises are among the most showy and easiest to recognize of all garden flowers. It's also one of the most common beardless irises, which are generally easier to grow and more adaptable than bearded types.

Potentilla,

By the time many other flowering shrubs' colourful show is over potentilla is just beginning its long flowering season. It's a favourite because its blooms will last until the first hard frost and it will grow in clay

Virburnum.

My favourite ornamental shrub for three reasons - it's beautiful, it's versatile, and it's easy to grow in clay.

And even something for the kitchen.

Runner bean

The runner bean is a twining climber, which is great trained up a trellis . This vine is fast-growing and will attract butterflies to your back garden.

Trees that will grow in clay soil
Acer japonicum, A. palmatum (Japanese maple), Amelanchier lamarckii AGM, Betula (birch), Cratageus (hawthorn), Eucalyptus, Laburnum anagyroides, L. x watereri 'Vossii' AGM, Liquidambar styraciflua, Malus (crab apple), Pyrus salicifolia 'Pendula' AGM (weeping pear), Sorbus

Conifers for clay
Abies koreana, Araucaria araucana, Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, C. obtusa, C. pisifera, Ginkgo biloba AGM, Juniperus chinensis, J. x pfitzeriana, J. virginiana, Picea abies, P. glauca, P. omorika AGM, P. orientalis AGM, P. pungens, Pseudotsuga menziesii AGM, Taxodium distichum AGM, Thuja plicata, Tsuga candensis, T. heterophylla AGM

Shrubs that will tolerate clay
Buddleja, Cotoneaster (evergreen and deciduous), Escallonia (evergreen), Fuchsia, Hydrangea, Mahonia, Rosa, Spiraea, Viburnum (deciduous and evergreen), Weigela

Ground cover for clay soils

Bergenia, Euonymus fortunei, Gaultheria procumbens AGM, G. shallon, G. x wisleyensis, Geranium, Hypericum calycinum, Juniperus communis, J. regida subsp. conferta, J., horizontalis, Lamium galeobdolon, Persicaria affinis, P. bistorta, P. vacciniifolia AGM, Rubus pentalobus, Vinca major, V. minor

Climbers and wall shrubs to plant in clay soil

Chaenomeles x superba 'Moerloosei' AGM (pink) and 'Nivalis' (white), Cotoneaster horizontalis AGM, C. lacteus AGM, Forsythia suspensa AGM, Escallonia 'C.F. Ball', E. 'Edinensis' AGM, Garrya elliptica 'James Roof' AGM, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, Kerria japonica, Lonicera japonica, L. periclymenum, Pyracantha, Rosa

Herbaceous perennials that like clay soil