Winter Garden Perfume

Dutch Hyacinths

My garden has slipped into a highly scented place with Winter flowers coming into full bloom

Back in May I planted out the first Dutch Hyacinths we have had in the garden since moving here

A big brown paper bag of 100 bulbs picked up from Dave of Van Dieman Bulbs at the 

Launceston Horticulture Society Show in April before we closed for the Season.

The bulbs hadn't been forced (like those you would have seen at AgFest),

so are flowering naturally now

Fire King Wallflower

 Last year I grew hundreds of biennial wallflowers

we sold only a few so the rest went into my garden in May

After a few setbacks from the rabbits they are now big shrubs cover in perfumed scarlet flowers

and are one of the first flowers for Late Winter

Ruby Gem Wallflower

 I have a few special perennial wallflowers (the yellow one below)

which are now big enough to pick and bring into the house for vases

A scent so strong you only need the smallest quantity in a big vase mixed with 

Daffodils, Bluebells and Snowdrops and the very first cherry blossom pinched from town

where it is warmer and a bit further advanced into the Spring Season

 

Yellow Wallflower

Sweet Violets

"Rosina" Sweet Violet

Having grown up with traditional Sweet Violets

I'm a bit in love with the splendid cultivars which are appearing again

after another "un-fashionable" hiatus

Delightfully perfumed, perfect in shady damp gardens

working well in pots on an Eastern or Southern side of the home

"Lady Hume Campbell" Parma Violet

"Sweet Violets - Viola odorata"

English origin, very hardy hedgerow variety generally, except where cultivars incorporate white flowers which have a tendency to be more sensitive to dry weather.

(We stock "Charlotte", "Rosina" , Sulphurea and traditional purple violets 
in small quantities. )

"Parma Violets - Viola x alba cv."
Appeared in Italy in the 16th Century, and believed to be a hybridization of sports of 
White Violet (Viola alba). Parma Violets true botanical original are still unknown.

Less tolerant of dry soils, and need regular fertilizing with a rich organic e.g. manure based to thrive. Shady location only, dappled sunlight prefered.

(We stock "Lady Hume Campbell" only)

Pincushion Flower "Samantha's Pink"

isn't the Internet grand

for helping solve a mystery

I have finally found out what my pretty Pincushion Flower

actually is: 

 Scabiosa columbaria "Samantha's Pink

onto the next mystery plant

I guess that's the fun of buying unlabelled plants !

Himalayan Fleeceflower

Fleeceflower in Summer bloom

Himalayan Fleeceflower or Knotweed

( Persicaria affinis syn. Polygonum affine syn Bistorta affinis )

an unusual flower for the garden

it is suited to both full sun and semi-shade

once it is established it is a very hardy and dry tolerant plant

creeping across the ground striking down new roots this plant will quickly settle as a good strong ground cover

leaves are slender rounded blades 

deep green with slashes of reddish-purple for new leaves and Autumn colouring as well as an indicator that your soil is drying out !

it is a herbaceous perennial so expect dieback in Winter where you get heavy frosts

otherwise you can expect the foliage to stay around in gentler climates

reddened leaves for many reasons

 

spikes of dusky dark pink, turning to soft pink flowers appear in mid Summer

and continue to repeat flower through Autumn

flowers grow taller as the season progresses

starting at about 10cm and reaching 25cm in late Summer

Common Name: Knotweed
Botanical Name: Persicaria affinis
Exposure: Full sun, Partial shade
Hardiness: Hardy
Soil type: Clay/heavy, Moist
Height: 30cm
Spread: 60cm
Time to divide plants: September to May
Flowering period: July to October 

full summer form

We have seasonal stock of the Fleeceflower. 

As we get heavy frosts leafed 14cm pots are available from late Spring (October).