Japanese Anemones make their presence known in September. These pretty flowers are very attractive to pollinators too. The term Japanese anemone is misleading. Anemone hupehensis is actually a native of Hupeh province in eastern China, but it was grown in Japanese gardens for centuries, hence the confusion. Colours vary from the purest of white and the palest pinks…
Flowers on Friday
A different Friday flower this week on account of a very special anniversary. The iris flower takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, and is also the name for the Greek goddess of the rainbow. For me Iris is the name of my mother who would have been 100 years old today,…
Flower of the Month: August
Looking around the lanes and gardens in August you can’t fail to notice the number of Hydrangeas that are in flower. Here in Cornwall where the temperatures are mild all year round and where there is plenty of moisture they grow into enormous shrubs in colours ranging from the purest white to the darkest purple….
Flowers on Friday
One of the most dramatic flowers at this time of the year is the golden Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’. Also known as ‘Black-eyed Susan’ with large, golden-yellow, daisy-like flowers up to 12cm (5in) across with cone-shaped, blackish-brown centres from August to October. This knee-high plant bridges the gap between summer and autumn providing welcome colour to…
Flowers on Friday
In late summer it is the turn of the hotter colours to take pride of place in the garden. The pinks and purples of earlier months are now starting to look tired and dusty. Orange, yellow and red herald the turning point in the garden, a last hurrah! Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora is a garden hybrid…
Flowers on Friday
Annuals come into their own this month and none more colourful than the Cosmos which was introduced into this country in 1800 from Mexico. These big, bright and beautiful daisy-like flowers come in many colours and heights. The most common variety C. bipinnatus with large yellow-eyed daisy flowers in the burgundy-red-pink-white colour range include the…
Flower of the Month: July
July in Cornwall = Agapanthus commonly referred to as the Lily-of-the-Nile or the African lily plant. You will see them everywhere. In planters, alongside the footpaths, in gardens. They instantly take me back to South Africa where they are from and provide an exotic look to a place. I bought some new ones at the…
Flowers on Friday
A type of ornamental onion, also known as round-headed leek, drumstick allium (Allium sphaerocephalon) is appreciated for the egg-shaped blooms that appear in early summer. These unique flowers open green, then start to turn a purple/crimson colour from the top, creating unusual two-tone drumstick flower heads. And the bees love them!
Flowers on Friday
Musk Mallow (malva moschata) is the perfect wildflower plant for adding of bright splash of pink or white to a summer flowering meadow. It is well suited to all wide variety of soils, but grows best on well-drained ground in full sun. Musk Mallow has large showy flowers that grow in dense clusters and are…
