FFF568 - BLUE BINDWEED

Convolvulus sabatius, the ground blue-convolvulus or blue rock bindweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae, native to Italy and North Africa, and often seen in cultivation. It is a woody-stemmed trailing perennial plant, growing to 20 cm in height. It has slightly hairy leaves and light blue to violet flowers, often with a lighter centre, which are 2.5–5 cm in diameter The Latin specific epithet sabatius refers to the Savona region of Italy.

This species is often sold under the synonym C. mauritanicus. Although a perennial, it is best treated as an annual in colder climates. It is suited to window boxes and containers and prefers a sunny situation with good drainage. Tip pruning encourages new growth and flowering. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

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FFF446 - DIANTHUS

Dianthus amurensis is a short-lived perennial dianthus that is similar to Dianthus chinensis except for its perennial habit and purple-pink flowers that are often solitary. It is native to the Amur River region of Siberia. Genus name comes from the Greek words Dios meaning "of Zeus" and anthos meaning flower. Specific epithet means from the Amur River area in eastern Asia.

'Siberian Blue' (frequently sold in commerce as 'Siberian Blues') is an Amur pink cultivar that produces reddish-violet to lavender-blue flowers on stems rising to 30 cm tall over a bushy sprawling mound of lance-shaped green leaves (each to 5 cm long). Flowers bloom solitary or in three-flowered inflorescences. Flowers typically bloom from late spring to frost. This is a striking dianthus that is eye-catching and unusual. The lilac-coloured flowers form a wonderful display in a garden bed or in a rockery.

Amur pinks are short-lived perennials that may be grown from seed. They are best grown in gritty, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Drought tolerant once established. Start seed indoors 6-8 weeks before last spring frost date. Set out seedlings and/or purchased plants 1-2 weeks before last spring frost date. Plantings are less apt to burn out in poorly drained soils or in hot and humid summers than some other species of dianthus. Deadhead spent flowers to prolong bloom. When flowering declines, plants may be sheared to promote additional bloom.

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FFF407 - LILACS

Syringa vulgaris (lilac or common lilac) is a species of flowering plant in the olive family Oleaceae, native to the Balkan Peninsula, where it grows on rocky hills. This species is widely cultivated as an ornamental and has been naturalised in other parts of Europe (including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy), as well as much of North America. It is not regarded as an aggressive species, found in the wild in widely scattered sites, usually in the vicinity of past or present human habitations.

Most garden plants of S. vulgaris are cultivars, the majority of which do not exceed 4–5 m tall. Between 1876 and 1927, the nurseryman Victor Lemoine of Nancy introduced over 153 named cultivars, many of which are considered classics and still in commerce today. Lemoine's "French lilacs" extended the limited colour range to include deeper, more saturated hues, and they also introduced double-flowered "sports", with the stamens replaced by extra petals. Illustrated here is the hybrid 'Agincourt Beauty' that grows in our garden.

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FFF270 - DURANTA

Duranta erecta is a species of flowering shrub in the verbena family Verbenaceae, native from Mexico to South America and the Caribbean. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical gardens throughout the world, and has become naturalised in many places. It is considered an invasive species in Australia, China, South Africa and on several Pacific Islands. The genus name is in honour of Castore Durante, a fifteenth-century Italian botanist. The specific epithet erecta means "upright" in Latin. The plant is also known as D. repens, from the Latin for "creeping". The latter name was originally used to identify smaller-leaved varieties of the species.

Common names include golden dewdrop, pigeon berry, and skyflower. In Mexico, the native Nahuatl name for the plant is xcambocoché. In Tonga it is known as mavaetangi (tears of departure). Duranta is registered as an invasive weed by many councils of Australia. It is a prolific, fast growing weed that is spread by birds from domestic areas to natural reserves. It was introduced and marketed as a hedge plant some years ago. Many people now fight to keep this thorny pest under control. It is highly ranked in the most invasive weeds in Australia.

Duranta erecta is a sprawling shrub or (infrequently) a small tree. It can grow to 6 m tall and can spread to an equal width. Mature specimens possess axillary thorns, which are often absent on younger specimens. The leaves are light green, elliptic to ovate, opposite, and grow up to 7.5 cm long and 3.5 cm broad, with a 1.5 cm petiole. The flowers are light-blue or lavender, produced in tight clusters located on terminal and axillary stems, blooming almost all year long. The fruit is a small globose yellow or orange berry, up to 11 mm diameter and containing several seeds. The leaves and berries of the plant are toxic, and are confirmed to have killed children, dogs and cats. However, songbirds eat the fruit without ill effects.

The cultivar illustrated is the hybrid "China Girl".

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FFF211 - CHIVES FLOWER

Chives is the common name of Allium schoenoprasum, in the family Amaryllidaceae. It, like most of the other species of the Allium genus, is a choice edible herb. A perennial plant, it is widespread in nature across much of Europe, Asia and North America. A. schoenoprasum is the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old Worlds.

The name of the species derives from the Greek σχοίνος, skhoínos (sedge) and πράσον, práson (leek). Its English name, chives, derives from the French word cive, from cepa, the Latin word for onion. Chives are a commonly used herb and can be found in grocery stores or grown in home gardens. In culinary use, the scapes and the unopened, immature flower buds are diced and used as an ingredient for fish, potatoes, soups, and other dishes. Chives have insect-repelling properties that can be used in gardens to control pests.

The flowers are pale purple, and star-shaped with six petals, 1–2 cm wide, and produced in a dense inflorescence of 10-30 together; before opening, the inflorescence is surrounded by a papery bract. The seeds are produced in a small three-valved capsule, maturing in summer. The herb flowers from April to May in the southern parts of its habitat zones and in June in the northern parts.

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FFF188 - CATTLEYA ORCHID

Perhaps no other orchid surpasses the Cattleya in popularity amongst orchid fanciers around the world. And it is the Cattleya which means "orchid" to the lay person, if they are asked to think about orchid types. It is the Cattleya which has been the mainspring of the orchid industry and it is the Cattleya which has done most to stimulate interest in orchid growing as a hobby.

Cattleya is a genus of 113 species of orchids from Costa Rica and the Lesser Antilles south to Argentina. The genus was named in 1824 by John Lindley after William Cattley who received and was the first to bloom a specimen of Cattleya labiata. William Swainson had discovered the new plant in Pernambuco, Brazil, in 1817 and shipped to the Glasgow Botanic Gardens for identification. Swainson requested that a few plants be later sent to Cattley, who was able to bloom one a full year before the plants in Glasgow.

These orchids are widely known for their large, showy flowers, and were used extensively in hybridisation for the cut-flower trade until the 1980s when pot plants became more popular. The flowers of the hybrids can vary in size from 5 cm to 15 cm or more. They occur in all colours except true blue and black. Many of these species and hybrids are very fragrant. The specimen below is a Cattleya mossiae hybrid and is fragrant.

The typical flower has three rather narrow sepals and three usually broader petals: two petals are similar to each other, and the third is the quite different conspicuous lip, featuring various markings and specks and an often frilly margin. At the base, the margins are folded into a tube. Each flower stalk originates from a pseudobulb. The number of flowers varies; it can be just one or two, or sometimes up to ten.

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FFF126 - EASTER ASTERS

Symphyotrichum novi-belgii also known as New York Aster is the type species for Symphyotrichum, a genus of the family Asteraceae whose species were once considered to be Asters. They are ornamental plants native to Canada and the United States. All of these plants are collectively and popularly known as "Michaelmas daisies".

The variety 'Peter III Blue', shown here, is an autumn blooming, double flowering lilac-blue aster that provides a stunning number of blooms around the Southern Hemisphere Easter time (April).

Α HAPPY EASTER, PEACEFUL PESACH & ΚΑΛΟ ΠΑΣΧΑ TO ALL!

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FFF94 - THE PRINCESS LAVENDER

Lavandula spp "Princess Lavender" is an early flowering, fragrant Italian lavender cultivar. Bred in Australia and selected for its large, vibrant, dark pink flowers, it has a lengthy flowering season. The main flowering flush begins in spring but the plants also free flower throughout the autumn and winter months. It has a neat, compact habit with aromatic foliage. Flowers last well for floral arrangements and it is hardy and easy to grow without any special needs.

Once established, the plants are quite dry tolerant requiring only occasional deep watering during extended periods of heat. They should be planted in a sunny location in a well draining soil. Clip back to two thirds of overall size in late summer to maintain shape and vigour. After pruning an application of slow release fertiliser and a light sprinkling of dolomite lime over soil would be beneficial to overall performance.

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FFF86 - VIOLET

Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae. It is the largest genus in the family, containing between 525 and 600 species. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, however some are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes.

Some Viola species are perennial plants, some are annual plants, and a few are small shrubs. A large number of species, varieties and cultivars are grown in gardens for their ornamental flowers. In horticulture the term "pansy" is normally used for those multi-coloured, large-flowered cultivars which are raised annually or biennially from seed and used extensively in bedding. The terms "viola" and "violet" are normally reserved for small-flowered annuals or perennials, including the species.

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FFF83 - PANSY

The pansies are a group of large-flowered hybrid plants cultivated as garden flowers. Pansies are derived from the viola species Viola tricolor hybridised with other viola species, these hybrids are referred to as Viola × wittrockiana. Some unrelated species, such as the Pansy Monkeyflower, also have "pansy" in their name.

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FFF58 - CAMEO WINE IRIS

This tall bearded  iris, from the family Iridaceae, is the cultivar Iris "Cameo Wine", hybridised by B. Blyth. The year of introduction was 1982. The plant is sterile and will not set seed, but is easily propagated by planting small pieces of the tuberous roots. It does well in full sun or sun to partial-shade and it should be watered regularly, but not over-watered. It flowers in early summer.

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FFF54 - SCABIOUS

Scabiosa is a genus in the teasel Family Dipsacaceae of flowering plants. Many of the species in this genus have common names that include the word scabious; however some plants commonly known as scabious are currently classified in related genera such as Knautia and Succisa; at least some of these were formerly placed in Scabiosa. Another common name for members of this genus is pincushion flowers.

Members of this genus are native to Europe and Asia. Some species of Scabiosa, notably small scabious (S. columbaria) and Mediterranean sweet scabious (S. atropurpurea) have been developed into cultivars for gardeners. Illustrated here is the Scabiosa columbaria cultivar 'Pink Mist'.

Scabiosa plants have many small flowers of soft lavender blue, lilac or creamy white colour borne in a single head on a tall stalk. Scabious flowers are nectar rich and attract a variety of insects including moths and butterflies such as the Six-spot Burnet. Scabiosa species are also used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Grey Pug.

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FFF48 - PROSTANTHERA

Prostanthera magnifica, commonly known as Magnificent Prostanthera, is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is endemic to Western Australia. The species is a shrub growing to between 0.4 and 2.5 metres high.

The flowers are mauve to pink and are framed by large, purplish-red calyces. These appear between August and November in the species native range. The species was first formally described by botanist Charles Austin Gardner in 1942 in Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia.

The species occurs in woodland on sand, loam or clay soils. Prostanthera magnifica prefers a sunny or partly shaded position in well drained soil. It is sensitive to both frost and humidity. Propagation is successful from both seed and cuttings, though seed germination is slow. Grafting is often used to produce a longer living plant with rootstocks including Westringia fruticosa and Prostanthera striatiflora .The latter gives rise to plants with a longer flowering period and less unwanted growth below the graft.

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FFF38 - NATIVE LILAC HIBISCUS

Alyogyne huegelii is a flowering plant found in the Southwest botanical province of Western Australia, extending along its entire coastline. A large flowered shrub, the species favours the sands of coastal shrublands and heath. The large flower, highly variable in colour, is similar to that of Hibiscus. It was previously placed in that genus, and is commonly named "Lilac Hibiscus". It is widely cultivated as a flowering plant for the garden, but the varieties and cultivars previously published are no longer formally recognised.

Alyogyne is a shrub to four metres with many alternate branches, although lower ones may be sparse. Bright green leaves are divided in three to five in outline; margins are irregular, lobate to toothed; pubescent and strongly veined lobes are coarse in shape. The flowerstalk at the leaf axil is long, tilting at the single flower.The flowers have five luminous petals up to 70 mm long, these are overlapping and have slight ridges. The colour is cream or mauve, or the lilac of the name by which it is traded.

The staminal tube structure contains numerous whorled anthers, these are yellow. The five styles of this are fused until the tip, which is composed of swollen and apparently divided stigma. This is supported on a five-lobed calyx, within an arrangement of up to 10 partly fused bracts. As with all the Malvales, the flowers last around a day – becoming deeply coloured and papery when spent. They are numerous in the long flowering period in Australia being between June and January.

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FFF23 - FLORAL SNAILS

Vigna caracalla is a leguminous vine from the family Fabaceae, originating in tropical South America and Central America. The species is named "caracalla", fromt eh Latin for "hood or cloak", referring to the hooded shape of the open flowers. Some people suggest that this specific meaning comes from Caracas in Venezuela, but this is probably a misapprehension.

This perennial vine has fragrant flowers reminiscent of hyacinths. The buds, especially have a distinctive curled shape, giving rise to the common names "corkscrew vine", "snail vine", "snail creeper", or "snail bean". This vine is hardy in zones 9 and above, liking full sun and consistently damp soil. It prefers high heat and humidity and can become invasive if these conditions are met. In colder zones, it does well in a pot if it is overwintered inside.

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FFF15 - THE GODDESS OF THE RAINBOW

Iris is a genus of about 300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the ancient Greek goddess of the rainbow, Iris, referring to the wide variety of flower colours found among the many species. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also very widely used as a common name for all Iris species, though some plants called thus belong to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is 'flags', while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as 'junos', particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower and its blossoms provide wonderful splashes of colour in the Spring garden.

The genus is widely distributed throughout the north temperate zone. Their habitats are varied, ranging from cold and montane regions to the grassy slopes, meadowlands and riverbanks of Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa, Asia and across North America.  Irises are perennial herbs, growing from creeping rhizomes (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from bulbs (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3–10 basal sword-shaped leaves growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species have cylindrical, basal leaves.

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