I had bought it at a local market overflowing with blooms and brimming with optimism. The seller gave me a few tips to care for it but in the hectic marketplace missed the most important element one needs when growing fuchsias. I thought the key was fertiliser and so I would dowse it in an organic liquid solution every 2 weeks while flowering only to find that this wasn't helping. In fact, it was doing quite the opposite.

The flowers began to die or brown before they opened and the leaves were getting tinged with dead material highlighting a lack of something - but what? Maybe they needed repotting, I thought. So I exhumed them from their hanging basket, topped up the soil and carefully replanted them yet still found that this didn't make huge inroads into their growing habit.

Even pulling out my own hair had seemingly no effect.

It wasn't until I visited my sister, an avid fuchsia grower, that the reason became crystal clear. "You are watering them twice a day during these hot months, aren't you?" she asked. Twice per day! I wasn't sure I was watering them more than twice per week. How had I not noticed this?

The fuchsia plant is so delicate and obviously a heavy drinker - just take a look at the composition of the stems. They scream for water! Yet here I was barely keeping it alive by watering it occasionally rather than every day.

That story was many moons ago when I first ventured into gardening. Much has changed since and I've (successfully!) grown many fuchsias and even propagated a few. And my love for them has not changed - maybe deepened perhaps! And who couldn't love these delicate blooms that hang like jewels on a necklace?

The problem with the watering was twofold. Firstly, I grew these in shallow pots or hanging baskets that dry out very quickly. And second, our climate produces very dry, hot summer days that aid in the evaporation of any moisture at all. I've since grown fuchsias in garden beds tucked away in shaded areas and have found that watering every 1-2 days is ample but in containers these plants need the moisture regularly - once in the morning and then a replenishing drink in the evening.

Some people who garden in cooler climes grow fuschia plants as annuals while here in Oz we're able to grow them successfully as perennials. As perennials they require a little more maintenance mainly because they itch to become leggy.

I find that by pruning them in the dormant winter months - by at least a third - sets them up for a glorious spring. Then as the warmer months roll in, picking their growth down to the next set of paired leaves helps maintain the shrub's bushiness.

A light feed or blood 'n bone (bonemeal) and a liquid fertiliser at the start of spring will catapult them into spring flowering sensations but they don't require much more than that.

Just give them enough water!

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Perennial flower identification can be the hardest to undertake because once they've been dropped from the fashion set they can be hard to find. People stop growing them and knowledge about such plants begins to dissipate.

In previous posts I've offered tools for plant identification - most of them web-based - which can really help decipher your plant's name. But using these tools highlights some important considerations. That is, the more information you can supply, the better chances you will have of successfully identifying your perennial.

Here are some questions you should be able to answer when seeking others help;

• Height and Growing Habit - is it tall, small, dwarf, columnar, bushy, groundcovering etc?
• Foliage - is it an evergreen or deciduous? What patterns do the leaves display that might make identification easier?
• Flowers - not just the shape and colour but also the flowering season and if it flowers more than once per year. Also make note of the number of petals, whether pistils are displayed or not and even how the flowers emerge
• Your climate - mention any important climatic conditions. Do you live near the coast? Is it a cold-climate with regular frosts? Even your garden zone would be helpful?
• Soil - are you growing this plant in a loam, sand or clay soil?
• Age of the plant - also important may be where you sourced it from ie. a nursery, propagated by a friend or you found it growing on the side of the road

I, like many bloggers, are inundated with requests for information that could help identify garden perennials. The ones that I've been able to solve for most people are the ones where they have supplied an image and answered many of the questions listed above. The reason is because it gives context to deciphering what plants it could be and which ones it definitely won't be.

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The most probable cause of their attention is twofold; (1) They bloom their butts off, and (2) they are fairly easy to grow. So easy, in fact, that many azaleas are sold in supermarkets - and who buys plants from the supermarket apart from those people wanting to just stick something in the ground?

Even though azaleas are supposedly easy to grow, they can just as easily die. My wife (the decisive gardener) ripped one from the ground just the other day - I swear I spotted tinges of green in the stems! Fortunately, this isn't typical of their growth habit and provided the conditions are good and they receive a little TLC they will continue to grow and bloom forever.

What attracts most people to azaleas is the colour range and the diversity of bloom shades and hue makeups. Many specimens now come in ranges from Vanilla white through dark purples and every shade and combination in between. And in peak flowering season - mainly spring - they can almost carpet most shrubs until it looks like a mass of colour.

In the past, azalea bushes were grown as great options for the shade bed. They had very little tolerance of the sun and their blooms, if there were any, would wilt and spot quicker than an icecream on a summer's day. It's not the case these days, though. Most of the newer hybrids are bred to not only tolerate sun but to thrive in it which gives gardeners even more freedom in planting one, or two, or....

The specs for growing azalea bushes...

• Make sure you read the label before planting your azalea in the ground. Some will only grow in shade and others can only survive in the sun.
• While it may seem a travesty against nature, cut off any blooms that appear on the plant before putting it in the ground. Azaleas are heavy feeders - heavy drinkers too - so to give them the best start, boost up the soil with a slow release fertiliser and handfuls of blood 'n bone (bonemeal). When flowering, feed with a liquid fertiliser every 2 - 4 weeks.
• Pruning a shrub is best done after flowering and when the plant becomes dormant - usually the end of autumn. You can be quite hard with them, snipping of about a third of their size. Fertilise again at this time with some more blood 'n bone.
• Azaleas can be propagated by semi or hardwood cuttings taken when you give the plant a prune. They're not hard to reproduce but may take a few turns, so be patient.

What type of gardens do azaleas suit?

Apart from "grandma's garden", azaleas are made for Japanese gardens. Their flowering profusion set against a back drop of dark green foliage make them the quintessential addition. The sun-loving pedigrees (now there's an oxymoron!) also work well in cottage or rambling gardens just as well as they do in formal designs.

There are few garden styles where an azalea wouldn't work well apart from the xeriscape. Their thirst for moisture is often insatiable and they won't survive on merely rainfall alone - unless of course you live in a climate where it rains every second day.

And while they tolerate frosts they don't seem to enjoy them.

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For many gardeners the prime goal is growing plants that bloom their heads off during spring and through the summer months. Some even experiment with the odd winter bloomer and many will attempt to deadhead their plants at the end of summer to encourage an autumn flourish.

It seems that trying to keep flowers in the garden is the prime ambition and one that we should all strive to achieve.

However, there are so many plants that actually look better without their foliage or colorful blooms that are sorely missed within many home gardens. They belong to the group of plants we term deciduous.

Those plants that reside within this group shine best when their autumn colour has past and spring buds are a few months away. Stripped naked and bare their trunks, branches or stems create another dimension in the garden that only the super-wise gardeners seem to enjoy and plan towards.

If your garden looks a little dreary in winter why not take advantage of some of these incredible trees and shrubs with their beautiful bark colours.

Cornus (Dogwoods)
The red stems of C.alba 'Sibirica' and C.sericia are awesome standouts in any winter garden, especially if it's covered in snow. Dogwoods are great cool climate shrubs and will contrast amazingly against a dull winter garden backdrop.

Salix matsudana tortuosa (Corkscrew or Tortured Willow)
The gnarled branches of the Tortured Willow are prized by florists who use them effectively in their flower arrangements. This highlights the versatility of this beautiful tree as it gives texture to a winter garden and dappled shade in the summer months.

Betula pendula (Silver Birch)
The perennial favourite, silver birches and many other trees within the Betulaceae family offer some variations on bark that is not only beautiful but also great texturally. The white frame of the silver birch can be contrasted wonderfully if planted alongside B.nigra (River Birch) and it's dark brown offerings.

Corylus avellana 'Contorta' (Hazelnut, Filbert)
Like the Tortured Willow, Hazelnut trees have these incredible contorted branches that dazzle when their leaves have all fallen away. And while they look great in a winter garden they also offer a great source of fruit during the summer months making the Filbert an extremely versatile tree.

Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore maple, Plane Tree)
The tree that Zaccheus climber to get an eyeful of Jesus is also another standout in the winter garden. Sycamores are large trees so they won't be an option for most gardeners but if you have the room then this maple will make an excellent feature tree. It will shade the garden through the warmer months and then shed its auburn leaves to display its wonderfully mottled bark.

Parrotia persica (Persian Ironwood)
A native tree to Iran, the Persian Ironwood will grow well in most warmer climes and offers multiple trunks and low branches. Its gorgeous autumn foliage is only temporarily missed once the bark becomes its focal point.

Populus tremula (Aspen Tree)
Not too dissimilar looking to the birches and beech trees, Aspens are tall and slender with predominantly white trunks. They can be planted close together for great effect and look best this way rather than planted solo.

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The joy of growing annual plants is the hope that next season they might self-seed and give something back for all the attention you gave them. So, while you may be tempted to deadhead your annual flowers to encourage a repeat flourish, it does pay allowing a few plants to go to seed.

Hopefully, they will disperse their future offspring and you'll be rewarded with sprouting seed next year.

In the case of one of my front beds, I planted some Californian poppies Escholzia californica but only one survived and it struggled to do anything. I didn't give it too much attention but it must have dispatched a few seeds as the next year a clump of these grew up in the same position.

This year, they are sprouting seeds everywhere - but only within the one bed.

As you can see, this bed has almost nothing growing in it - apart from the odd weed. The bed next to it is full of these Californian poppies to the point that some will need to be removed if the others are going to have room to grow.

So, what to do with the other seedlings?

Maybe I could transplant them! I guessed that the risk wasn't too great if I failed anyway, as the other sprouting seeds required thinning regardless. So here's what I learnt from the experience;

• Transplant your seedlings as early as possible - I left these probably a week longer than I ought to. The longer you leave them before transplanting the more comfortable they become in their current surroundings and the less likely they will succeed.
• Dig up some dirt with the plant - if you just tear the plant up without any soil to cover their roots then you will have just killed your sprouting seed. Dig a generous circumference of soil with the seedling and carry it to it's new location as a surgeon would carry a transplantable heart.

  Most flowering annuals have a main tap root which sources all their nutrients and water requirements. If you disturb this root, the less likely you will be to transplanting it successfully.

• Expect transplant shock - less than 10 minutes after I had moved all my sprouting seeds they each went into shock and keeled over. This is normal. To make sure the seedling handles the shock and doesn't die there are a couple of things to consider;
  1. Don't transplant your seedlings in the middle of the day - your plant won't be able to survive both the shock and evaporation at the same time.
  2. Water you seedlings in really well - this removes any air pockets left after replanting and gives the plant a ready source of water.
  3. Add some fish emulsion to the water - a liquid fertiliser can really help a plant resist transplant shock.
  4. Water your seedlings every day - at least until they are coping on their own.
  
  

• Use an appropriate pest deterrent - if you're not against using snail and slug pellets then sprinkle these around the base of your transplanted seedlings. Otherwise, use shell grit or copper filings to keep them at bay as they will view your struggling plants as an easy buffet.

This was taken a week ago and over the course of the week I watched them lift themselves up, and then droop again. They'd repeat this every day but eventually the drooping would become less and now they are standing upright and growing just as well as their counterparts in the original bed.

I will show another photo, in a week or two, to display their progress but is appears that they will make it and be a welcome part of my front garden.

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Search any botanical book looking for a scientific name or definition of a 'shrub' and your search will be in vain. Shrubs are colloquial for 'plants we can't define'! They're not trees. They certainly don't grow as annuals and you won't dig them up each year like bulbs. Yet, they are so much a part of our garden that without shrubs our landscapes would be hideously bare.

They're the filler like cream between layers of sponge cake. Everyone talks about the sponge but without the cream our tongues would be smacking our jowels in search of moisture.

But shrubs are more than that. In many landscaper's vocabulary, focal plants are the sponge cake of any garden. Their perspective on shrubs is to highlight the specific plant that somehow needs special attention - what if, that focal plant was a shrub? No, what if it were shrubs, plural?

Ok. Now you're working with me...this is great. Imagine your garden is a vista of colour, shape and texture and not an annual or a bulb were in sight - not that I'm against either. Evergreen shrubs contrasted against their deciduous counterparts. Brilliant flowering shrubs took the stage while more humble foliage plants helped contrast their beauty for one season and then reversed roles in the next.

Now you're getting a picture of what shrubs can do for your garden.

The Difference between Shrubs and Trees

Definitions of 'shrubs' abound but I think the most succinct one is this;

Woody perennial, smaller than a tree, usually with multiple stems.

It captures definitively what a plant must be to be called a 'shrub'. Shrubs are not trees although often you might hear a plant being described as a 'shrubby tree' highlighting its growing habit and the height it may have.

Trees usually have one central trunk that rises to meet its foliage while a shrub is often multi-stemmed and wrapped in leaves. Trees often start at 5-6m while shrubs usually end at this height. However, shrubs are similar to trees in that some species are deciduous like dogwoods while others remain evergreen. Some flower and others may not, or their flower is insignificant.

How to grow shrubs

It all depends, of course, on your specific climate, soil type, altitude etc as to how to grow shrubs. As they're not a specific genus the term collectively represents everything from a proteaceae to a virburnum; a heather to a rhododendron. So, to give specific how-to instructions would be like trying to lasso the wind - any advice could be spot on or it could miss the mark by a football field.

However, planting a shrub is fairly standard as too is pruning them. Pruning shrubs should be performed either at the end of the flowering season or just prior its growing period. And, it is usually recommended that the shrub is pruned by a third or at least to shape.

The best way to find shrubs that will grow in your area is to drive around and see what other gardeners are having success with. This shouldn't exclude your pioneering spirit but it will help you to understand the shrubs that grow well and will probably have less chance of disease or pest infestations.

Propagating shrubs

Many of our shrubs are very easy to propagate and there are a few methods that would offer some success. Collecting and germinating seed may be possible with some shrubs but this is probably the least preferred method of most home gardeners because there are quicker and more successful options available.

• Air & Soil Layering - these two propagation methods work well with shrubs as their multi-stems and branches offer some easy to work with material. The success depends on the shrub and how temperamental it is to being cloned.
• Softwood Cuttings - many shrubs can be propagated this way and it works well with hebes, lavender, vibrunum and heathers.
• Hardwood Cuttings - similar to softwood cuttings except that the propagation material is collected after flowering has finished or during the shrubs dormant period. This is a great technique for dogwoods, azaleas and camellias.

So, if you've always thought of shrubs as being the filler plants in your garden, maybe it's time to take a second look. Just maybe, they could provide another level of interest that you haven't explored yet.

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Of all the fragrant plants that we can grow in our gardens, lavender is a popular choice. It perfumes your hand as you run your fingers through it and will taint your clothes even if you mildly brush against it. And on a balmy summer's night you can smell the aroma waft through the still air, catching your nostrils off guard but then gently soothing them and seducing your senses for more.

I admit I'm having an affair with this plant and if I weren't already struggling our recent weekend trip to our local lavender farm has not helped my situation.

The hedge we just removed was an old style lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) that I had propagated from a plant at our last property. The scent, and flowering proficiency, were wonderful but it really is a plant that enjoys some space. More space than we could give it, anyway.

So our trip was to find a new, more compact style of lavender that offered a tantalising aroma. We wanted a variety that flowered for more than a few months over summer and could still be hedged. And, it wouldn't take over the garden.

Walking around this farm where more than 75,000 lavender plants are growing from 90 different varieties and stemming from more than 20+ species, would be similar to walking through Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Where do you start?

The obvious place was with the species. Do we opt for another angustifolia? Or, do we begin perusing the French lavender (lavandula dentata)? Maybe, the Spanish or Italian lavender (lavandula stoechas) was a better match? And who could pass by the fern-like lavandula multifida?

In the end we chose lavandula intermedia "Sumion" for as its name suggests it was right in the middle. Not too big; compact growing shape; easy to hedge; prolific and long flowering season, and it won't look dead when you prune it. And who could walk away from a farm with this much lavender, and only buy one plant type? Not us, that's for sure. So a lavendula stoechas "Dark Plum" found its way into our shopping bag as well.

How to propagate lavender?

Lavender is very easy to propagate and most species will take from a single tip cutting planted directly in the soil. If you don't get much success from that method then select semi-hardwood cuttings after the lavender has flowered. Dip the end in honey, or a rooting hormone powder, and pot out in a well-draining medium.

Keep the cuttings under glass for the first few weeks until some growth begins to show and then slowly wean them out into the open.

I usually grow lavender cuttings in groups of 5 or 6 in the one pot, transferring them after they have shown a considerable amount of new growth.

How to hedge lavender?

Hedging lavender is just as easy as propagating it. Depending on the species you are trying to hedge position the plants relatively close. A rule of 2/3 of the growing width is probably a good starting point.

It may seem strange to prune these plants as they grow, but after each flourish of blooms take your hedging shears and remove a good third off the plant's bulk. The temptation will be to leave them to continue growing without pruning them but I can assure you that they will grow much quicker, and stronger, after being pruned.

Once the hedge has filled out and matured to most of its growing height, commence pruning it to shape. This is best done after the flowering season but with some lavenders, particularly angustifolia, you may need to prune again before it flowers again.

Caring for lavender is quite easy. They aren't that receptive to liquid fertilisers due to their leaf structure but they will readily appreciate a good dose of sheep's manure every season.

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Kerri from Colors of the Garden is the star guest blogger today as she shares of her passion with fuschias. I've really enjoyed conversing with Kerri over the past year and she epitomizes what blogs are about - they really are just an international cyber-fence that we can hang our heads over and have a natter. If you haven't met Kerri (or her husband Ross) yet, pour yourself a cuppa and spend some time delving through her archives. They're all as good as this one...

Stuart has generously offered to give me the run of his blog, in a guest post, while he’s off gallivanting in Tasmania. I thought, “Why not? I haven’t had a trip to my beloved birth country since 2003, and I’ve never been to Western Australia. If I can’t go physically, at least I can have a virtual trip”. So here I am!

My first thoughts were of the glorious gardens my mother used to grow, and specifically, her magnificent fuchsias.

Mom lived in Palm Beach, NSW during my teen years, and then later at Nelson Bay in Port Stevens, NSW. She had the greenest thumb imaginable, and grew a great deal of her plants from cuttings.

She had many different fuchsias. Some in hanging baskets, some in containers and others in the ground, almost all grown from cuttings. The plants in the ground grew into very large shrubs, up to 6ft tall, laden with beautiful ballerina-like blooms dancing from gracefully arced boughs.

Unless one is lucky enough to have a greenhouse over here in our Northeastern United States climate (we are just barely in zone 5…surrounded by zone 4), we must buy our fuchsias in hanging baskets or containers from plant nurseries early in the spring.

The hard part is deciding which variety to buy. I make myself stick to one basket of fuchsia because there are so many other plants I want as well. For the past 3 years I’ve chosen ‘Marinka’, a red variety, for its vigorous growth habit and the fact that hummingbirds adore it. And for the most part, I’ve had really good luck with it.

But then there’s that gorgeous pale pink, with a hint of green on the tips that I fell in love with last year. Or the purple and red combination, or “Swingtime”, which is red and white, or…..well, you get the picture. I have a little trouble making up my mind….and this is just the fuchsia! I still have all those other plants to decide on. A trip to the nursery can become a long, drawn out affair for me.

If I’m lucky, and don’t kill the plant by under or over watering, I can enjoy about 4 or 5 months of lovely blooms. As a rule, we don’t get a great deal of hot weather during our short summers, but I find it’s best to move the fuchsia out of the afternoon sun if the day is a hot one. I just move it over one hook, from the edge of the porch roof, to underneath the roof. And I usually need to water it morning and night in very hot weather, because the container dries out very quickly. I’ve found that if I feed it about every 10 days with Bloom Booster flower food (15-30-15) it will produce blossoms continually all summer.

As the cold weather approaches I’m always very reluctant to let the container plants suffer their fate of being killed by a frost, so I carry them back and forth between the inside and out until it gets to be too much of a chore. But this winter was unusually mild until half way through January, and the fuchsia and several other plants survived on our enclosed side porch all that time. When the temperatures finally began dipping to freezing and below I brought the plants inside and put them upstairs in a spare bedroom by a sunny window.

I cut the fuchsia back, and was surprised to see a few blooms on it during these last couple of months. It’s looking very healthy, which leads me to believe that I might end up with another season’s worth of enjoyment from this plant. What a bonus!

And just think, around Mother’s Day I’ll be able to treat myself to a brand new fuchsia, feeling free this year to choose one of those other wonderful varieties

I certainly would love to be able to grow 6 ft high fuchsias like my mother did though. Perhaps I could do it vicariously through Stuart. I’ll have to talk to him about that when he gets back from his trip.

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A plant that's used extensively (shall I use the term - 'used to death') are Clivias. Their famed orange heads have become quite popular over the past decade or more and they will quite often be seen lining the base of evergreen trees.

They're a popular plant because they give maximum effect for very little effort. Clivias, given the right conditions, can almost look after themselves and repopulate any free space - which can be viewed as a blessing or can easily become a curse.

Clivias, clivia miniata, are similar in appearance to the agapanthus family. They sport dark green strappy foliage and their flowers sit atop a fleshy wand-like stem. They're a clumping plant and will grow quite well if clumped in large drifts.

If you don't have any clivias already growing in your garden, the best way to get started is by finding a friend who does and dividing their clump. They're not the cheapest plant to purchase and the more rare the flower colour, the more expensive they become.

Lighting requirements

Clivias are a great shade-lover. They do best when they're out of the sun and hidden under the dripline of a large shady tree. They will also grow really well in woodland areas where dappled light is the most light they come in contact with.

Feeding requirements

As a rule, clivias aren't necessarily heavy feeders although they do appreciate a rich, free-draining soil. It's best to give clivias a boost of organic fertiliser during their flowering period or immediately afterward as this will help them conserve energy for next year's blooms.

Watering requirements

Clivias should never be allowed to dry out and a good covering of mulch at the start of spring will help them retain a good amount of moisture. If they're watered well during spring and summer they should do amazingly.

Soil requirements

These plants aren't fond of clay soils because they don't like their 'feet' to remain wet. A loamy soil rich in humus is the perfect setting for clivias. Make sure the loam is leaning to the sandy side offering good drainage yet able to retain all the nutrients needed by these plants.

Height and shape considerations

Clivias are a fairly low-growing plant managing to reach no more than a metre (3ft) but most will be much shorter than this. They are best planted en masse to achieve an awesome display as on their own they can appear a little lost.

Flowering Time

Clivias flower through spring and summer and will only flower once per stem. Each plant, however, may produce multiple stems adding to their length of flowering.

Although clivias are often thought of as an orange flower there is quite a diversity in flower colour these days. Reds, corals, yellows and even a more rare creamy-white can be found and used extensively through your garden.

Where do Clivia's grow best

These plants aren't the best in areas that are prone to frost or tropical heat. They prefer a mild climate where they can't be scorched by either element.

How to propagate Clivia

Clivias are best propagated by division. In late winter or early spring, clumps of clivia can be lifted and the rhizomes cut through to generate new plants. Replanted in the same location or in pots which a good free-draining mix will help these successfully recreate themselves.

They can be grown from seed that has been collected from the spent flowers but this takes more time and has less chance of success.

If you want to grow them from seed the trick is to impress the seed into some good seed-raising mix allowing the top half to remain exposed. Keep the mix moist and the seed should germinate within a few weeks. Plant up into larger containers as the rhizome continues to grow and you should see its first flowers within 3-4 years.

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The first time I planted society garlic they all withered and died. I had planted them facing an easterly aspect with a solid wall behind them. When summer began the heat emanating from the brickwork was too intense and I lost the lot.

Undeterred, I set about purchasing some more and repotting the one plant that survived. Now they reside in my front cottage garden and have grown quite successfully.

I'm a big fan of society garlic (though it's not really a garlic at all - it just smells like one) as it is so adaptable for any garden. Its strappy grey-green foliage contrasts well in a variety of settings and when it blooms the purple flowers dangle from its un-engineered stalks.

Our society garlic has become a permanent resident in our front cottage garden but it could easily suit a succulent garden, a xeriscape planting and would grow equally well as a container plant.

Society garlic needs full-sun but not in a location where it will burn. It flowers from late winter to autumn yet even though the flowers are gorgeous the foliage is the main attraction for the garden planting.

To propagate society garlic you can divide the rhizomous roots during winter or allow seed to set and dry before harvesting. Dividing this plant is by far the more successful of the two methods and also the quickest. However, if you enjoy a challenge and like propagating from your own seeds then it is still an easy way to reproduce them.

To keep your society garlic looking neat deadhead the petals, including the stalks, once the flowers are spent.

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Though agapanthus originated in South Africa one of its more common names is "Lily of the Nile", suggesting its history emanates through Egyptian or Sudanese culture. Not to be confused with the Blue Lily of the Nile Nymphaea caerulea agapanthus is not a narcotic but just a humble garden plant.

The varietals of agapanthus that most people grow in their gardens are clumping perennials that flower in late spring on protruding stalks that reach up to 2m (6.5ft) or more. The most common colour is blue but today many gardeners are opting for dark purples ('black') or white flowering versions and they are being combined in garden beds to great effect.

While agapanthus are very easy to grow the trick is actually keeping them from devouring your garden space. Their tuberous root system is very shallow and can be quite invasive if they're not looked after well. Agapanthus will continue to spread smothering any plant that dares to withstand its onslaught. For this reason, many gardeners have opted against planting them in their gardens or have ripped them out completely.

There is another alternative though - dwarf agapanthus. Growing to a maximum 50cm (20in) they add a desired dimension and make a great border plant. Dwarf agapanthus is still invasive and need to be monitored each season but as they are much smaller than their predecessors are easier to maintain.

We've had these as a border plant for the past two growing seasons and they truly are a wonderful addition to the garden. Their deep green foliage that weeps over the garden wall through the colder months is enough of a reason to use them in small bed plantings. But then as spring starts its journey to summer spears begin to protrude from the plant reaching their maxim and then bursting open to show a glorious umbrella of trumpet shaped flowers.

How to Grow Dwarf Agapanthus

Agapanthus can be purchased either bare-rooted or potted in soil. If they're bare-rooted then they will need to be planted out in late winter or early spring in a pH neutral soil that drains well. Potted agapanthus can be planted out at almost any time and will need a minimal dose or liquid fertiliser to help them transplant well.

Once growing, agapanthus requires little in the way of maintenance enjoying a feed of fertiliser prior to spring and removing yellowing foliage throughout the year. Once your agapanthus have flowered remove the stalks before they begin to produce seeds as this will drain them of much needed nutrients for flowering the next season.

Agapanthus requires a good source of water.

How to propagate agapanthus

The best way to propagate agapanthus, whether it be dwarf agapanthus or the larger varieties, is to divide them at the end of their flowering season as the weather begins to cool. Using two gardening forks in the same way as you would salad servers, prise the tuberous roots from the ground and shake of the excess soil.

Then, with a sharp knife, begin dividing the agapanthus into smaller plants and position them apart in the garden bed or discard excess stock. Agapanthus can be grown very well in containers and they make great neighbour plants.

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If you've ever noticed the banner at the top of this blog you would have seen my Montezuma gazanias. Without doubt, they would have to be one of my favourite plants in the gardens, for many reasons but mainly due to their cheery flower. The flowers open as they sense the sun moving across the sky and seem to follow them until it finally drops at dusk. Then they close up as if going to sleep and don't arouse again until they catch a glimpse of the first sun's rays.

I remember disliking gazania's with a passion as I was growing up. They would often be the plants that people would discard on vacant blocks or allow to grow along the dead-side of corner blocks. It is due to these nuisance gardeners that many varieties of gazania have now been declared weeds. However, in the last couple of years I have started to take a new fondness to them as I have since seen them used in some wonderful settings.

The flowers are daisy-like and sport many different shades from yellows, whites, oranges and dark reds. Some, like my Montezuma's, are multi-coloured and offer another dimension to the garden.

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Lobelia is a great border annual that will grow in almost any garden zone and at almost any time of the year (except under a pile of snow). In fact most gardeners, and those who for one day called themselves a gardener as they replanted their store bought seedlings, have planted lobelia at some stage in their gardening journey. The more avid gardeners would have taken this a step further and planted lobelia from seed.

Lobelia's are wonderful little annuals with striking whites, red, purples and blues they can contrast or complement your planting schemes without too much fuss. They don't require much fertiliser, maybe just an application of a liquid fertiliser every 4-6 weeks through their flowering period, and regular watering are all they require. You don't need to deadhead or prune them and they will reward you constantly for your lack of effort.

Continue reading "How to grow Lobelia from seed" »

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