Garden News - July Digital Sampler

Alamy
Penstemons
shine in pinks,
mauves, blues
and reds
New varieties of foxgloves
are often introduced at flower
shows. The same is true of
another member of the family,
verbascums. The species
themselves vary enormously,
though the great majority
have yellow flowers.
The woolly mullein,
Verbascum lanata, is a common
wildflower especially prevalent
on poor alkaline soil. In fact,
Jonathan Buckley
all verbascums enjoy such
conditions and thrive best in
full sun. Most are biennial,
but over the past century a
range of new varieties have
increased the possibilities for us
gardeners. The chaixii hybrids
have introduced a broad range
of new colours from ‘Pink
Domino’ (self-explanatory)
to ‘Cotswold Beauty’, whose
flowers are a rich terracotta
colour. Although they’re shortlived
perennials, you can easily
make more from root cuttings
taken during the winter.
There are lots of ways of
using them, from growing them
individually in large pots and
placing them perhaps in a row
along a path, to setting them
among perennials and grasses
in an informal planting. Biennial
verbascums can be grown from
seed. Sow sparingly on the
surface of seed compost, cover
with grit and water by standing
the tray in shallow water.
Last, but not least, in this
delightful trio are penstemon.
All the species are natives of
North America, some are hardy
while others are on the tender
side. Nowadays numerous
are available to the amateur
gardener and they can be
increased so easily. Simply
peel off sideshoots with a
short heel or take tip cuttings
a few inches in length, cutting
underneath a node with a
sharp knife. Remove the lower
leaves and nip out the tip of the
cutting, then push them into
gritty compost firmly as far
as the first leaves. Water well
and put in a bright position,
though out of direct sunlight.
There are surely penstemon
to suit everyone’s taste from
the red, flared bells of ’Firebird’
to the soft and mystical, blue
P. heterophyllus ‘Blue Gem’.
My gardening Diary
MONDAY Plants are growing
so rapidly they’re in need of
regular feeding. For our mixed
containers of ornamental
plants, dahlias, tagetes,
nasturtiums and agastache in
our big pots it’s a balanced
feed based on seaweed.
Later on we’ll use a food
higher in potash to help
flower production.
TUESDAY One of the most
exotic scents in the whole garden is
produced by elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’. Despite the flowers
being tiny, bees, honey bees and other pollinating insects
home in on it, attracted by the fragrance.
WEDNESDAY Out with the shears to cut back some of
our most ebullient geraniums. Geranium oxonianum
benefits from a summer haircut. Even when it’s cut down
to the ground, it’ll spring back within weeks with healthy
foliage and a new crop of flowers.
THURSDAY Though it might seem late in the day,
we’re sowing seeds of both sunflowers and sweet peas.
They’re an insurance policy as we need them both for
Alice’s wedding.
FRIDAY We’ve already collected seed from hellebores,
now it’s the turn of the aquilegias. They’re a promiscuous
lot and you never know how they’ll turn out, though
white and yellow varieties usually come true from seed.
SATURDAY Everyone needs to muse from time to time,
but sometimes the reverie is interrupted by the wiry sound
of dragonflies’ wings as they circle to and fro, landing from
time to time atop a bamboo cane or tall stem.
SUNDAY It’s not just penstemons but
several other perennials can be
increased from cuttings now. Salvias
add such flower power to the summer
display and taking a few cuttings, far
from stopping them flowering often
increases flowering when tips are
removed.
Carol Klein
Elaeagnus
‘Quicksilver’
Alamy
What’s looking good now
Honeysuckle’s sweet fragrance
Midsummer’s day has just been and gone, the
most magical time of the year. Shakespeare
used this time in which to set his famous play
where Titania, queen of the fairies, falls asleep
in a shady arbour on a bank ‘quite over-canopied
with luscious woodbine’.
We would recognise this woodbine
immediately as honeysuckle, Lonicera
periclymenum, one of the best-scented of all
evening flowers. Honeysuckle has no tendrils
and, unlike ivy, no adventitious roots either.
It relies on twining its stems through the
twigs and branches of its host. Although it’s
essentially a woodlander, given any structure,
tree, bank, fence or wall, it just wants to grow.
With its feet in the shade and its head in the
sun, it’s in its element.
What do you think it smells of ? Nutmeg
perhaps or cloves and a sweetness that
makes you want to bury your nose into it.
The super scent
of honeysuckle
is ravishing
in the evening
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July 1 2017 / Garden News 31
Alamy