FFF730 - JACARANDA

Jacaranda mimosifolia is a sub-tropical tree native to South America that has been widely planted elsewhere because of its beautiful and long-lasting blue flowers. It is also known as Jacaranda, Blue Jacaranda, Black Poui, or as the fern tree. Older sources give it the systematic name Jacaranda acutifolia, but it is nowadays more usually classified as Jacaranda mimosifolia.

In scientific usage, the name "Jacaranda" refers to the genus Jacaranda, which has many other members, but in horticultural and everyday usage, it nearly always means the Blue Jacaranda. It is native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas while cultivated around the world. The flowers of some cultivars are lightly fragrant.

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FFF729 - SUMMER GARDEN

Our Summer has been late in coming and our Spring was cool and wet. However, the flowers seem to have liked this type of weather and the garden looks quite lush.

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FFF728 - BIDENS

Bidens ferulifolia is a North American plant species in the family Asteraceae. Common names include Apache beggarticks, and fern-leaved beggarticks. The hybrid 'Mexican Gold' is shown here.

Tumbling over the edges of containers and spilling down the sides of hanging baskets, bidens look like a colourful floral waterfall. These annuals (or short-lived perennials in zones 8-11) have prolific blooms of orange, gold, pink, white, or red. Their fine foliage adds a light, airy texture and acts as an unobtrusive backdrop to let the floral display shine.

For the best blooms, plant Bidens in full sun in well-drained soils with a good amount of organic matter and slightly acidic pH (5.5 to 6.3) While the plants can tolerate part sun, they won't bloom as well when they lack sunlight, and the overall plant habit can become leggy and unappealing. Bidens are a good pick for containers, hanging plants, and planter boxes because of their abundant flowers.

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FFF727 - ARGENTINIAN VERVAIN

Verbena bonariensis, the purpletop vervain, Argentinian vervain, is a member of the verbena family cultivated as a flowering annual or herbaceous perennial plant. In United States horticulture, it is also known by the ambiguous names purpletop (also used for the grass Tridens flavus) and South American vervain (which can mean any of the numerous species in the genus Verbena occurring in that continent). It is native to tropical South America where it grows throughout most of the warm regions, from Colombia and Brazil to Argentina and Chile.

Verbena bonariensis is a tall and slender-stemmed perennial. It can grow to 180 cm tall and can spread to 90 cm wide. At maturity, it will develop a woody base. Fragrant lavender to rose-purple flowers are in tight clusters located on terminal and axillary stems, blooming from mid-summer until fall frost. The stem is square with very long internodes. Leaves are ovate to ovate-lanceolate with a toothed margin and grow up to 10 cm long.

V. bonariensis is cultivated as an ornamental plant for traditional and drought tolerant and 'pollinator-host' gardens and parks. This species grows best in a well-drained soil. It prefers full sun to partial shade and needs regular moisture. It has a reputation of rarely being attacked by insect pests, but may be susceptible to powdery mildew. It self-seeds readily and this ability has raised concerns that it may become an invasive species and noxious weed in favourable habitats.

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FFF726 - DIANTHUS

Dianthus hybrid "Grace Bay" is a striking fragrant cottage garden flower. Like ruffled creamy petticoats edged in burgundy, the double mini carnation-like flowers on sturdy stems tightly pack the emerald green foliage. Spicy-scented flowers are eye-catching and elegant. Dianthus Grace Bay is a versatile perennial at home in mixed borders, containers, butterfly, heirloom and cutting gardens. A sun-loving beauty from the Flow® series. The more the flowers are cut, the more they bloom.

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FFF725 - RHODODENDRON 'MRS C.B. VAN NESS'

This is a Rhododendron hybrid derived from crossing two other hybrids: 'Princess Juliana' (s) x 'Florence Sarah Smith'. It is a medium-sized evergreen shrub with compact habit and pointy, mid-green foliage. It is perfect for garden beds that receive dappled shade. In October-November, glowing crimson buds open to reveal compact trusses of trumpet-shaped, satiny dark-pink blooms. It requires well-drained, humus-rich, acidic soil.

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FFF724 - RHODODENDRON 'MEDUSA'

The hybrid Rhododendron 'Medusa' is a strange and beautiful evergreen rhododendron. The flowers come in different shades of orange are held on long pedicles that result in them hanging more or less face down. The leaves are long and narrow with a shiny dark green surface and fawn indumentum below.

These plants have a tropic look to them but are just as winter hardy as most other rhododendrons. These hybrids resulted from a cross of R. dichroanthum ssp. scyphocalyx and R. griersonianum. They gro to about one metre tall and wide. They should be planted in full to part sun. Best with afternoon shade, with even moisture, and well-drained acidic soil.

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FFF723 - ITOH PEONY

Itoh Peonies are hybrids between the traditional herbaceous peony and the tree peony. This unique combination results in a plant with the best of both worlds: Strong, upright stems that support enormous blooms, combined with lush, dark green foliage that remains attractive all season long.

They were first hybridised by Dr Toichi Itoh in Japan in 1948. They grow up to one metre tall, have vigorous growth and can flower twice in a season.

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FFF722 - PINK BOTTLEBRUSH

Callistemon violaceus, also known as the violet bottlebrush, is an evergreen shrub or small tree that produces showy purple and pink "bottlebrush" flowers, typically in spring and summer. It is a versatile and hardy plant that thrives in full sun and well-draining soil, while also tolerating drought, heat, and a range of other conditions once established. It attracts pollinators like bees and hummingbirds.  

It is an evergreen with dark green, slender, pointed leaves. It rows to be a medium-sized shrub or small tree, typically 2.5 m tall and 3 m wide, though it can reach up to 6 m in some conditions.

It prefers full sun to partial shade. It is drought-tolerant once established, but benefits from regular water, especially during establishment and dry periods. The shrub adapts to a variety of soils, including average, clay, or gritty types, as long as it's in a well-drained position. It is hardy and can withstand moderate frost. Young plants may need protection from heavy frost in colder climates.

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FFF721 - STAR OF BETHLEHEM

Ornithogalum umbellatum 'Star of Bethlehem' is a bulbous plant in the Liliaceae (Lily) family. It originates from Northern Africa and Eurasia and does well in moist gardens, lawns, cropland, pastures, and waterways. Small clumps of leaves appear mid-spring, and continue to elongate into late spring when flowers are produced.

The blooming period lasts about 2 weeks, with flowers opening late on sunny mornings and closing by sunset. Flowering is followed by seed set, and subsequently, stems and leaves die back to the bulb by mid-summer.

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