A pastel color combination all in one plant. In spring, the shoots emerge purple then unfurl their finely cut blue-green foliage. The flower clusters look like clouds of mauve and cream. Tall and self-supporting, 'Elin' is superb at the back of the border. It's a hybrid between and Thalictrum flavum glaucum and T. rochebrunianum that sets no seed, so plants flower for months.

This genus in the amazingly diverse Buttercup family includes some 130 species, most of them northerners. The form of the flower varies from species to species, but all are small and delicate and are generally carried on tall, slender stems that produce a delightful, airy effect. Partial shade and rich soil give best results, but plants will take more sun if the soil remains evenly moist.