Agapanthus 'Loch Hope'
With round clusters of deep blue, trumpet-shaped flowers on single, leafless, upright stems, this Agapanthus certainly has the 'wow' factor in late summer and early autumn. Find it in the Farmhouse Garden.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- African blue lily 'Loch Hope'
- Family
- Alliaceae
- Height & spread
- 1.2 – 1.5m x 60cm (4-5ft x 2ft)
- Form
- Clump-forming perennial
- Soil
- Fertile, moist but well-drained soil
- Aspect
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
Agapanthus
Agapanthus is a genus of about six species of vigorous perennials, some of which are evergreen, from southern Africa. The evergreen species occur in coastal areas, the deciduous ones in moister, mountain grassland in inland regions.
They form bold clumps of large, strap-shaped, usually arching, deep green leaves, and bear rounded, intermediate, or pendent umbels of many tubular, bell- or trumpet-shaped, blue or white flowers. The inflorescences are good for cutting and are followed by decorative seed heads.
Grow in a border or in large containers. Most hybrids are deciduous and usually hardier than the species, with dense, rounded umbels, to 20cm (8in) across, of 3cm (11/4in) long flowers, and with leaves to 45cm (18in) long.
Agapanthus flowers are borne in three main inflorescence types: rounded umbels of bell- to trumpet- shaped flowers; intermediate umbels of usually trumpet-shaped flowers; and pendent umbels of tubular flowers.
Agapanthus gets its name from the Greek agape, love, and anthos, flower.
Agapanthus 'Loch Hope'
This clump-forming perennial is a selection of Agapanthus from the Crown Estate, Windsor, and is a hybrid that produces a round cluster of deep blue, trumpet-shaped flowers on single, leafless, upright stems in late summer and early autumn. The flowers are held 1.2-1.5m (4-5ft) high above grey-green, strap-shaped leaves that form a basal clump.
Cultivation
- Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. In cold areas, mulch hardy hybrids in winter. In containers, grow in loam-based compost. Water freely when in growth, sparingly in winter. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly from spring until flowering.
- Agapanthus can be shy to flower if subjected to drought conditions following flowering. To ensure a good display next year, keep plants moist until autumn after flowers start to fade, which will encourage the development of new flower buds.
- Slugs, snails and viruses may be a problem.
Propagation
- For cultivars, divide the clump to propagate as they will not come true from seed. Divide between spring and early summer, or after plants have finished flowering. Avoid splitting plants too often as this will reduce flowering - large clumps should only be split every four to six years.
- Agapanthus species can be propagated by seed. Collect pods as they turn brown and allow them to split apart indoors. Store and sow in the spring. They will flower in two or three years.
AGM
The RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee awarded Agapanthus 'Loch Hope' an Award of Garden Merit (AGM) and described it as an:
'Herbaceous perennial forming clumps to 1.2m, with narrowly strap-shaped greyish-green leaves and erect stems bearing umbels of trumpet-shaped, deep blue flowers.'