New
Plant Reviews
Yup –
it’s Fall and time for our year 2003 New Plant Reviews! The
Orlaya, Hollyhocks, Coreopsis maritima and Drama Queen Poppy will
be ready for our Fall Party. Papaver setigerum and the rest will
be available next Spring.
Orlaya
grandiflora
 Our
big hit with visitors this Spring! This lovely Mediterranean
annual is rare in the wild but super easy to grow in the garden.
The pretty, fernlike foliage starts off a bit slow, then quickly
expands to throw up 12” to 15” stems topped by unusual,
very show, white lace caps. With the outer petals much larger
than the inner ones, it looks like a Scabiosa crashed into a
lacecap Hydrangea. A perfect choice for an old-fashioned, cottage
garden and an excellent cut flower. Self-sows, too! If planted
in the Fall, it won’t need any additional water other
than rain. Sun and reasonably rich soil is best. |
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Alcea
‘Fiesta’ “Hollyhock”
We
received this mystery Hollyhock through someone who spotted
it growing in a garden in Mexico. Besides having outrageous,
super-doubly and fringed, bright pink and white bi-colored
flowers, it seems to have the form and fig-leaved foliage
of the perennial Hollyhock, Alcea ficifolia. So, I think it’s
perennial, which makes it all the more groovy – the
ultimate “granny” Hollyhock! 5’ tall, base
branching. Sun, rich soil and average water. |
Asarina
scandens ‘Bridal Wreath’
Ooh-la-la! The fabulous vine Asarina scandens now comes in
snowy white. Though delicate looking, Asarina scandens is
one tough, fast growing, gorgeous vine up to 10’ x 10’,
producing masses of 1”, “snapdragon” flowers
all Summer through Fall here in Sunset zone 16-17. Sun to
part shade, rich soil and average water. Perennial. |
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Datura
discolor
Our “Star of the Summer” was this new and tres
exciting Datura species. The 6” diameter, white trumpets
are made stunning by the rich purple central blotch. The fragrant
blooms are held upright above very attractive, large, blue-grey
leaves. Growing 2’ to 3’ tall, it’s not
fussy about soil, it’s drought tolerant, snail and deer
proof! |
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Orphium
frutescens “Sea Rose”
My
favorite, new “baby” this year, and an excellent
new introduction for Bay Area and coastal gardens. Native
to the coastline of South Africa, “Sea Rose” makes
a tidy, evergreen, very multi-branching shrublet to 2’
with small, shiny, bright green leaves held densely like a
little hedge. From May through August, it bears lots of long-lasting,
star-shaped, glossy pink blooms amid and atop the foliage.
Very easy in rich, well drained soil with average to low water.
Anni Jensen is growing this in her no water garden and has
found it also does well without any Summer water. Sun perennial,
tolerates salt spray! |
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Papaver
setigerum
A rarely seen poppy we were most delighted with! Related to
the Lavender Breadseed Poppy but shorter and neater, with
pretty, deeply lobed, rich green, low foliage. Our crop of
plants were extremely uniform, all growing to almost exactly
30” tall with shiny, lavender, single blooms bearing
dark purple blotches. The good news was that, unlike the breadseed
poppy, it doesn’t flop over or need staking. Sun, annual,
reseeds. |
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Lupinus
succulentus ‘Rodeo Rose’ “Roger’s
Lupine”
And
the performer of the year goes to …
The seed for this gorgeous, California native Lupine came
from superb naturalist and horticulturist Roger Raiche. In
March, when it formed its fine, blue-green, Lupine leaves,
I thought, “nice.” In April, when it formed some
beautiful, bright, bi-colored pink and cherry red flower spikes,
I thought, “Hey, real nice. This is a keeper!”
In May, it kept growing, forming a lovely, bushy plant loaded
with its delightful flowers. By June, I’m in awe. It’s
still going and looks terrific. Everyone who sees it begs
us for one. By August, it finally went to seed and you can
bet we collected every one. Coming soon. Annual, mildew free,
sun, rich soil, average to low water.
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