FFF684 - ROCK-ROSE

The Cistaceae are a small family of plants (rock-rose or rock rose family) known for their beautiful shrubs, which are profusely covered by flowers at the time of blossom. This family consists of about 170-200 species in eight genera, distributed primarily in the temperate areas of Europe and the Mediterranean basin, but also found in North America; a limited number of species are found in South America.

Most Cistaceae are subshrubs and low shrubs, and some are herbaceous. They prefer dry and sunny habitats. Cistaceae grow well on poor soils, and many of them are cultivated in gardens.They often have showy yellow, pink or white flowers, which are generally short-lived. The flowers are bisexual, regular, solitary or borne in cymes; they usually have five, sometimes three, petals (Lechea).

The petals are free, usually crumpled in the bud, and sometimes in the open flower (e. g. Cistus incanus). It has five sepals, the inner three of which are distinctly wider, and the outer two are narrow and sometimes regarded as bracteoles. The sepal arrangement is a characteristic property of the family.

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FFF683 - VERBENA HYBRID

Verbena hybrids are a trailing perennial, usually grown as an annual, which bears compact heads of fragrant, colourful flowers throughout Spring, Summer and Autumn. It has slightly hairy leaves and a spreading habit which makes it ideal for massed colour displays and as a fast grower, very good at quickly filling holes in your landscape.

They like a warm climate and are a well known attractor of butterflies to gardens, going well alongside other such plants such as marigolds, lilacs, and lavender. Verbena are very easy to grow and maintain and go especially well in borders as well as rockeries and in pots. They do however self-seed easily so be aware if you don't want them spreading.

The hybrid illustrated here is Verbena x hybrida 'Purple Pear'

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FFF682 - GLADIOLUS 'PURPLE FLORA'

Gladiolus 'Purple Flora' is a hybrid variety featuring deep purple/violet florets that crowd the tall, strong stems. They make sensational cut flowers and are perfect for a big floral show. The elegant spires of ruffled blooms provide an indulgent explosion of fantastic summer colour.

Gladiolus are economical, easy to grow bulbs that love the Australian sun. They are hardy and reliable flowers and can be easily timed for a succession of vibrant, towering summer colour. A trick of the trade is to plant your Gladioli bulbs in batches over a few weeks. This will extend the flowering show. When planting in warm weather allow 90 days to flower and cooler weather 120 days.

It is a good idea to ensure you plant your gladioli bulbs deeply enough (around 10cm), this will reduce the need for staking. Gladioli like a sunny position and you need to ensure you keep them moist when they are in flower for best results. Hold off planting until after the threat of frost has passed.

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FFF681 - MARVEL OF PERU

Mirabilis jalapa (the four o'clock flower or marvel of Peru) is the most commonly grown ornamental species of Mirabilis, and is available in a range of colours. Mirabilis in Latin means wonderful and Jalapa is a town in Mexico. Mirabilis jalapa is said to have been exported from the Peruvian Andes in 1540. The flowers usually open from late afternoon onwards, then producing a strong, sweet-smelling fragrance, hence the first of its common names.

A curious aspect of this plant is that flowers of different colours can be found simultaneously on the same plant. Additionally, an individual flower can be splashed with different colours. Another interesting point is a colour-changing phenomenon. For example, in the yellow variety, as the plant matures, it can display flowers that gradually change to a dark pink colour. Similarly white flowers can change to light violet.

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FFF680 - ARTICHOKE FLOWERS

The artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus), also known by the names French artichoke, globe artichoke, and green artichoke in the United States, is a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as food. The edible portion of the plant consists of the flower buds before the flowers come into bloom.

The budding artichoke flower-head is a cluster of many budding small flowers (an inflorescence), together with many bracts, on an edible base. Once the buds bloom, the structure changes to a coarse, barely edible form. Another variety of the same species is the cardoon, a perennial plant native to the Mediterranean region. Both wild forms and cultivated varieties (cultivars) exist.

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