Cimicifuga racemosa or Actaea racemosa. Never sure which is now the correct name.

I agree and I don't know which is the right one now either.

Thank you so much Owdboggy , My new neighbour asked me what it was ,I couldn't tell them , its very pretty I love the contrast between the lovely white plumes and the dark foliage .. Thank you ...

Thank you also Sbg ,its good to know there's help from friends on Goy :o))

Hi, sorry to disagree, but I think its Cimicifuga simplex Atropurpurea group, cultivar 'Elstead' which has the purple tinted buds, which open to white flowers, and is later flowering than C racemosa, [syn Actea racemosa], which flowers in midsummer, Derek.

yes derek there are later flowering ones. But at least the genus is correct. ;o)

Amy, I posted a photo on Questions on 22/5 this year,on behalf of my Neighbour..I was advised it was Actea,and now it looks just like your neighbours,with white flowers,,I love it :o)

Hi, Actea and cimicifuga are very closely related, and a few species are now classed as Cimicifuga, including A racemosa and A simplex, but both are accepted names, Derek.

Thank you everyone for your help ,I will give my neighbour all the facts and leave it with them to decide ,Sandra I love it and am going to ask them where they bought it when I see them , they probably haven't a clue they keep asking me gardening stuff ...

Why don't you ask if you could take a cutting,Amy? My neighbour took some from his,and we now have one doing well in our shared front border..It does die down in winter,but I guess you already know that..:o)The mature ones he has in large tubs are huge ! xx

The RHS goes for Actaea over Cimifuga but that doesn't mean other countries' national bodies would agree.

It is often reported as having an unpleasant smell so you might want to think about that when siting it.

I'll do that Sandra good idea I'll be extra nice and smile ..
Thanks for that info.TPG I must admit I didn't get down to smelling it ...

TPG,and Amy..I've just been out and had a sniff at my Neighbours flowers, it's ok,they are away on holiday at the moment,and none of the neighbours saw me..I think ! lol.It didn't have an unpleasant smell at all,well,to me anyway..quite pleasant in fact..but then again ,what smells nice to one ,isn't to another..:o)

Hi, if I'm not mistaken, it's C foetida, {A cimicifuga}, that has the unpleasant smell, Derek.

Thanks Derek ,I shall be going round sniffing all these look-a-likes before i buy ... Lol