Garden heroes of 2023

amancalledgeorge · August 2023

I thought it would be good as we reach the tail end of summer to maybe post about favourite and performant plants be it perennial or annuals.

My hugely reliable and a plant that keeps blooming for six months or more is begonia Glowing Embers which I've been planting in single pots for 3-4 years and every time they provide a great pop of colour, have a great mounting growth habit, lovely leaves and are generally problem free.

What are yours?

B3 · August 2023

I wanted to get one or two of those this year but I missed them

amancalledgeorge · August 2023

They were more expensive this year in a litre pot from the nursery I buy them from...but couldn't be without one @B3 hope you get your hands on them next year.

Valleysgirl · August 2023

You’re right amancalledgeorge I treated myself and sent off for 12plugs from a reputable seller in 2017 of Begonia Glowing Embers for 3 of my hanging baskets and I just found a pic ! Let me think about 2023 and Ill get back soon.

Fairygirl · August 2023

I bought some new dahlias for this year, and this one- Ambition, is stunning. Unfortunately, the slugs agreed, so it needed a fair bit of help to get it flowering.
This was the 1st flower

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/ex/mlaxuqnacb43.jpg

Nipped out and took a pic just now while the rain's off

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/3j/lbpyqr4lhirt.jpg

The pix don't really do it justice though. It's a really deep colour, and the flowers are a beautiful shape. One of my favourite plants this year without doubt.

punkdoc · August 2023

I save the tubers from my B. Glowing embers and they are now about 6 inches across, producing huge plants.

pitter-patter · August 2023

Is it tuberous then? I was wondering how to take cuttings…

LunarSea · August 2023

Mine is a perennial - Persicaria 'Dharjeeling Red' - which has spread to fill a whole 10' x 4' bank below the patio. I'm always singing its praises, especially as it flowers like this from May to November. It's on the north side of the house and can be in the shade until midday but it seems to like those conditions.

A young flower

An older flower

It's good for framing other features

And it attracts wildlife

amancalledgeorge · August 2023

Ah great to hear you managed to get them to grow @punkdoc did keep them last year but they just rotted...the persistent -8°C shouldn't have helped as I had left them in the garage. Will try again this year.

ViewAhead · August 2023

My first yr growing Lobelia Africa Shine ... and it has been an absolute beauty, upright in the centre and cascading in a perfect circle regardless of sun direction. It is almost finished now, but earlier in the season it was fabulous, with large flowers in two shades of blue and white.

SalixGold · August 2023

I think my hero would be the canna. I've only grown them for a few years, but I am so impressed. Where I am, in the south of England, in my sheltered gardens, they are tough as old boots - and so beautiful - leaves and flowers. They are often held to be in the same cupboard as dahlias, but in my experience, they are so very different. I lost half my dahlias last winter but the cannas sailed through ice, wind and snow (-10 degrees). Didn't bat an eyelid. They might have emerged and flowered a bit later than usual; I can't really tell.

I keep them in pots and they give me two new plants each year. It feels a bit like growing potatoes - tough and reliable; joyful, sunny. I am experimenting with reds now. They do, of course, go beautifully with dahlias.

Garden heroes of 2023

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