Iberis umbellata, Globe Candytuft

Iberis umbellata, Globe Candytuft (Brassicaceae)

with 'Dark Opal' basil and mauve Ageratum

Often I will have just one plant of something, especially if it is an an annual such as this one which arrived via a packet of mixed seed. It is always interesting sowing those packs of seed which come labelled as 'rockery mixture' or 'cottage garden flowers' as you never know what to expect. Often different seasonal flowers are included which means it is better to make successive sowing over a period of months as some seeds are programmed to just appear at certain times of the year. You often get inspiration to grow just one of the successful varieties at a future time and for me this is the case here. I would like to try growing the so called hyacinth flowered Candytuft, Iberis amara, which produces a tight cluster of white flowers which are sweetly perfumed. Having a flower belonging to the cabbage family, a 'Brassica', with a sweet perfume seems quite odd of course but nature always has many surprises. This globe candytuft looks a bit like Alyssum/Sweet Alice on stilts and seems to attract a good share of beneficial insects to the garden in the same way Alyssum does.
The Iberis name refers to the Spanish origin of the plant, the Iberian Peninsular. In France it is known as Iberide while the English Candytuft comes from Candia , the old English name for the Greek Island of Crete where it also grows wild. The most interesting common name for it is the Portuguese Assembleias which refers to the way the individual flowers are arranged in a cluster around the stem.

Dianthus x 'Supra' TM F1

 Dianthus x 'Supra' TM F1

(Dianthus interspecific hybrid from D. chinensis D. barbatus D. superbum)

The Supra series of Dianthus were bred by Hem Genetics in The Netherlands and released about 7 years ago. They are a short lived perennial but better as a spring or summer annual.The purple form won an All American Selection Award AAS in 2006.

This Dianthus has the strongest perfume of any that have been bred so far. You don't need to put your nose into the flowers as they perfume the air around if you are close by. It has been bred with a bushy compact habit and grows to about 30 cm high by 20 cm wide so is a perfect size for use as a container decoration indoors. Flowers are large and shaggy with a deeply cut fringe, with a colour range including red, pink, purple and white. Flowers are also long lasting and weather resistant. The warmer the day the more fragrance that is released, making this a ten out of ten plant for the home and garden.

Lavatera trimestris 'Mont Blanc'

Lavatera trimestris 'Mont Blanc' (Malvaceae)

'Nice day for a white wedding'......In flower now and easy to grow from seed sown in autumn or winter, this 'mallow' or annual Hibiscus family member is native to the Mediterranean, Morocco and Syria. It is pink or mauve in its wild form and grows in sandy soil near the coast. In Spain it is known as Malva and in France as 'Mauve royale'. This pure white form 'Mont Blanc' grows to about 100cm tall, likes full sun and a position where the soil is well drained and not too rich. Adapted to a dry and variable climate it does the curious thing of conserving energy before flowering by shedding lower leaves just when the buds start to form. This can be a bit disconcerting as you think the plant is going to die when these leaves turn yellow and drop off. The upper leaves are delightful as they appear neatly folded over the buds like a piece of Japanese Origami.

Lavatera is named for the 16th century Swiss Doctor and naturalist J R Lavater.

Some Summer White Flowers

Dahlias in the Turmeric bed

Coriander

The flowers are very attractive to bees and beneficial insects. It is worth waiting for the seed to go brown before removing the plants. Seed scattered around these plants will germinate as soon as the autumn rains begin.

Leucanthemum x superbum 'Chiffon'

A terrific Shasta daisy with petals which are crimped at the edges. Flowering on tall stems.

Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan'

What always amazes me about Echinacea is that they go completely dormant and underground over winter and then before you know it they are back in flower again so quickly. The white flowering form is a bit lower growing and more compact so is able to stand up to strong wind more easily.

Elderberry
Sambucus nigra

Lovely flat plates of flowers at this time of year . As the flowers drop off the whole umbel turns a vibrant dark burgundy red.

White flowering Borage
 Borago officinalis alba

The cycle of flowering, seeding and regrowing in a different spot continues all year for both the blue and this less common white flowering form of the wonderful Borage.