Green Fingers: Perfect premium prized perennials
There is a huge range of premium perennial plants available.
People communicate, among other things, and some have the gift of a turn of phrase or similar, which captures a meaning in an eloquent way.
Everyone is capable of doing this and some more than others but it is to the more well-known or famous people that we attach the lasting admiration.
Abraham Lincoln was one of those people and perhaps the Gettysburg address would be best remembered and oft quoted. One lesser known prediction he make more than 150 years ago was that: "The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land." I can think of many such small industries that this might apply to, within the broad definition of agriculture, and that would include horticulture.
There are huge numbers of these small industrious people who go about their livelihood just because they enjoy doing so and making money does not motivate them as they consider their occupation a lifestyle choice, and are happy enough if they have enough to live on and perhaps a little more in case of an emergency.
Ireland does not have a high proportion of these small enterprises, whereas in Europe they are numerous and significant enough that governments encourage their endeavours through grants and other incentives, as it helps keep rural communities alive.
The success of European gardening enterprises is that through attention to detail, care of their plants and their willingness to set up co-ops to market the finished products that they are in that strong position today.
They have the ability to move rapidly to changing conditions, so much so that they can deliver a trolley of plants to your door much cheaper than it can be grown or bought in Ireland.
One positive for Irish gardeners is that we can take advantage of this by having fine unusual and perhaps new plants available only a few weeks from their introduction date.
The mixture of premium perennials available now contains some that were popular years ago but had gone out of favour, up to those that are superior and stronger than previous offerings.
I will list some that are worth seeking out for your garden:
- Agrostommia coronaria - grey foliage topped with cerise or white flowers
- Agapanthus ‘Bressingham White’ - giant white
- Artemesia ‘Powis Castle’ - finely cut aromatic silver-grey foliage
- Erigeron ‘Sea Breeze’ - low growing with pink daisy flowers from April until September and suitable for coastal areas too
- Dryopteris erythrosora - one of the best ferns with bronzy new growth held above the previous growth
- Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’ - variegated leaves with two tone yellowish flowers
- Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’ and ‘Electra’ - both with long lasting striking foliage
- Lysimachia punchata ‘Alexander’ - silver white variegated version of the yellow loosestrife
- Monarda ‘Fireball’ - a disease free variety of our wild bergamot
- Nepeta ‘Six Hill’s Giant’ - grey fragrant foliage topped with tall spikes of blue flowers
- Primula japonica ‘Apple Blossom’ - candelabra flowers for moist areas
- Rodgersia pinnata - large bronzy foliage with tall white plumes
Some people who grow tree fruit, such as apples, pears and plums, might experience what is commonly called ‘June drop’.
This is a natural reaction of fruiting plants to shed small fruit if there are too many and this occurs around this time of year, so no need to panic.
We usually wait until the middle of July before we access the number of developing fruits on the tree and if still too many we will pick some off.
If you have any queries or comments you are welcome to share them with me on 051-384273 or orchardstowngardencentre@hotmail.com and if of general interest I will include it in a future article.
