Reseda odorata 'Machet Ruben' (Mignonette)

 Reseda odorata 'Machet Ruben'

(Resedaceae) 

I have not grown this spring flowering annual for a number of years and came across it in a seed catalogue while ordering summer vegetables.  August here is the month when you can start seeds indoors in a bright location. Germination was quick and they were ready for potting on in no time. While most gardening books say it can be difficult to transplant into garden beds, I had success with placing three or four seedlings close together in 175 mm pots which was to be their flowering 'home'.

 I placed the pots along a low wall in full sun to help kickstart them during the normal cold early  spring days. Growth was slow at first but they responded to some liquid fertilizer and they soon became bushy plants to about 30cm with flower spikes appearing in late September at which time I moved the pots to bench height to better enjoy the sweet perfume released from the flower spikes in late afternoon. You don't have to stick your nose up close either as the fragrance is in the air from a distance away. It is described as ambrosial so no wonder the French in the southern perfume industry region called this plant Mignonette or 'little darling'. 

Bill Simpson in his book Growing Annuals (Kangaroo Press 1988) described the flower as having orange red bell clapper stamens protruding like grapes from insignificant white-yellow 6mm wide flowers accompanied by smooth spoon shaped plain green leaves. The leaves wilt quite quickly on hot days or when the plants are lacking water so the ideal location is in a semi shaded garden position with moisture retentive soil.

It is a North African plant in origin and it must have caught the eye of 19th Century naturalist Charles Darwin who used it to study self-fertilized plants published as The effects of cross and self fertilization in the vegetable kingdom.

Mignonette is not showy but as perfumed flowers go it is up there with the best.

Gypsophila paniculata 'Rosea'

Gypsophila paniculata 'Rosea' (Caryophyllaceae)

This compact Gypsophila species sold as potted colour during spring makes a wonderful foil for spiky leaved Yuccas or other architectural plants. The fine 'rosy veil' of little pink star flowers and delicate foliage look terrific when combined in this way, though as stand alone potted specimens or massed in a border they are equally at home.This one is so neat you feel like patting its wiry cushion shape. So far it has seemed fairly resistant to heat and dry and I am hoping for another month or so flowers.

Nigella damascena

Nigella damascena (Ranunculaceae)

 Earlier this month I tried to grow a batch of Nigella in 140mm pots as a commercial plant for sale in the nursery trade markets. This proved difficult as it is a plant which resents being transplanted once the seeds have germinated. Losses were high so I abandoned the project and it proved that it really prefers to hangout in a semi shaded garden corner in moderately rich garden soil where it can do its thing without disturbance, usually self seeding and returning each year if it happens to like the location. A cooler more temperate climate than mine may have helped in successful growing of it also.

The 'Persian Jewels' mix of Nigella contains some wonderful colours including a true sky blue , a deep purple, a crushed strawberry pink and of course white as shown here. The bonus with growing it is for the seed pods or capsules which are also decorative and these can be picked and used in dried flower arrangements.

Common names abound for this plant and include the English, Love-in-a-Mist or Devil-in a-Bush, the latter name referencing those horny little protuberances which top the flower. Other common names reference the veil of delicate, spidery or lacy foliage bracts which surround the flowers. It is a true texture or 'stroke me' plant ideal for sensory gardens. The German Venushaarige braut im haaren (Venus haired bride) or Jungfer im grunen (bridesmaid in green flower) paint the picture nicely of this fennel like foliage.

The other species of Nigella which I have yet to grow, N. sativa, yields the seed which is sometimes goes by the name of black cumin.The aromatic and pungent seeds are more commonly used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine. The Indian panch phora is a mixture of nigella seed, cumin seed, fennel, fenugreek and mustard seed.There is also a tradition of using the seed as a topping for bread especially in eastern Europe where the heavy rye style loaves, which weigh a ton and just one slice will fortify you for a hike through a blizzard, are popular. I am thinking here of the Russian chernuska rye bread or the German black bread with schwartzkummel. 
Nigella spice seed remains less well known in Australia but the flowering species has been a popular cottage garden flower for many years.

Nasturtiums in pots

 While the garden bed Nasturtiums have long gone, shrivelled in the heat and dropping a load of seed, I have had more success in keeping them going in pots. One thing I did not realize is that they can be pruned back in a reasonably hard manner and they will regrow in a more compact and floriferous way. Container growing also makes it easier to control the amount of fertilizer they get as it is well known that excessive nitrogenous fertilizer will produce a mass of leaves with hidden flowers. Removing spent flowers stops them going to seed and thus shortening their life and though this takes a bit of extra effort there is no reason why these Nasturtiums will not keep on going all through summer and into autumn.
These 'Christmas red' ones will make a nice addition to the festive table in the coming days.

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.

Sweetpeas going the distance

It is marvellous what a little rain will do and a run of cooler days. My sweetpeas did not really take off and reach the top of the trellis till a week or so ago and now they have decided to flower well out of their normal peak flowering time. The flowers are not prize winners by any stretch of the imagination but I may just be able to pick a bunch at Christmas time.

Calendula 'Neon'

 Calendula officinalis 'Neon'

I am often running late in getting things planted out. These Calendulas  which I grew from seed planted back in autumn languished in a seedling tray for months, often drying out and looking fairly stunted until I finally got around to planting them . Calendulas or Pot Marigolds are at their best when flowering during winter here and by spring the plants become susceptible to mildew or rust and need to be pulled out. These later planted ones are proving me wrong as they have not succumbed to mildew or rust both diseases common in the variable weather conditions of spring. Theoretically you should be able to have Calendula flowers all year round if you live in a temperate climate as their very name is derived from the Greek word for calender, Kalends. Originating in the Canary Islands and in coastal Mediterranean regions it has been a popular flower in Europe for centuries and has been given interesting regional common names. In Italy it is Fioridi ogni mese; in France Soucis derived from solsequieum or sun follower and in Germany Todtenblumen.It seems likely that the plant followed the same trade routes as saffron in its journey to Asia as it was used as a dye plant in China.

I am impressed  with this variety 'Neon'. The flowers have burnished copper tips to the petals which also have a slight twist to them, while the buds are darkly sexy. They have the David Bowie Ziggy Stardust period look about them,with all those spiky orange petals.

Planted between Nasturtiums in an edible flower patch

"The marigold that goes to bed with the sun

And with him rises weeping: these are flowers

Of middle summer, and I think they are given

To men of middle age"

Shakespeare 

Perdita in ''A Winter's Tale''

Ammi majus 'bon ami'

Ammi majus under-planted with Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

A good friend for the garden by attracting beneficial insects and helping get the biodiversity right, Ammi majus is in flower now along with its equally useful friend Alyssum. These two are often combined in seed mixtures of 'all white flowers' or in special 'good bug' mixed packs. Seed planted in autumn or during winter can be given any odd spot in the garden or simply grown in pots. They are not fussy about soil and will still flower even if the conditions are not particularly good such as with variable weather conditions or low soil fertility. This is a polite way of saying they can be a little on the weedy side and will come up in the cracks of pavement given half the chance.

I hesitate to use the common name Queen Anne's Lace for this plant as it can be easily confused with the other plant of that name Daucus carota which has more ferny foliage and more cream coloured flowers. Both these plants belong to the Apiaceae family which includes the vegetables carrots and celery.

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.

Dianthus chinensis, Chinese Pink

 Dianthus chinensis ,Chinese Pink (Caryophyllaceae)

In flower now and not bothered by extreme weather conditions, the Chinese pink is a short lived perennial but is better grown as a spring or summer annual. It is easy to grow from seed but is also available as seedlings or as 'potted colour' from nurseries. The small crimped edge flowers are delightful and look as if they have been hand coloured with a paint brush as they are often streaked with darker lines or veins.The colour range is vibrant red, purple or pink and white.This is a good filler plant either mixed with other flowers in pots or in between summer perennials which have not got up to speed for their later flourish.The Chinese Pink has been grown for centuries and is recorded as having been introduced into Europe in 1702 where it was used in the development of new hybrids and varieties including a double form.

In China it is known as Shizhu or stone bamboo as it is grown as a rock garden plant and the leaves and conspicuous nodes on the stems give it a resemblance to a miniature bamboo.

Burnt Orange Safari

 One of the last Ranunculus to flower this spring is the one pictured above. It is a true burnt orange colour and from my understanding of the colour palette, this is orange with burnished copper and brown overtones. It is a colour which can be used to describe aspects of the Australian landscape, especially the outback.

 It is a reminder to plant the summer annual Portulaca . They are terrific to plant amongst succulents or in planter bowls. They do well in pots which are quite shallow as they have a fairly small root system and don't need much water to keep them looking good.

 Bougainvillea 'Bambino Miski' is one of the dwarf varieties which is in flower at the moment. When not in flower it is almost leafless, but when leaves do form, this one has attractive cream and grey variegated foliage. I grow one in a pot and place it on a table in a prominent spot when it is in flower.

Ranunculus asiaticus, Levant Buttercup

I have had this framed silver gelatin photo of Ranunculus for many years. Though I bought it here, it originated from Webster's Photo Gallery of Wellington, New Zealand which was established in 1910, and is still going strong apparently despite changes of ownership over the years. As for the date of this photo it is hard to say, regardless I like it as a reminder of this very, very briefly flowering spring tuberous rooted bulb. 
While the word buttercup is usually associated with water plants, this species originates from dry limestone hills of the eastern Mediterranean to North Africa. I imagine the true species is faced with a short hot spring like we have and has to get the business of being showy, attracting pollinators and setting seed over in a very short space of time.

I planted the shriveled claw shaped 'bulbs' facing downwards about 50 to 75mm deep in autumn and the soil was kept just moist and free of weeds. Some were planted in a large round ceramic pot and others meant for the garden in 10cm plastic maxi pots. Of course the ones in the 10cm pots never made it to the planting out stage, though needless to say both batches are peaking in flower at the moment and looking just fine. Like a lot of bulbs they are used to eking out a living in sometimes inhospitable ground and as long as they get a drink they will still flower well. Ranunculus foliage is lush and parsley like and very attractive, but once the first flower buds appear the leaves shrink back and take a back seat as the flower stems rise up to knee height and the display of brightly coloured flowers begins. The satiny lustrous petals with the central jet black boss in the red and pink varieties or the apple green centre in the golden yellow ones is very appealing. No wonder the variety names include artists such as Picasso and Rembrandt, and, because they have been popular garden flowers for such a longtime it is possible to look back 60 or more years to see the selections which were once sold in the nursery trade.
In the middle of the 20th century it was the "Claremont No 9" variety or 'Huntsman' red, 'Bonnie Lassie' pink, 'Golden Glory' yellow and 'Sunset'  'art tones'. While Leslie Brunning's Australian Home Gardener from 1950 gives the confusing information that there are separate varieties called Turban, French, Persian, Scotch and Asiaticum, mixing common names with species, though his inclusion of a Scotch variety may indicate that the true wild species was once grown. If you visit the online Scottish Rock Garden Club, members still refer to the different colours available in the wild type.  In the 1990's bulb books were suggesting planting the dark maroon and near black flowered Ranunculus with silver foliage plants for a very chic look and perhaps this was a reflection of the revival of interest in the work of garden designer Russell Page who famously mixed black and white tulips in his designs. 
These days it is the compact short stemmed types which make an appearance in Garden Centres at this time of year to be sold as instant  'potted colour'. However for very little effort it is worth planting the bulbs fresh each autumn for a wonderful display of pickable flowers.

Nemophila 'Baby Blue-Eyes'

 Nemophila menziesii 'Baby Blue Eyes'

 Nemophila menziesii 'Baby Blue-Eyes' (Hydrophyllaceae)

This is the first time I have grown this spring annual, a former Californian wildflower which has made the transition to popular garden flower world wide. I was interested to know more about it when I read about the Nemophila Harmony Festival held during May in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, Japan. The whole hillside of the Hitachi Seaside Park turns pale blue during the Festval. Why this flower? I have no idea but it looks amazing.

It is certainly easy to grow. I planted the seeds in early winter and only lost a few seedlings early on to snails who mowed down the tender young ferny leaves overnight. It is a soft and fairly delicate looking plant but reasonably tough, forgiving if you forget to water it, by springing back to life after wilting. Though regarded as a shade loving plant I am growing a batch in pots in full sun and these can be moved if the expected 30C days come next week. An ideal garden spot for it would be growing in humus enriched soil under deciduous trees.

As mine are just coming into flower now I shall update this post after they have finished so as to give an indication as to how long it performs.

Nemophila Harmony Festival

Hitachi Seaside park

Ibaraki, Japan