Spritzhenry's Blog

Annuals in 2007

Posted on 17 Sep, 2007 12 comments

Like everyone else, I suspect, I have made a start in tidying up from this summer and preparing for spring by planting bulbs in the garden and in tubs. I was thinking about the successes and not-so-good efforts of the annuals I’ve grown this year in borders and tubs.

Some came up where they felt like it – I didn’t plant any Californian poppies this year, or at any time since we came here, come to that!

I did grow some antirrhinums from seed, but not this one – it and some red friends just popped up and very welcome they were, too!

I had a free packet of Nicotiana seeds and grew them. What a success they have been – popped into spaces all over the garden, they have thrived and the green shade goes with every other colour.

I tried growing Brachycomes (from seed) for the first time, and although they germinated well, I didn’t cope with them well and they were weak and leggy.

I always grow Busy Lizzies (from plug plants) for the shady areas in the garden, but they hated the wet weather and have not lasted well.

I tried Diascias for my tubs from plugs and though they also hated the wet weather, I gave them a haircut and the sunshine gave them a new lease of life. They are still flowering in cascades of colour.

But my favourite annual for 2007 has to be Angelonias – I bought two as large pot plants last year, loved them, and decided to buy plugs this spring. They’ve done really well and at a fraction of the cost of last year’s plants!

This is Laurentia – still flowering well, but they have to go to make room for bulbs…shame really. I’ve grown other annuals too, some good, some not – but you must be getting bored with such a long blog – sorry!

I’d love to know what annuals you grew this year, and what you found worth it!

Comments

Wyeboy

18 Sep, 2007

What interesting plants ,it looks a lovely garden ,do you open for NGS.?

Spritzhenry

18 Sep, 2007

Thanks for the compliment - it's been suggested but at the moment, no, I haven't gone any further with it... maybe one day!

Joey

19 Sep, 2007

ooo yes! you definately should and we can organise a mass Grows on You convergence on your garden! I, for one, would come armed with both cameras and extra memory cards!

Grindle

19 Sep, 2007

I'd like to see your garden 'open' too. Nice plants you have growing, didn't do many annuals this year, although the cornflowers and godetia have done well, I think I lost most of my hardy annuals to rain/slugs this year.

Andrewr

19 Sep, 2007

One criteria for opening for the NGS is 45 minutes of interest. If you don't have a very big garden, try and find some gardening friends nearby for a Group Opening

Spritzhenry

19 Sep, 2007

Is two-thirds of an acre big enough, do you think? People who visit us are always very complimentary about the garden...but I don't know...very hesitant...

Andrea

20 Sep, 2007

Your garden plants look beautiful, can you advise on planting annuals? I have read that they can be planted at this time of the year and over-wintered in the greenhouse tnen planted out next spring- have you tried that? I planted my sweet peas in October last year for the first time and they were really hardy plants by the time I planted them out about March and have been beautiful all summer long.

Spritzhenry

20 Sep, 2007

I grew sweet peas in newspaper pots planted last October, too, and over-wintered them in my unheated greenhouse. They did well with no root disturbance. I ordered annual seeds in the autumn and planted some straight into the ground in the spring - e.g. Larkspur, Godetia, Clarkia and Candytuft. Others went into seed trays in the greenhouse, ie Antirrhinum, Brachycome and some perennials. I haven't tried seeds in the greenhouse over winter, only cuttings - penstemon - which worked well. (So I've taken cuttings off all my verbenas, a lavender and other perennials!! ) I do know that some people sow some annuals into their beds at this time of year, 'Which' did trials and found not much difference between autumn and spring sown annuals. They do need to be hardy annuals if you go for now, like Escholzia. I shall certainly buy plug plants again, they are obviously more expensive than seeds but I haven't got a heated greenhouse or propagator to start those varieties early enough, so they are worth it, rather than waiting and buying expensive bedding plants! Takes time to pot them on, and my greenhouse and coldframe bulge at the seams!

P.S. Did you look at the pics of vine etc I posted for you to see if you liked the idea of either for your trellis?

Andrea

21 Sep, 2007

Thanks for that, I have tried cuttings of penstemons as well but I think I must be doing something wrong as they seem to be wilting!

Yes I did see the pictures of the vine thanks, I posted an answer alongside the picture, I get a bit confused where the best place is to post answers to other members! It looks a great plant and such lovely colours for Autumn, I think I will give it a try. Do you prune it at any time or just when it gets too rampant?
Many Thanks - Andrea

Andrewr

21 Sep, 2007

You can always contact your local County Organiser about opening under the NGS and discuss it with him/her. There is curently a series on gardens applying to open - BBC2 on weekday afternoons at about 3:15.Might help you to decide

Spritzhenry

21 Sep, 2007

Thanks. Andrew, may do just that! Andrea, have you tried putting Penstemon cuttings into a jar of water? If you do, and leave them for a few weeks, topping up if necessary, you will find that they root very easily and you can pot them up when the rootballs are big enough.