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Rambling Rector rose, Bowles Mauve, Diascia Breeze & hardy osteospermum

Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
in Plants
I have just received a glossy catalogue from Hayloft and I would like to order some of their plants. Has anyone grown any of the above, are they fairly easy to grow and would the bees be attracted to any/all of these plants?

Posts

  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    R.Rector sounds like a garden thug - it looks lovely in the brochure but unless I have a large area to cover i.e. a couple of tree trunks then it isn't worth the bother.  Does it flower just once a year for a week or two - if so that is another good reason not to buy it. Thanks for your input @pansyface
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    Rambling Rector gets huge, flowers once and then has hips.  I'd go for a less thuggish repeat flowering rambler such as Snow Goose if you want white flowers or Malvern Hills if you want a soft yellow that fades to cream.

    Bowles Mauve is a short lived perennial that can get tatty looking by the second year so be prepared to take cuttings to renew it.

    I never succeeded with Diascia in my last garden - deep, alkaline loam and hard winters - and haven't tried it here.

    Hardy osteospermum - I have one here which is flowering now but it's been a very mild winter after a stressful hot and droughty 2019.   It may be less hardy where you are so be prepared to take cuttings.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    Thank you for sharing your experience of these plants Obelixx - I think I will pass on the R. Rector, I just don't have a large enough area available for it.  My neighbour has a Bowles Mauve which has masses of flowers during the warmer months and does attract bees - so that will have a place in my garden this coming summer.  It is a relation of Wall Flowers, so I wonder if I can grow it from seed perhaps? I also have a hardy osteopermum flowering in a pot at the moment, so I think they would be a good investment. I must admit that I had never heard of Diascia, they look to be a good strong plant and perhaps would grow nicely in pots outside of south facing cottage.
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546
    I love my Bowles' Mauve. It flowers nonstop - mine still had a few flowers on Christmas Day and is covered in buds now. It took ages to deadhead it, but is looking good at the moment. It roots easily from cuttings and I always keep a few on the go for replacements or additional plants when it dies of exhaustion.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    My oesteo seems to flower only in December. The B Mauve does get leggy quite fast, but takes from cuttings easily.
  • Guernsey Donkey2Guernsey Donkey2 Posts: 6,713
    You have inspired me to order the Diasia, Bowles Mauve and my oesteo also is in  flower now and was during summer 2019, so I feel I am on the right track with those three plants - thanks Songbird, Buttercupdays and Fire and perhaps as mentioned above the Rambling Rector may be too prolific for my garden.
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