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THE internet guide to Northamptonshire UK
PLANT OF THE MONTH
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www.northamptonshire.co.ukTHE internet guide to Northamptonshire UKPLANT OF THE MONTH | |
 LONG LASTING COLOUR FOR THE SUMMER GARDEN!At this time of year, with the lawn looking in good shape and the trees carrying their still-fresh foliage, it’s an ideal time to look at the borders and ask yourself if they are bringing maximum value to the garden. The greens of the lawn, trees and hedges are great, but they’d look even better if set off by some dazzling summer colours.Making the right plant choices can give you summer colour in your borders from late spring onwards! Early on, enjoy the different species and varieties of rock rose or Helianthemum. A little later, the perennial species of papaver or poppy offer a wide range of colours and effects, whilst later still the bold rudbeckia will enliven any summer border. Use combinations of these species to achieve sequential colour. The evergreen Helianthemum or rock roses have a long flowering period, from late spring to midsummer. Their beautiful, brightly coloured flowers come in many hues, from white, through buff, yellow, orange-yellow, orange-red to deep carmine red. These flowers stand out against the subtle foliage of the plants themselves which range from silver to grey-green or light to mid-green in colour. Rock roses do best in neutral to alkaline soils and benefit from good drainage. Look out for Helianthemum ‘fire dragon’, otherwise known as ‘Mrs Clay’. This compact shrub produces masses of bright orange-red flowers, 2.5cm across. It reaches a height of 20-30cm and a spread of 30cm. ‘Wisley Pink’ is another winner. Robust and long flowering, ‘Wisley Pink’ produces pale pink flowers, flushed yellow at their centres. Papaver or poppy, as well as being one of our best known annuals, is also a clump forming perennial which makes a spectacular addition to the summer border with its wonderful flowers. The oriental poppy is one such plant and most of the garden poppies are cultivars derived from it. Look out for ‘Beauty of Livermore’, with its large, crimson scarlet flowers. Immediately identifiable as a poppy, its flowers open from late spring to mid-summer. ‘Cedric Morris’ is another star performer, producing soft pink flowers up to 16cm across, with luxurious filled petals. Ideal conditions are a full sun position in deep, well drained, fertile soil. The oriental poppy is fully hardy.
The daisy-like flower heads of Rudbeckia can bring a stylish, contemporary feel to the summer border. Their native habitat is the moist meadows and light woodland of North America, and they are often associated with prairie style plantings. In the garden, they will be just as attractive naturalised in a meadow or woodland garden. One to look out for is the ‘Black eyed Susan’ otherwise known as Rudbeckia fulgida. This fully hardy perennial achieves an overall height of 90cm. The wonderful orange-yellow flower heads, with their centres of black brown or green, perfectly setting off the petals, come in later summer and autumn, completing a fantastic sequence of summer colour achievable with this selection of plants.
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