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Category: Tips for Growing Series

Help with growing popular and interesting flowers and plants. Simple, easy guidelines for growing good plants.

Tips for Growing Meconopsis the Blue Poppy

Tips for Growing Meconopsis the Blue Poppy

Mecanopsis Crewdson hybrid

The blue poppy is one of the truly stunning blue flowers to grace any garden. I predict a growth in interest in Meconopsis over the next few years as nurserymen increase saleable stock following some intensive nation wide trials.

Cultivation and Propagation of Meconopsis

  • The family contains perennials and monocarpic plants that die after flowering.
  • Soil should be neutral to acidic with plenty of humus.
  • I find they need plenty of moisture and are often grown alongside streams.
  • Meconopsis, are hardy but often short lived, preferring shade and a cool position to full sun.
  • Grow from fresh seed. Clump forming Meconopsis sheldonii should be divided every 3 years

Mecanopsis

Species and Varieties

  • Meconopsis grandis can grow 3-5′ tall with stout stems bearing nodding cup-shaped blue flowers.
  • Mecanopsis cambrica, quintuplinervia and cultivars can be propagated by division. …

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Growing Acer as Small Trees

Growing Acer as Small Trees

leaves

Acer are renown for the colour of their leaves in Autumn. Careful selection of varieties will produce great spring colour in addition to your Autumn blaze of glory.

leaves

Select the varieties that are classified as shrubs. ‘Japanese Maple’ Acer japonicum and palmatum will give you the desired results.

Other Acers like Field maple, Sycamore, Red or Silver Maple are all medium to large trees 50′ plus.

Paper bark maple and Snake bark maple have interesting bark and grow to be small trees 15-25 feet tall.

leaves

Acer japonicum Vitifolium is one of my favourites not shown here. It has salmon coloured fan shaped  leaves that turn red in Autumn. …

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Growing Small Daisies – Erigeron or Fleabane

Growing Small Daisies – Erigeron or Fleabane

Erigeron
There are many species of daisy like Erigeron in annual, perennial and biennial varieties. Flowers may be small but you get lots of them

Erigeron karvinskianus

  • Daisy-like flowers with buds opening a dark pink turning white.
  • The petals are finer and more delicate than the common daisy and the whole flower-head slightly smaller.
  • The leaves are small, plants form mats, and each plant can spread over quite a large area.
  • Good drainage and plenty of sunshine are essential for plants to survive cold damp winters.
  • Sun also keeps the plant small and compact.
  • Plants are easily raised from seed.
  • The Royal Horticultural Society has given it an Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

Erigeron

Erigeron aureus – The Alpine Yellow Fleabane is shown above
Erigeron ‘Dunkelste Aller’ has a dark purple flower
Erigeron Alpinus grows 6″-8″ high with mauve florets and a yellow disc.
Erigeron glaucus the Seaside Daisy
for other species see selected taxa

Suggested Locations for Erigeron

  • Coastal locations enjoying sandy soil.
  • Informal cottage gardens are where I remember seeing this plant as edging,
  • Erigeron is low maintenance and small enough to look good in a Rock garden.
Growing Centaurea

Growing Centaurea

Centaurea Achtarovii

Centaurea are a group of plants, the Knapweeds, related to cornflowers and similar in appearance to thistles they look far better than either in a cottage garden environment.

The National collection of Centaurea is held at Bide-a wee Cottage garden in Morpeth Northumberland.

Centaurea Growing

  • Centaurea grow best in a moisture retentive soil   and are equally at home in sun or partial shade. Otherwise it is not fussy about soil conditions.
  • The common feature of the Knapweed family is the flower’s scaly brown base with tightly gather multiple petals.
  • Robust in constitution they are a survivor in many a neglected garden.
  • Respond well to being cut back after flowering it is also suitable for naturalising in meadows.

Some Varieties to Grow

  • Two perennial species are British natives Centaurea nigra and Centaurea scabiosa. Centaurea nigra grows in  wet pasture, moor and along stream banks.
  • Centaurea range in size from the ground hugging Centaurea mollis, with prostrate foliage and lavender blue flowers to the giant Centaurea macrocephala, growing up to 4ft with large yellow flower heads.
  • Centaurea Achtarovii shown above is a smaller growing variety.
  • The first to flower is the Centaurea montana the perennial cornflower. In late May flowers are seen in a variety of pastel shades and deep blue.

For more information on growing larger Centaurea read ‘garden gem or invasive weed’.

Plants and seeds are available from Thompson Morgan

Growing Rhodiola rosea

Growing Rhodiola rosea

Rhodiola rosea

Rhodiola is a genus of succulents, perennial plants in the family Crassulaceae that resemble Sedum and similar members of the family.

Growing Tips

  • It was found in Siberia and other cold climates of Europe.
  • It is easy to grow from seed or cuttings.
  • As Rhodiola self-sows very easily you may be able to scrounge a plant or two from a friend.
  • The plants are slow growing and dislike extremes of heat and wet, otherwise they are very easy to grow and longlived.

Rhodiola’s nickname “Rose Root” comes from the fact that the dried root carries the scent of roses. Other nicknames include Roseroot and Rosenrot in Norwegian.

For centuries Rhodiola has been used to cure many ailments. ‘For those who suffer from anxiety, depression, stomach problems, fibromyalgia, and other nervous system conditions, this herb can help ease the symptoms and allow the body to heal itself.’ ref Yourbody

Growing Daisy Flowered Tansy or Feverfew

Growing Daisy Flowered Tansy or Feverfew

Tanacetum ferulaceum

White daisy like flowers cover this tansy relative, Tanacetum ferulaceum, which is one of 70 or so types of Tansy that can be grown in your garden.

Growing Tansy

  • Flowers are generally white single or yellow double
  • Common names include Bachelor’s Buttons, Ragwort,Bitter Buttons, Boerenwormkruid, Gold-buttons, Ponso, and Yomogi-Giku
  • Many varieties have a strong odour that I dislike but other may appreciate.
  • Feverfew grows easily from seed Tanacetum parthenium
  • The ragworts grow rapidly by underground rhizomes and can become a pest.
  • Heat and drought tolerant, Tansy will not mind if you ignore it.

Feverfew has medicinal properties

Growing Corydalis for Colour and Fine Foliage

Growing Corydalis for Colour and Fine Foliage

Cordialis popovii

Corydalis popovii is a small bulbous plant flowering up to 6 inches in height. In spring it assumes a white colouring after the purple flowers. This plant comes from Central Asia and is easy to grow and long-lived in a well-drained compost in a pot.
They can be grown in the open garden in full sun and freely drained soil.
Fertilize with a specific fertilizer for bulbous plants, every 2-3 weeks, from when the first flowers start withering.
Corydalis plants don’t like cold temperatures or wet conditions and need a rest period before being brought back into growth.

Corydalis wilsonii

Corydalis wilsonii arrived from it’s native china comparatively recently.
It is a compact herbaceous plant with light green leaves.
It flowers on errect spikes, 1″ long, in a deep yellow during late spring.
This variety is suitable for growing in pots.

I have just bought a Corydalis Kingfisher from the local AGS meeting. Kingfisher has blue flowers with a hint of green from March to Aug and is only without flowers when dormant during winter.

Alpine Species
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Grow Ericaceous Cassiope

Grow Ericaceous Cassiope

Cassiope Badenoch

Cassiope are a valuable group of small wiry stemmed ericaceous perennials with white bell-like flowers blooming in spring. Leaves are unstalked and densely overlap.

Tips for Growing Cassiope

  • Grow in lime free sandy or mossy soil. Very hardy if given good drainage.
  • The smaller varieties are good alpine house and pot plants growing below 12″ high.
  • Plants are cheap to buy and can be propagated from cuttings or by pegging down.
  • Plants hybridise quite easily.
  • Grow in a cool shady or semi-shady places in the rock garden or shrub border.

Hybrids and Species to Grow

  • Cassiope Randle Cooke is a super little Cassiope with deep green leaves closely clasping the stems.
  • Cassiope Badenoch shown above has a mass of off-white bell shaped flowers
  • Cassiope Edinburgh another wiry stemmed ericaceous perennial with tightly packed deep green leaves and larger white bell-like flowers in spring.
Growing Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectabilis)

Growing Bleeding Heart (Dicentra Spectabilis)

bleeding heart

Dicentra spectabilis or bleeding heart name is actually – Lamprocapnos spectabilis.
Bleeding heart is a rhizomatous perennial herbaceous plant native to eastern Asia from Siberia south to Japan. It produces wonderfully delicate flowers from long arching stems. It makes a wonderful addition to any mixed border, and can be very easy to grow.

  • In the UK, after flowering, the plant tends to die back where it lies dormant until next spring.
  • In fact the biggest problem with Bleeding heart is forgetting where you planted and then digging it up or planting other shrubs too close.

bleeding heart

Bleeding Heart makes good cut flower.

  • The plant is a natural woodland plant so needs protection from intense sun. In the north of England full sun, will probably be fine. Though in warmer climates it may need protecting from glare of midday sun.
  • When hot and sunny, keep well watered
  • Being a woodland plant, Bleeding heart are not heavy feeders, a good soil should be adequate for feeding requirements.
  • It is easiest to grow from tubers, which can be split when dormant. To grow from seed requires patience. Also you need to use fresh seed – the seed is very tiny – almost powdery.
  • Bleeding Heart do not need to be dead-headed or pruned. They will definitely not get too big.

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Growing Basil a Sweetherb

Growing Basil a Sweetherb

Fragrant and sweet tasting Basil is an easy to grow, popular herb. Aka Sweet Basil, with many other basil types including Sweet Genovese, Thai basil, Lemon basil and Mexican spice basil there is a good range to grow.

Sow From Seed
In May or June fill small pots with moist multi-purpose compost. I use 3″ plastic pots.
Sprinkle seeds thinly on the surface. About 10-12 seeds per pot.
Cover lightly with fine compost or vermiculite.
Keep on a warm windowsill and seedlings will appear in about 2 weeks.

Growing Onward
After 4-6 weeks the seedlings can be planted into individual pots.
Then leave on the windowsill or harden off for outdoor planting
Treat the Basil as an annual.

Outdoor Basil
Plant out in June or July in a sunny sheltered spot.
They make good fragrant container plants.
Feed with a general purpose liquid feed and water little and often.
Pinch out the growing tip to get a bushy plant.

Using Basil
Leave the stems on pick and come again plants taking a few leaves each time.
Grow several plants if you need large quantities for Pesto or other culinary uses.
The seeds can be used to flavour a drink.

Credits
Basil has medicinal and calming properties.
Photo by Marmot on flickr
Seed suppliers