Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008
Salpiglossis sinuata bears flowers about 2 in wide. They have distinctive markings, with contrasting colors along their veins, like ingenious patterns woven into brocade - hence their Dutch common name brokaatbloem. They create a very baroque impression. That may account for their lack of popularity among otherwise keen gardeners until they happen to see the plants in someone else’s garden. I myself go overboard for the cultivar Salpiglossis sinuata with its chocolate-brown veins on golden-yellow and greyish-pink petals.
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Saturday, May 10th, 2008
ANNUAL WORMWOOD
Do you ever feel you would like to see what a hedge would look like in a particular place in your garden? You might try it out with Artemisia annua. Sow some seed in situ in spring and six weeks later you will have plants about 5 ft tall. If they are planted side by side at intervals of about 20 in, it will look as if a hedge of conifers has grown up in less than no time. The numerous small flowers are totally inconspicuous. What is important is the light green of the widely branching plants. The greenery forms slended backdrop for summer flowering plants.
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Thursday, March 6th, 2008
This is a plant for those who enjoy small things, because the flowers are minute but amazingly beautiful. They are only a few fractions of inches wide, and appear to be white, but a close look will reveal flecks of orange below the three-pointed white “quiff.” They are tightly packed along the stem. As the stem grows, the flowering zone, about 3V4 in long, will move upwards, and the seed will develop below it. All this will continue until the stem is about 20 in long and flowering has ceased. That is the moment to cut off those stems, leaving a hand’s length above the ground. New shoots will develop and the plant will therefore flower from the end of June until well into September.
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Tuesday, March 4th, 2008
This perennial is so short-lived that some people regard it as an annual. It is also transitional between annuals and perennials in the way that it is treated, because barberae is far less fond of moisture than the other species. This is what makes it so suitable for cultivation in containers, where the soil is nearly always drier and better aerated than in the garden itself.
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Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
HERB-ROBERT
Some wild plants are thoroughly welcome in a garden, and herb-robert is one of them. It grows as an annual or biennial and the seed that germinates in the autumn provides color for the garden in any winter that is not extremely cold. The handsome leaves are produced on red stems, which may grow up to 16 in tall. The pretty pink flowers, about V4 in wide, are borne from April until far into autumn. Actually, herb-robert has only one drawback: if the plant is bruised, it releases an unpleasant odor which gave it the name “Stinking Bob.” The plant self-seeds profusely, especially in places where vegetable matter decomposes in damp, partially shaded conditions and thus becomes more nutritive.
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Friday, February 8th, 2008
SEA LAVENDER
When it comes to the properties of flowers suitable for cutting and drying, those of sea lavender are unsurpassed. Its sturdy, winged stems branch out widely. The actual flowers are minute and usually white. They are surrounded by sepals fused into tubes and providing color. They continue to color the stems, even after the petals have fallen. The species originally had blue sepals but there are currently cultivars in all kinds of shades, mostly blue, but also pink, yellow, red and white. They are not picked and dried until they are fully colored. They retain their color remarkably well and are therefore very popular among dried-flower enthusiasts. They are also sold in large quantities as cut flowers, although a summery bouquet of sea lavender could hardly be called subtle. Fortunately, more subdued colors such as pale yellow and lavender blue are also available.
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Friday, February 1st, 2008
SUNFLOWER
This is the king of the annuals, growing several yards tall, with a thick stem as hard as a broomstick and almost as strong. The leaves feel slightly rough. From the beginning of summer, sunny flower heads, 10 inches or more wide, develop at the top of the plant. Within the ring of petals, there are hundreds of tubular florets, each one of which may produce a single sunflower seed. The tubular florets are arranged in perfect harmony, forming patterns in relation to one another, criss-crossing spirals in a ratio that accords with the golden section, the ideal proportion, as propounded by the artists of the Renaissance. They, of course, copied this natural measurement from plants and not the other way round.
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Monday, January 28th, 2008
SWAN RIVER DAISY
This newcomer rapidly conquered the world of containers and hanging baskets. No wonder, because it has everything going for it: beautifully divided leaves and, above them, white, yellow, or lavender-pink to blue flowers which are borne non-stop throughout the summer. The foliage tumbles over the rims of pots, containers, and hanging baskets. Because of its dense growth, it is advisable to combine this brachycome with other species in the same container. It grows trouble-free in sunlight and better still in partial shade, either in a border or in a pot. If you are growing it in a pot, make sure the soil never dries out completely, as the leaves will turn yellow otherwise.
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Saturday, January 26th, 2008
LOVE-LIES-BLEEDING, TASSEL FLOWER
All of the many cultivars oiamaranthus caudatus have trailing panicles of flowers which may grow about 18 in long. They flower from June until well into October and the individual panicles remain beautiful for a remarkably long time. Those of the species itself are a shade of crimson that is difficult to combine with other border plants and is too pronounced for most bouquets. The cultivar Amaranthus caudatus ‘Viridis’ has soft-green, pendulous panicles that go particularly well with all kinds of other plants. They are very popular with flower arrangers and are also cultivated for the commercial cut-flower market. The cultivar Amaranthus caudatus ‘Griinschwanz’ has yellowish-green pendulous panicles, and those oi Amaranthus cau-datus ‘Rotschwanz’ are bright red. Don’t plant them too close together, so that they can develop freely.
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Thursday, January 17th, 2008
The informal growth of Browallia americana makes the plant a favorite among gardeners. Browallia americana is an easygoing annual with a long-lasting beauty. Browallia americana is stunning alone and a perfect foil for all partners. The flowering shoots tumble gracefully over the edges of pots, tubs, and hanging baskets, with their violet-blue flowers suspended like butterflies from their stems. The light spot in the center of the flowers enhances their refinement. Sow Browallia americana indoors in March-April at a temperature of about 68 °F. Pinch out young shoots to encourage bushiness and plant out-of-doors after the final night frost. They do best in poor soil, but will also grow in richer kinds. Choose a sunny position in a border, but partial shade is better if you are growing them in pots, tubs, or hanging baskets. The plants do not need much water, but the rootball should not be allowed to dry out entirely, as the plants definitely do not recover from that.
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