Late summer and autumn are great times to plant out new shrubs, as by springtime they will be nicely settled and ready to grow.
If you live in a cold and frosty region and therefore prefer to plant in spring rather than in autumn, add your favourites from this list to your garden shopping list.
This selection of smaller flowering plants are easy to pop into gardens at this time of the year for a splash of colour.
FeliciaKingfisher Daisy (Felicia)
Blue is a sought after colour amongst gardeners because it is quite rare, especially a true blue shade. Kingfisher Daisies, with their masses of striking sky-blue and sunny yellow flower heads fit the bill, catching the eye wherever they are planted. Sky-blue, pale blue, violet-blue, pink and white flowered forms are available, as well as a variegated variety, and a beautiful annual which is entirely blue. Depending on climate flowering times can vary; in some regions the plants may flower almost continuously, in others they may give their best flush in spring and summer, or even in late summer and autumn. Generally, in hot climates the plant will stop blooming when temperatures rise in midsummer, resuming again when temperatures drop later in summer. Full heads of seeds follow the flowers, readily becoming detached and floating away on even the slightest breeze.
These evergreen perennials are long-lived and the delicate beauty of their blooms belies their ruggedness. Use them as filler plants in flower borders, pebble gardens or rockeries, and if planted in mass they make a breath-taking sight when in full bloom. Mix them with grasses, aloes, pincushions, red hot pokers and other indigenous plants for a glorious show. Felicias combine well with other plants in mixed containers. These versatile little gems can be used almost anywhere you have a reasonably sunny spot in the garden.
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Diascia CoralTwinspurs (Diascia)
Twinspurs are immensely popular worldwide and are renowned for their abundance of flowers from late spring to summer, with a peak flowering period from November to May. There are about 70 species, all of which occur only in southern Africa. Species can be annual or perennial, with most of the perennials occurring in the summer rainfall regions, and the annuals in the winter rainfall regions. The Diascia varieties available today are mainly new hybrids that have been bred to be even more floriferous, and come in many exciting pastel and vivid shades of pink, white, red, lavender, mauve, deep plum, vivid orange, apricot and tangerine. Some varieties will spill over pots and others tend to grow more upright.
In the wild they can be found flowering on high mountain slopes together with dierama, geraniums, kniphofias and sutera, putting on a magnificent show; so why not combine them in your garden for a delightful display. These little gems are also perfect for mass plantings, with some varieties making excellent groundcovers. Try them in hanging baskets and containers, planted singly or mixed with other plants.
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Tulbaghia violaceaWild Garlic (Tulbaghia)
Tulbaghias are clump-forming evergreen perennials with linear leaves and umbels of small, star-shaped flowers with a small cup-like corona. It is a small genus of about 20 species from southern Africa, and several cultivars exist for some species. The two most popular with gardeners are the Cape Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea), and Sweet Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia simmleri) because they have attractive flowers throughout the growing season and are proven low maintenance landscaping plants.
Cape wild garlic has long, narrow, strap-like leaves which smell strongly of garlic when bruised, and the clusters of tubular mauve flowers are held on tall flower stalks and appear over a long period from September to April. Sweet Garlic has grey-green leaves and lavender-pink flowers. In its summer-rainfall habitat it flowers from spring to autumn, whereas at Kirstenbosch, with its winter-rainfall climate, it flowers during the winter months and into spring.
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Salvia guaranitica Black & BlueSalvia, Sage (Salvia)
There are hundreds of different types of salvias available to gardeners, and they all have beautiful tall flower spikes, and attractive green or grey-green leaves which are often aromatic. They will flower almost all summer and autumn, and new selections come out almost every season, which are valued for their extended blooming season and flowers in shades of red and pink, or bright blue, violet, cream and white. Tall and dwarf varieties are available, varying in height from 15 to 90cm tall. Salvias do well in most of our growing regions and perform extremely well in hot gardens.
Although the summer flowering annual salvias (Salvia splendens) is well known and loved by gardeners, perennial salvias have become mainstays of the summer garden, providing season long colour at very little expense. The taller varieties will add accent to flowerbeds and the dwarf varieties make excellent border plants and work well in containers, mixed with other summer flowering annuals. Butterflies as well as nectar eating birds are drawn like magnets to salvias.
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Sea Lavender (Limonium perezii)
Sea Lavender is a tough, evergreen perennial herb which produces large flower heads of tiny papery, violet-blue and white flowers nearly all year round in favourable climates, but is especially prolific in spring, early summer, and late summer. The individual flowers are minute but make a stunning display because they are borne in billowing sprays, held well clear of the foliage on wiry branching stems. Fresh flowers last long in the vase, and dried flowers keep their colour beautifully. They are probably the most well-known of the "everlastings" and due to the dry, papery nature of their flowers are valued by arrangers and crafters.
Sea lavender grows well in seaside conditions as well as inland, and is an outstanding low maintenance perennial for water-wise gardens. It is a great accent plant among big-leaved tropical plants and is conveniently small enough for beach cottages and bungalows. Plant it along palisades, on dunes and embankments, along dry streambeds, or amongst landscape boulders and rocky outcroppings. It is most effective in massed beds, and makes a lovely edging plant or groundcover. It also mixes well with other annuals or perennials in containers.
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Erigeron Seaside Daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus)
Erigeron is a small, woody-based evergreen perennial which is noted for its endless production of small daisies throughout summer, and sporadically throughout the year in frost-free regions. It takes humidity and thrives in coastal and very hot inland gardens. In very hot regions, it may decide to take when a break in summer if it gets too hot and you may even think it has died, only for it to suddenly reappear when the weather cools down a bit later in summer and autumn.
The seaside daisy is a graceful plant with soft and whimsical looking pure white daisies with sunny centres, turning a lovely rosy-pink and lavender as they mature. This ground-hugging groundcover forms a low mound of hairy, grey-green leaves, and the leaves have a red tinge if the plant is grown in poor soil. It will grow almost anywhere - try it as a groundcover in difficult areas, or as an edging plant in a mixed border. It will even grow in the very shallow soil between pavers. If it is planted into hanging baskets or pots its will cascade down most graciously, forming a solid curtain of flowers and foliage. It also looks brilliant spilling with abandon over low walls, creeping down the sides of stone or brick steps, or simply tucked into wall crevices, where it seeds itself and spreads slowly with its rhizomatous roots. An added bonus is it attracts bees, butterflies and other pollinators to the garden.
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Falling Stars (Crocosmia)
The common name falling stars is most apt because crocosmia are such a pretty sight to behold when in bloom, with their profusion of little orange flowers dangling elegantly from rather tall stems. Blooming starts in mid to late summer and can continue into autumn. The tall stalks make it a desirable cut flower. The flowers will attract butterflies to your garden, and the shiny purplish-black seeds are relished by birds. The long green leaves are sword shaped and the plants produce 50mm wide corms with long stolons which are relished by bush pigs. Coprosmia x crocosmiiflora is undoubtedly the most popular Crocosmia worldwide, and this species is commonly known as "garden montbretia". This hybrid flowers prolifically and will also grow in full sun. It is also compact, growing 40cm to 1m tall. Crocosmia hybrids produce flowers in a range of warm colours that includes cheerful yellows, beautiful oranges and fiery reds.
Falling stars will brighten up that dull section of your garden; bringing an openness or lightness to the garden; and their architectural form gives them the allure of ornamental grasses as they move with the wind. They are a good contrast plant for broad leaved plants and finely textured groundcovers. Crocosmia can even be planted in containers and will bring an entirely new dimension to your garden.
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Beard-tongue (Penstemon)
In early summer, right after your spring bloomers have faded, penstemons will spring up and quickly fill your garden with their beautiful spires of foxglove-like flowers which come in hues to suit every colour palette. Flowering will continue sporadically throughout summer and into autumn, and in coastal gardens the flowers can appear all year round, making penstemons a 'must have' for hassle free summer gardens.
The various cultivars come in many sizes, from dwarf varieties which you can tuck into rock gardens, to larger plants that bring colour and movement to the back of the flower border. The shape and colour of the leaves also varies, and can be oval, lance-shaped or needle-like, with colours ranging from green or blue-green, to a delightful deep purple. The large bell-shaped flowers are produced in loose spikes at the ends of tall stems and they come in hues ranging from white to soft pinks, through salmon and peach to deep rose, lavender to dark purple, and also in bold fiery reds to electrifying blues. Some varieties also have distinctive veining and white throats.
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Japanese AnemoneJapanese Anemone (Anemone x hybrida)
This garden hybrid is one of the stars of the late summer and autumn flower garden with its attractive leaves and simple but beautiful cup-shaped flowers, which can have single or double rows of silken petals in shades of pale pink, darker pinks, mauve, or white. The plants will grow about 60cm tall, but the flowering stems can reach 1.2m.
Japanese anemones look at their best if planted in drifts, rather than in isolated, small clumps; but you must be prepared to lift and divide the clumps if they spread beyond their bounds. They are a great addition to all white or romantic moonlight gardens, and are wonderful for mixed flower borders. They are also essential for all Japanese, informal and cottage gardens, and thrive on the fringes of woodland gardens.
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Trailing Daisy Trailing Daisy (Dimorphotheca)
Thanks to plant breeders who continue to expand their funky colour palette and unique petal shapes, trailing daisies are available in a wide selection of varieties and new cultivars. The flowers of these garden hybrids are so striking that you may even wonder if they’ve been dyed or painted, and their central disks often look as if they have been coloured with metallic paint. Hybrids are also selected for their long blooming time, and can flower through spring, summer and autumn. So by selecting a variety of these daisies you can extend their blooming time. These gorgeous indigenous beauties are tough and water-wise, and their startlingly beautiful flowers are renowned and sought after, the world over.
The Trailing Daisy is a beautiful, erect to sprawling evergreen perennial which grows wild on mountain slopes and mountain grasslands, producing vibrant purple flowers which are coppery-orange below, but modern hybrids are available in inspiring shades of wine-red, white, pink, yellow, and terracotta. Its main flowering seasons are late winter to spring, and again in early autumn, but some flowers can be found on the plants throughout the year. Use it as a groundcover, to stabilise soil on slopes, cascading over low walls, in rockeries, and in the informal border. It’s also beautiful in hanging baskets.
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Butterfly Gaura (Gaura)
These vigorous, easy to grow, trouble-free plants will bloom all spring and summer, until the first frosts. Besides the very popular white (Gaura lindheimeri) a number of gorgeous cultivars have been developed in lovely shades of pink. New hybrids are compact with shorter flowering stems, making them more suitable for small gardens and pot culture. The allure of the butterfly gaura is their whimsical look, as the delicate flowers, held aloft on long wiry stems, move in even the slightest breeze and could be mistaken for a cloud of butterflies. Some varieties also have beautiful red or yellow foliage. Resist the temptation to cut back after the plant has flowered, as it takes on beautiful autumn tints, particularly in cold weather.
Gauras are excellent cut flowers and are generally planted to add a touch of lightness to a mixed perennial border. Their wild, slightly unkempt look mixes well with grasses and natural style plantings and their lax growth habit makes them particularly useful for filling in gaps in the border and linking other planting groups together.
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Belladonna Lily (Amaryllis belladonna)
In South Africa the Belladonna Lily is often referred to as the “March Lily”, due to its propensity to flower around March. The common name "lily" was given due to the shape of the flowers and their growth habit. However, they are only distantly related to the true lily, (Lilium). These sweetly scented South African beauties captivate all who see them in full bloom. The large clusters of flowers appear before the green strap-like leaves, and are carried on top of tall purplish-red and green stems, up to 1m tall. The blooms are most commonly pale pink, but white and dark pink forms occur.
Belladonna lilies are perfect candidates for rock and pebble gardens and an ideal choice for the middle of a mixed annual or herbaceous border. Try planting them amongst agapanthus as they bloom at different times, and the agapanthus will provide foliage for the bare stems of the March lily. They can also be grown in large pots, and for those in cold climates, pots can be moved indoors or to a sheltered patio in winter.
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Lilium Oriental Hybrid Oriental Liliums (Lilium Oriental)
Liliums can be grown almost anywhere, and you can plant them directly in the flower border, amongst your roses or other perennials, or any bare spots in the garden. They’re also perfect for pots.
Oriental Liliums, also known as the Japanese Lily, are among the world's most popular cut flowers. They are hybrids created through crossing Lilium auratum from Japan and Lilium speciosum from China and Japan. They bloom later than most of the lilies, in mid to late summer and autumn. Bulbs are available from late August until early October, for planting out in spring, so be sure to add them to your shopping list. Their exotic-looking and heavily scented flowers are bowl-shaped with broad petals and long, pointed buds. Orientals come in shades of white, yellow, pink and burgundy, often with contrasting freckles or stripes on the petals. They are happy in partly shady conditions where they will produce lush, broad leaves, and reach a height of roughly 1 to 1.3m.
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Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
Blanket flowers are stalwarts of the summer garden and appreciated for their resilience, extremely long blooming season, and richly coloured, daisy-like flowers in shades of yellow, orange, red, and brown, atop spreading mounds of narrow, fuzzy, grey-green leaves. Plant breeders have produced outstanding new cultivars which are compact and strongly-branched, with large single or double flowers which, unlike the wild species which bloom mainly from mid-summer and into autumn, also produce flowers in spring and early summer, with a magnificent flush from mid-summer on.
Their fiery beauty becomes even more remarkable if they are planted in groups and are combined with plants that have contrasting blue flowers, adding a splash of red will add a dash of fire to the design and white is important to temper the overall look.
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Coneflowers (Rudbeckia hirta)
Coneflowers have daisy-like flowers in single, semi-double and fully-double forms, and gardeners have many outstanding cultivars to choose from. The plants have coarse-textured, hairy green leaves, and their daisy-like flowers come in single, semi-double and fully-double forms in a range of colours from lemon-yellow to gold, chestnut, mahogany and bronze, as well as multi-coloured blooms. The flowering stems can reach 90cm to 1m tall, and most species bloom from midsummer through autumn and are ideal for cutting.
In late autumn they produce large cone-heads full of seeds, and the ripe seed heads have good winter interest, and can be used in dried arrangements. The flowers will attract bees and butterflies to your garden and the seeds are also relished by seed eating birds, providing a valuable food source in autumn.
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Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Coneflowers are beautiful perennial daisies which gardeners have grown for hundreds of years because they are reliable, and once established in the garden will continue to provide colour for many years, blooming every season for a long period from mid-summer to autumn. They bloom profusely and each flower is born singly on a sturdy stem, making coneflowers great to pick for the vase. Their large blooms are quite bold and distinctive with their swept-back petals and large, coppery-orange central cones. The hairy, dark green leaves are lance-shaped and coarsely-toothed.
Today, plant breeders have taken this humble daisy to greater heights, developing beautiful garden varieties that are more sturdy and compact, bloom for even longer, and come in exciting new colours, ranging from vibrant sunset shades as well as pink, purple-pink, rose and white, and fortunately they are just as heat and drought tolerant as their original parents.
Coneflowers provide a bold and beautiful contrast in the mixed shrub or perennial border where they are good companions for other plants that require medium moisture levels. On large properties they create dazzling borders if massed together.
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Dahlia Dahlias
Modern Dahlia hybrids are available in almost every conceivable shade, except for blue, and in beautiful combinations of colours. And although there is not yet a blue dahlia, there is a wide range of violet and mauve cultivars available. In South Africa the best planting time for dahlias is in late spring, when all danger of frost is over. Flowers should start to appear from mid-summer, and they are at their best in late summer, through autumn and into early winter. With so many different varieties available, there is a perfect dahlia for every garden style and size.
Dahlias can be put into three broad groups: large growing, medium and small growers. Large dahlias are effective when grown in large groups at the back of perennial borders. Medium-sized dahlias are compact but still produce good sized blooms. They look wonderful towards the middle and front of a perennial flower bed. Medium-sized dahlias thrive in larger pots, and for something different, consider cactus-flowered dahlias, with their distinctive rolled petals. The easiest of all the dahlias to grow are the small, annual, bedding varieties which are sold in seedling trays. These compact little dahlias are charming and bloom for a very long time, making them perfect for pots and window boxes, and invaluable to use as an edging for a border, or as a filler for any small and bare, sunny spots.
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Summer Snapdragons (Angelonia)
These tropical evergreen perennials are members of the snapdragon family. They are planted in summer for their lovely snapdragon-like flowers, born on slender upright spikes. Summer snapdragons will bloom continuously during the hot summer months, continuing into autumn, or as long as the weather remains warm. They have attractive bright green willow-like leaves, and hybrids are available in clear flower colours or two-toned combinations of rose, pink, blue, lilac, violet-blue, purple, and white.
Angelonia has gone from obscurity a decade ago to one of the best-selling plants for the summer garden because they can take heat and full sun, but they will still flower in very light shade. These ‘toughies’ will even withstand heavy thunderstorms. Their rounded upright growth habit and long blooming season make them perfect bedding plants and worthwhile additions in flower borders. Numerous hybrids have been bred for flower performance and compact growth, making them an ideal choice for colourful container plantings. Mix them with other flowering annuals in containers, window boxes and hanging baskets, to give your plantings height and accent, without overpowering the other plants. Angelonia flowers last well in a vase and will attract butterflies to your garden. Treat yourself to a few of these delightful plants, you will not be disappointed.
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Day LilyDaylily (Hemerocallis)
These popular perennial plants have been extensively hybridised, and their colour variation is astounding. Daylilies are among the easiest plants to grow, requiring minimal care and being remarkably disease resistant. This has been a major factor in contributing to their popularity. The flower shapes and sizes vary enormously from small single blooms and miniatures to large doubles. Their peak blooming time in South Africa is from November to mid-January, extending into autumn, but the length of the bloom period varies greatly from one variety to another. New garden hybrids have been bred to extend the blooming season, and older strains are generally divided into early, midseason, and late flowering varieties. Choose your varieties carefully and you will have flowers all summer.
Daylilies varieties vary in height from 40cm to over 1m, and the various species can be evergreen, semi-evergreen or dormant, depending on the species or area where they are grown. The dormant varieties die back to the ground in winter; evergreen varieties will also become dormant if grown in regions with heavy frosts, and semi-evergreen varieties recede partially in winter. This adaptability ensures that we have species to suit many climates. Visit your favourite nursery to find the right varieties for your region.
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Geranium (Pelargonium)
The ever popular so called "Geraniums" you find at most garden centres actually belong to the genus Pelargonium. There are about 300 species, mainly from South Africa, with a few from the rest of Africa, Australia and the Middle East. Beautiful garden hybrids have been bred from our indigenous Pelargoniums which can flower all year round in ideal climatic conditions. Zonal types are loved for their large flower heads in shades of pink, orange, red, purple and white. Fancy leaved types are zonal geraniums which have leaves that are edged or banded by colours such as yellow, white, burgundy or coral. Ivy leaf types have ivy-like leaves and a trailing habit, producing flowers in shades ranging from white through vibrant and pastel shades of pink to red and purple.
Pelargoniums require cool night time temperatures around 15°C to induce blooming. This means that spring, early summer and autumn are their main blooming times, but the exact season depends on climate and the type you are growing.
Modern hybrids have been brought to a high standard of perfection with beautiful leaf colours and long lasting blooms, combined with ease of culture. These versatile plants are perfect for any sunny spot that calls for a splash of colour throughout the season. They thrive in pots and remain popular in containers, hanging baskets and window boxes.
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Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa)
The pincushion flower fits the bill for a modern garden perfectly because it is hardy, grows quickly and flowers abundantly. It’s deeply lobed, green to grey-green leaves are slightly hairy, and have an airy fern-like effect in the garden. The lightly fragrant flowers start opening in spring and continue flowering, off and on, until autumn, Flowers are borne on gracefully bending stems and when fully open, the clusters of tiny flowers look rather like little cushions with pins sticking out, hence their common name. Plant breeders have developed fantastic garden hybrids which are nice and compact, and which bloom even more profusely. The flowers come in lovely pastel shades of lilac, lavender-blue, white and pink, and after flowering, the heads turn into tight, bristly balls, looking rather like furry sea urchins.
The pincushion flower, with its soft pastel shades, can be added to almost any colour scheme in the garden, and is just at home in a cottage garden as it is in ultra-modern settings. It makes a wonderful filler plant for perennial borders, rock and gravel gardens, and is stunning when planted together with grasses and other perennials for a wild meadow look. This little plant is an ideal choice for a wildlife, bird or butterfly garden, attracting many insects and pollinators to its nectar-filled flowers and seeds which are sought-after by birds.
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Agapanthus
The Agapanthus family includes two evergreen species from our winter and year-round rainfall regions, and four deciduous species which occur in our summer rainfall regions. Agapanthus species easily hybridize with each other, and as a result, a bewildering array of garden hybrids have arisen, but virtually all the Agapanthus that we grow in our gardens are hybrids of our two beautiful evergreen species, Agapanthus africanus and Agapanthus praecox, whose flowers range in colour from blues to white.
Agapanthus are trouble-free plants prized for their large balls of blue or white umbrella-like flowers from mid to late summer. Breeding programmes have given rise to a wide variety of exciting dwarf, medium, and taller growing Agapanthus, ranging in height from just 20cm to those with 2m tall flower stems. The colours are also quite remarkable, including the well-known white and blue-purple hues, to black, and even pink and bi-colour varieties.
The versatility of Agapanthus is legendary because it can be incorporated almost anywhere in the garden, and is highly recommended for firescaping gardens. The larger growing cultivars are wonderful if planted towards the back of the perennial border, and the dwarf varieties make excellent ground covers, rockery and border plants, and look great in containers.
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Kniphofia YellowRed Hot Poker (Kniphofia)
A few species of Kniphofia are deciduous, but most are evergreen and common at higher elevations, although some can be found near the coast. The herbaceous species go dormant in winter and have narrow, grass-like leaves, varying in length from 10cm to 1m long, while the evergreen species have broader, strap-shaped foliage up to 1.5m long. There are autumn and winter, and spring and summer flowering species, which helps to extend the flowering season in the garden. The clusters of tubular blooms are arranged in inflorescences that vary from cylindrical and elongated, to more compact ball shapes. Most are red and bright orange when immature, and the flowers of some species change to bright yellow or even white as they mature, giving that striking bicolour effect.
Pokers can be grown throughout South Africa as they are tough as nails, handling frost and conditions at the coast just as well. They look exceptionally pretty planted between grasses and aloes, and are just as effective in tropical looking and ultra-modern designs. The larger species are wonderful architectural plants in the garden, and they look spectacular in mass plantings. It goes without saying that pokers are a ‘must-have’ for wildlife gardens large and small.
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EricaErica species
Ericas can provide interest in the garden throughout the year with their small needle-like leaves arranged in small tufts, but during their peak flowering season, the various species display an intriguing variety of flower shapes, which can be tubular, bell, or urn-shaped, and some hang down while others point upward. The flowers come in all colours except blue, including delightful shades of orange, yellow, scarlet, pink, white, and lilac. Some flowers are bicolored or even tricolored. In South Africa, the flowering time for the various Erica species ranges from mid-winter to early summer (July to November), or from late summer to early winter (February to June). Because flowering times may also vary slightly from year to year, and region to region, bear this in mind when planning your garden.
Ericas are grown in gardens and parks all over the world for their irresistible beauty. As long as their needs are met, they are fairly adaptable and will grow in most regions of South Africa, with the exception of those very dry summer rainfall regions, or humid subtropical areas. Potted ericas for patios or entryways is still very trendy, making these little gems suitable for gardens small and large. Ericas are indispensable in the fynbos garden, and in any wildlife garden they are a magnet for nectar feeding birds like sunbirds, which pollinate the flowers. Bees, and beetles like scarab beetles and protea beetles, plus a myriad of other insects are also attracted to the blooms, which in turn attract insect eating birds.
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Bush Violet (Barleria)
Bush Violets put on a spectacular show it late summer and autumn with their abundant blooms. Excellent garden species include: Barleria obtuse with its mauve-blue, or pink and white forms; Barleria repens with its deep royal-purple, flame red, or bright magenta pink flowers; Barleria albostellata with its velvety grey leaves and beautiful snow-white tubular flowers with purple tinged bracts; Barleria rotundifolia with its attractive butter-yellow flowers; and Barleria greenii, an endangered species which is available from certain nurseries, and sought after for its beauty as it flowers so prolifically and the large, pink to white petunia-like flowers are sweetly scented. It also grows under a wide range of conditions and is frost hardy.
Barlerias make an excellent groundcover or low shrub for coastal gardens. Plant them in shrub borders, or in pots, or allow them to spill over hanging baskets, low retaining walls or steps, where their masses of flowers and glossy green leaves can be admired.
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Canna Lily (Canna)
Canna is known for its flamboyant flowers from early summer and into autumn, but they really hit their stride in late summer when most flower gardens are beginning to fade. Modern breeders continue to release wonderful new cultivars, from dwarf compact types to large voluptuous specimens, and even those with improved cold hardiness. Flowers now also come in both warm and pastel colours. The large banana-like foliage of canna species may be green, bronze-burgundy, or variegated in a striped or marbled pattern, and today they are used as much for their bold foliage as their brightly coloured flowers, and if used discreetly and wisely these hassle-free plants will add body and substance to modern gardens.
Cannas can be grown throughout South Africa, and plants grown in nursery bags can be planted out at any time but the rhizomes are planted out in early spring. Make the most of their impressive size by using them to hide an unwanted view or to define an outdoor room. You can use cannas to dress up an outbuilding or to soften the lines of a fence, and you could even enclose your patio with cannas for a bit of privacy. In flower borders they look best when the colours are grouped together.
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FuchsiaFuchsias
Fuchsias remain one of the most popular shrubs to add interest, and a little tropical flair to cool spots in the garden, or on the patio. With over 8000 recorded cultivars, from large, upright varieties to those with a lovely trailing habit, there’s bound to be the perfect fuchsia for you. The elegant, pendulous flowers are borne in profusion on cascading stems, throughout year in tropical species. In South Africa, the flowering season starts in earnest in mid-October and continues into March and April, after which the plants are pruned lightly, and the growing cycle continues until late autumn.
The flowers vary greatly in size, and can be single, double, or semi-double. They are usually bi-coloured with white, and lovely combinations and hues of pink, purple, lavender-blue, violet, coral, salmon-orange, crimson and scarlet. The vigorous, upright growers will develop into bushy shrubs up to a metre tall, and can be trained as standards. Those with a trailing habit look beautiful in pots and hanging baskets, or positioned where they will spill over walls, steps, and even rocks. Those with a lax habit can be trained as espaliers or even around wire shapes.
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AlstroemariaInca Lily (Alstroemeria)
Inca lily hybrids are long-lived perennials, and the species from Chile are winter-growing plants while those of Brazil are summer-growing. Many hybrids and cultivars have been developed, and the most popular hybrids commonly grown today result from crosses between species from Chile with species from Brazil. This strategy has overcome the problem of seasonal dormancy and resulted in plants that are evergreen, or nearly so; and which flower throughout summer and well into autumn, or for most of the year in warmer climates. The large clusters of azalea-like flowers are available in bright orange, yellow and golden yellow, various shades of pink, as well as lilac, rose, red and white. Compact hybrids grow 20 to 40cm tall, and the taller varieties vary in height from 60 to 90cm.
These versatile plants can be grown in containers or mixed flower beds and are essential for all cottage and woodland gardens. New compact, free flowering hybrids are now available which have specifically been bred for containers. Inca lilies can provide cut flowers all season long. When collecting for the vase it is best to twist or tug the flowering stem gently off the rhizome instead of cutting it out, because this encourages more stems to develop.
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Marguerite DaisyMarguerite Daisy (Argyranthemum)
Marguerites are known to bloom at their best during the cooler months of early spring and autumn. The species grows naturally where it is warm, but never burning hot, and where there is always a cool sea breeze. This should be remembered when caring for these plants - Marguerites like warmth, but not heat. Although newer hybrids are much more heat tolerant the plants will still do best in regions with cool night temperatures. If you live in a hot climate where the night time temperatures often remain high, the plants may flush and then stop blooming, but if you give them a light trim to help induce more branching and fresh growth, they will be at their best again when the temperatures drop later in summer.
Many wonderful hybrids have been bred which vary in size from dwarf, compact varieties only 35cm tall, to larger growing ones which can reach 75 to 90cm tall and wide. Hybrids include those that produce single, semi-double and double flowers. The flowers can be large or small and come in wonderful shades of pink, red, yellow and pure white, and most have a dark-coloured centre that is most often yellow. Daisy bushes are wonderfully versatile low-maintenance plants which thrive in Mediterranean climates and are often cultivated in flowerbeds, borders and containers.
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Eucomis autumnalis Pineapple Flower (Eucomis autumnalis)
Eucomis autumnalis is a deciduous summer growing bulb which produces long, fleshy, wavy-edged leaves, and flowers consisting of a dense cylindrical raceme on top of a stout stalk with masses of individual starry yellowish-green flowers, with a tuft of leaf-like bracts at the tip, which gives the flower the look of a pineapple. The flower stalks can reach 50 to 60cm tall and appear in mid to late summer (December to January), turning green in autumn. The flowers are followed by capsules containing the shiny black seeds.
Breeders from around the world have introduced wonderful new hybrids for the garden, bred for their uniqueness and garden worthiness. The pineapple plant looks best if planted in groups and is a wonderful addition to pebble and rock gardens.
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Purple Bells (Dyschoriste thunbergiiflora)
Purple Bells remains a popular garden plant because it produces masses of striking violet-blue trumpet shaped flowers, marked with dark blue spots and lines in the throat. The blooms just keep on coming almost all summer and well into autumn, attracting butterflies to your garden; and if the plant is kept well irrigated it will produce attractive lush foliage all season.
Purple bell’s is a fast growing and a colourful solution for those moist shady spots in the garden and looks wonderful if planted next to a water feature or pond. It is also an excellent low maintenance shrub for the shady mixed border and easily trained by light pruning. It is also easily persuaded to clamour up a trellis or other support; and a striking choice for cement or clay containers.
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Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)
The ever popular shasta daisy is a robust herbaceous perennial which grows in a bushy clump; producing narrowly oblong leaves and brilliant white daisy-like flowers with golden yellow centres, carried singly atop long green stems, from early summer to autumn. There are many cultivars to choose from, with flowers varying greatly in size from tiny singles with simple petals to semi-doubles and huge doubles, with frilly, feather-like structures. Shasta daisies are easy to grow all over South Africa, from the subtropics to the coldest parts. They thrive in full sun but can be planted in semi-shade; in very hot regions some midday shade would benefit the plants; and some cultivars with double flowers do really well in partial shade.
Their eye catching clean white flowers brighten up any bed, and blend effortlessly with other perennials, making Shasta daisies all-time favourites for the perennial border. The smaller cultivars make great groundcovers or edging plants, and do well in pots. Shasta daisies are most impressive if planted in large or small groups, but can be just as effective if planted singly in a small garden. The flowers will attract butterflies into your garden, and many cultivars are suitable for cut flowers.
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Spurflowers (Plectranthus)
Many species of spurflower bear flowers from late summer to May, peaking in April. The flowers are commonly a bluish-purple with pink and white forms available. About 48 species occur in South Africa, mostly in the warm eastern regions of the country. Spur flowers belong to the mint family, and are often grown for their attractive foliage, which provides interesting textures and colours. They have become popular garden plants around the world because they are one of the few plants that grow really well in shade. The leaves have a characteristic pungent smell when crushed and the flowers come in a number of shapes and colours, ranging from white and pink to dark mauves, and lavenders. They also vary in their growth forms, from prostrate ground covers to medium and large growing shrubs. Plectranthus species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera butterfly species
Plectranthus look beautiful if planted in wide drifts in large garden beds and are ideally suited to grow under the shade of trees. The smaller varieties are great planted individually in beds, together with other flowering plants, or in pots and hanging baskets.
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Star Flower (Pentas lanceolata)
Pentas is named for its large clusters of small, star-shaped flowers which are copiously produced throughout spring, summer, and into autumn, and in subtropical frost-free regions of South Africa it can bloom year round. In cold winter regions it is a popular summer bedding plant. Plant breeders have been hard at work developing exciting new varieties which are more compact, very floriferous, and come in lovely shades of pink to red, purple to lavender, and white. The blooms show up beautifully against the pretty green leaves, and attract butterflies like a magnet, drawing them in by the dozens, and they are also very attractive to bees, sunbirds, and many other pollinators. Newer varieties are also bred with improved disease resistance, and if the plants are trimmed lightly after each flush of flowers, they will continue to bloom throughout the warm months.
If you have a hot, baked spot in your garden, pentas is the answer. They look good anywhere- in the mixed border they look wonderful in front of dark green shrubs, and also make an excellent backdrop for shorter growing summer flowering annuals and perennials. Pentas are also used to great effect in pots and hanging baskets when combined with other small summer bloomers.
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VeronicaVeronica (Hebe)
Veronica is one of the most dependable summer flowering shrubs, and as a result of their popularity with gardeners extensive hybridisation has been done, resulting in many distinctive garden plants which will thrive in various climatic conditions, and today they are available from tiny miniatures only 30cm high to varieties which will grow 1.5m tall. By selecting the right varieties, a Veronica can be found for almost any situation and season. Their small flowers are grouped together in dense spikes, varying in size and blooming time according to the variety. The flower colours include varied shades of purple, lilac, blue, red, pink or white, and although most garden varieties will flower throughout spring summer and autumn, the macrocarpa types flower during winter. Hebes are also sought after for their fabulous leaves which vary greatly in size and colour, and they come in exciting colours and variegations, including silver and green, creamy white, pink, grey, violet, burgundy, bronze and red, providing year round interest and texture to the garden.
Every great annual flower garden relies on a backbone of evergreen flowering shrubs, and veronicas fit the bill perfectly with their attractive leaves and form which give a sense of stability to the overall effect. The dwarf varieties are ideal in containers and make wonderful edging plants, groundcovers or rockery plants. The taller varieties are a mainstay of the mixed flower and shrub border, and they are also often used as formal or informal hedging plants. Because Veronicas are also available as standard plants, they can be used in even the smallest of gardens where they will provide vertical interest.
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Ribbon BushRibbon Bush (Hypoestes aristata)
This little, easy to grow evergreen perennial needs little attention and will reward you with abundant spikes of purple flowers with dark purple spots from May to early spring when very little else is in bloom. Flowers are also available in shades of pink, white and light purple. It grows quickly to around 1.5m tall with a spread of 1m, and has a rounded shape and soft, dark green leaves. During the summer months when it is not in bloom the bush has a neat and compact appearance, making it a wonderful filler plant.
The ribbon bush looks brilliant if planted with other autumn and winter flowering plants like aloes and plectranthus that produce yellow, orange, red or lavender flowers. Add some winter annuals like calendula, snapdragons, violas or pansies for a stunning contrast. The delicate flowers also contrast well with the large leaves of Arum lilies or the dark green strap-like leaves of Clivias. This versatile plant is essential in all wildlife gardens and is a great pioneer plant for new gardens, especially at the coast. It is great in borders and very useful for those shady areas of the garden where very little else will grow; competing well with tree roots. It is also a versatile plant for out of the way plantings, which receive little or no water. The ribbon bush will attract butterflies to your garden and is a valuable food source for them when nectar is scarce. Bees, flies and other small insects also visit the flowers in search of nectar or pollen; the insects will, in turn, attract insectivorous birds. Cape dwarf chameleons also seem to be attracted by the dense foliage cover they provide and the insects they attract.