01.08.2023 - 14:54 / gardenerstips.co.uk / tejvan
Penstemon’s have been an excellent, low maintenance plant for me. They can start flowering in June and still be flowering 4 months later in October. They mostly require well drained soil and protection from heavy frosts. Dead heading is advisable as it will encourage new flowers.
Once or twice a year, I would recommend adding a general fertiliser applied at the base of the plant, taking care to follow the manufacturers instructions. They don’t need a heavy manure of strong nitrogen feed as this will just encourage excessive leaf growth and make them more susceptible to aphids.
As a general rule, I find penstemon free from pests, disease and don’t need staking. There are 3 different varieties of penstemons in this picture, although unfortunately I don’t know their names.
Penstemon are not long lived but they grow well from cuttings. Take a healthy stem, without flowers. Cut 6 inches from the top of a stem and strip away the lower leaves. Then place the cutting about 2 inches into a suitable potting compost. It should be well drained with additional sand if necessary. Then cover the cutting and keep watered sufficiently to avoid root rot and drying out. I usually find about a 50% take rate, so it is advisable to put 3-4 in a small 3 inch pot and then pot on when they have taken root in a a few weeks.
Check out Gardeners Perennial Tips
Red, White and Blue the patriotic colours of the Hydrangea are augmented by pinks and purples like H. Ayeshia above as a variation on those themes. Flowering from mid-summer these shrubs give a magnificent display with very little effort. Did you see Hydrangea maritima on seaside holidays in large displays of sugary pink and sometimes blue.
Think before you allow poppies to proliferate. Poppies rob a lot of goodness from your soil.
Winter can start in December and continue through March (we even worry about snow in May up north) but do not let that put you off flowering plants.
A simple single colour Petunia gives a good effect.
Penstemon are one of the most underated herbaceous perennials. Relatively easy to grow they can give an uninterupted display of flowers for several months.
Tulips protected by a windbreak.
Fritilliary in damp shade
If you want a new idea in seeds that will help create an eco-friendly garden try these mixed from Wallis seeds or our seed suppliers.
I love Iris as much as Iris love sunshine so we are both happy with this May’s weather. The Thuja occidentalis conifer offers a cool photographic backdrop after coming through a frosty patch of weather in early spring
Penstemon Arabesque Red
Spice up your popcorn with this pumpkin pie popcorn mix. It’s delicious any time of year and a great healthy snack for kids and adults of all ages. For more ideas on healthy snacks checkout HGIC 4123, Snacks with 100 Calories or Less. Enjoy!