An Autumn Gazania

 This Gazania was in flower a few weeks back which surprised me as they normally do their thing in spring and summer. It is an American bred variety whose name escapes me. What was most unusual about it was the number of flowers which appeared, forming a crown across the entire top of the plant growing in a squat six inch pot. Now if only I had a hundred or so they would have been a sure fire winner in the plant markets. Definitely one to set aside and try to build up the numbers of.

Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy'

 Rudbeckia hirta 'Cherry Brandy' with a Gomphrena doing a 'photo-bomb'

As a summer annual which lingers on into autumn courtesy of decorative seed heads, Rudbeckias are hard to beat.

I had some seed left over of this variety after growing a batch years ago so thought I should give it another try. Very viable seeds resulted in a huge batch of seedlings which were fairly easy to handle as they are characterized by tough raspy leaves and a strong root system.

Individual plants hug the ground for awhile and their broad leaves can provide shelter for snails so that is something to watch out for when growing them. By mid summer a tall flower stem starts to appear topped by many individual buds. The strong stem makes them ideal as a cut flower but it also gives them an ability to withstand any stormy windy days. The flowers were not affected by extremes of heat and the strong root system these plants have meant that they were able to seek out moisture well below the soil surface.

I look forward to trying some of the other colour forms of this hardy annual in years to come.

Dahlia 'Star Sister'

Dahlia 'Star Sister'

This is one of the charming small growing dahlias which has been flowering its head off for weeks. It is not a flower for picking as the stems have no length but it would make an ideal container specimen which could be brought inside for special occasions. The only down side to it is that you have to go down to ground level to dead-head the spent flowers to ensure continuous blooming.

Festive flowers

 A massed display of red and white Petunias in a large flat bowl has instant appeal.

 Pentas or 'Star Flower' are at their best right now and will flower right through the festive season. They are rain resistant and are quite happy growing in sun or shade.
These plants are from 'Ability Options Wholesale Nursery', a not for profit organisation giving support and work for people with a disability.

 The ever popular Clerodendrum tomsoniae hits the right note with its red flowers enclosed in white bracts.I grow this in a large 30cm pot so it can be moved to a more prominent location when in flower. Grown as a shrub by pruning off the long adventurous stems, it is a tough old thing which will spring back to life even after a drought.

An alternate Xmas tree? This is the large flower appearing now on a 'Pony-Tail Palm' Beaucarnea recurvata. As it has a distinctive Nordic fir tree appearance, I am very tempted to cut it for use as a table decoration. Anyone tried that?

Best wishes to all for the Festive Season

Hibiscus moscheutos 'Luna Pink Swirl'

 Hibiscus moscheutos 'Luna Pink Swirl'

This is one of the so called hardy Hibiscus and is a herbaceous perennial species, much hybridized, originating from the eastern United States. In warm coastal climates like mine it can only really be grown successfully as a summer bedding plant as it requires a certain amount of freezing over winter for the dormant buds to develop properly and reemerge in late spring. 

It is a compact grower to about a metre and as this species originated in boggy water logged soils it could be used as a decorative addition to a water feature during the summer if grown in a container or, as a border plant, it compliments a background planting of the grass Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' with its finely striped green and white leaves.

Those who are familiar with this Hibiscus may be nostalgic for the dinner plate sized flowers of the 'Disco Belle' series which appeared in the late 1980's and early 90's. They were developed at the Sakata Seed Corporation's Chigasaki breeding station in Japan and were a real sensation.

Luna Pink Swirl has a 'fun fair' appeal to it and could even be renamed Luna Park Swirl in my book. It can be grown from cuttings or seed ,though seed may not come true to type.

2017 update: I no longer grow this Hibiscus

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.

Verbena rigida, Lilac Vervain

Verbena rigida (Verbenaceae )

I have not grown this species of Verbena for a number of years. I like the ferny soft foliage and the fact that it flowers non stop for months. In cooler climates it is usually treated as a summer annual but in warmer climes it will keep on going and re-blooming especially if given the occasional "haircut" to keep it looking good. Pink and white forms are sometimes available and it makes a terrific hanging basket plant as a stand-alone or when mixed with other flowers or foliage. It will tolerate dry and this is an advantage if using in a basket which we all know can dry out at a fast rate.

I am not aware of this species having become weedy like Verbena bonariensis has along roadsides and paddocks . It originates from Argentina.

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.

Verbena x hybrida

Verbena x hybrida 'Flagship' (Verbenaceae)

During the 'hottest October on record' I thought it best to choose and plant out summer annuals which are better able to cope with dry and hot conditions. One of the most adapted to these conditions is Verbena. I am nostalgic for the old spreading kind with the highly perfumed flowers which I used to grow in my youth but the best on offer these days is the compact growing sort such as this variety 'Flagship'.The disappearance of the spreading kind once sold as bedding plants in punnets may have more to do with economics and fashion than anything else. Verbena can be slow and difficult to grow from seed and as they are susceptible to mildew if they stay congested in a container for too long, they have been perhaps passed over in favour of the more reliable Petunia. 

It is the flower colour range of Verbena which holds a lot of appeal for me. Most of the blooms have a white contrasting eye which makes the surrounding colour stand out even more and included in the range is a navy blue, though this deep dark blue is probably closer in reality to a dark purple. 

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.

Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields'

 Gomphrena haageana 'Strawberry Fields' (Amaranthaceae)

 I have grown this hardy drought tolerant summer annual/short lived perennial for many years. This variety of Gomphrena flowers for most of the year. It is still in flower in July and at that time of year I usually cut back the plants to near ground level and within a couple of months it is in flower again. It has a semi rhizomatious root system, and you often see a swollen base near the soil surface from which new shoots appear. Usually the flowers start off as an apricot colour and as the summer progresses the colour changes to strawberry red. It is easy to grow from seed sown at any time from spring to mid summer.

The family to which it belongs, Amaranthaceae, includes lots of colourful foliage plants (Iresine, Amaranthus ,Celosia) and some have a similar flower type to this Gomphrena, that is a papery burr which stays on the plant for a long time. A good example is the popular purple leaf plant Alternanthera dentata which flowers in winter, while shedding most of its leaves, leaving behind the flower which persists for months until the weather warms up and new foliage growth commences. I mention this habit because it is annoying when trying to propagate from it, as the resulting struck cuttings appear as a mass of twigs covered in burrs. The Alternanthera seed is sterile, as it is in the very noxious weed Alternanthera philoxeroides, Alligator weed, which reproduces by stem pieces which break off and float in water or which have become attached to boats or vehicles. Unfortunately this Alternanthera, which originated from the Parana river floodplains of northern Argentina is now regarded as one of the worst weeds in the world.

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.

Carnations for amateurs

 Dutch express: 2013 Sunflor carnations from Hilverda-Kooij plant technology
These little fragrant carnations come with a label in five languages and have been shipped to Australia from The Netherlands, such is the way of the world now when marketing fresh produce. I leave the commercial growing of carnations to the big guys and grow a few just as a hobby. Now is the time of year to take cuttings of favourite ones and also to plant seed for summer flowering. Theory behind this mid winter process is that the seeds like a bit of freezing to act as a germination cue and the cuttings are less likely to die from collar rot and have more of a chance of establishing roots in a propagation medium.
Cuttings can be taken from the middle of the previous seasons flowering stem or from semi mature wood as per below. 

 I have an interesting book on carnation growing which dates from 1947, called Carnations for Amateurs by J L Gibson. The previous owner of the book earnestly wrote his name and address inside the front cover and that in itself tells a story. He lived in Richmond Street, Corinda in Brisbane. This street is on the Brisbane river flood plain and I wonder whether he had a market garden on that fertile strip of land tempered by a river breeze in summer from the worst of the humidity. Gibsons book is fairly comprehensive and has not really dated though his use of english is florid by today's standard. I love his humble words in the introduction 'Where I have floundered into pitfalls I have not hesitated to leave the red signal hoisted ,so that beginners need not blindly fall into like confusion.' He does go a bit strange when using the words 'sinister appellation' when referring to the French 'Malmaison' variety of carnation. Perhaps it refers more to the fate of Empress Josephine than anything else.
I would like to get my hands on some Malmaison carnations. These are the big fat 14cm across variety originally selected in 1857 and going strong well into the 20th century. In Britain they were assumed lost to horticulture but some were found in the 1990's in a Scottish glasshouse and these have since been cloned. They represent the 'Belle Epoque' for carnation fanciers, from the time when were at their most popular. 
Australian gardening books from last century mention the Malmaison but always with dire warnings about collar rot and other pests and diseases.
Perhaps their waning in popularity from the late 1950's onwards was about fashion. A few years after Marty Robbins had his 1957 hit A White Sport Coat (and a pink carnation), the fashion was probably turning away from adorning a buttonhole with a carnation for a dance at 'Cloudland' in Brisbane by a younger generation not wishing to emulate their parents and adopting a more Marlon Brando cool.
 I have included the Keith Urban Marty Robbins tribute below.
Carnations are still available in a good range of colours from mail order nurseries who advertise rooted cuttings. They do like a dry climate, are not fussy about fertilizers and like a bit of lime added to the soil. They are very successful when grown in pots but best treated as an annual in warm climates.

 Carnation sophistication: from 1933 exhibition 'Plant Form in Ornament'

Iznik carnation bowl displayed on Italian velvet

Department of Islamic Art, 'The Met' ,New York