NG15 July/August 2020

Janet & I run a small
nursery called Special
Perennials, our website is
www.specialperennials.
com.
Pretty in Pink
We’re all spending more
time in our gardens and
it’s lovely to sit and relax
surrounded by soft, calming
coloured flowers and what
is more calming and pretty
than pink.
There are so many shades of
pink flower to choose, from
the palest blush through to
luxurious lipstick pink. Pink is
an easy colour to combine
– just avoid orange unless
you like jarring clashes. Here
are some of my summertime
favourite pink flowers.
Annual lobelias are usually
blue but there are plenty of
pink perennial types. These
have upright stems and form
neat clumps. Lobelia Compton
Pink (pale pink flowers), Lobelia
Russian Princess (shocking
pink flowers and bronze leaves
and stems) and Lobelia Tania
purple-pink flowers) are all
very lovely. Generally, Lobelias
require moist soil in summer
but good drainage in winter.
This is achieved by adding lots
of grit and compost to the soil
There are many lovely pink
hardy Geraniums to choose
from. The low growing, sun
loving Elke is particularly
tough and make a lovely
edging against a patio or path.
Sherwood is taller and has
intriguing, rolled up petals.
Scent in the garden is a
must have and the border
pink Devon Wizard has a
spellbinding fragrance and
bold, bright magenta flowers
that are also great for cutting.
If you keep him dead-headed
he will weave his magic right to
the end of autumn.
One of the most impressive
pink flowers in my garden
are the large, thistle-like,
fuchsia-pink heads of the
Stemmacantha that erupt from
ping-pong ball sized silver buds
in June and July. Once the
flowers have finished the seed
heads give prolonged interest
and feed finches in winter.
Another striking looking
flower is that of the Japanese
burnet (Sanguisorba obtusa),
affectionately known as the
Barbara Cartland flower in our
garden as the long, feathery,
We also organise Plant Hunters’
Fairs, specialist plant fairs at
wonderful locations throughout
the season. This year we had
planned plant fairs during July at
Middleton Hall, Tamworth and the
National Memorial Arboretum,
Alrewas and during August at
Carsington Water, Derbyshire and
Southwell Minster. At the time of
writing this they are all suspended
and we are not sure if they will be
able to run or not, so please keep
up to date with all our latest plant
fair information by visiting www.
planthuntersfairs.co.uk
candy pink flowers look just like the
one of the feather boas that might
have graced the great lady’s outfits.
The variety Rock and Roll is shorter
with masses of upright pink flowers.
Echinacea (coneflower) have
become very popular over the last
few years, but some of the new,
exotically coloured varieties aren’t
very hardy. I stick to the old, pinkflowered
favourites like Rubinstern
with its large pink daisy flowers and
prickly, honey-scented cones. A
must for bees and butterflies!
With so many lovely flowers and
shades to choose from there’s no
reason why your garden shouldn’t
be pretty in pink the whole summer
long!
Martin Blow