After losing many plants in the harsh winter, those that have survived have filled out the vacant gaps. We used many plants raised in the nursery to replace casualties. The vegetable garden is burgeoning with produce; beans, courgettes, onions, tomatoes and cucumbers are just a few of the crops being harvested this month. The roses in the Rose Gardens and the Cottage Garden are looking wonderful, filling the air with their fragrances; the Long Border and Square Garden are a mass of colour.
With large globes of dark blue flowers and dark green strappy leaves, Agapanthus 'Midnight Star' is one of the best Agapanthus cultivars. On the Long Border, it is combined with bright, contrasting colours such as orange Hemerocallis ‘Burning Daylight’ AGM. Grasses provide a contrast in form, for example Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’ AGM, with its spiky foliage and yellow banding. Agapanthus 'Midnight Star' is a small plant reaching about 70cm. Grow in full sun in moist, well-drained soil.
Alstroemeria 'Red Beauty' is a tall Peruvian lily, growing up to 90cm. Sporting bright scarlet flowers with a yellow throat, it makes a striking statement at the back of the border. This plant will tolerate partial shade and is invaluable for adding a bit of heat in a variety of situations. The Hot Garden at Rosemoor is the perfect home for this plant where it combines well with other hot colours such as Kniphofia ‘Atlanta’, Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm' AGM.
Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana AGM has especially eye-catching leaves at this time of year when the sun gets behind them and the bright red veins stand out within the pale yellow/green flesh of the leaves. The fragrant pink flowers with their bright yellow stamens dance among the leaves in the partial shade of the exotic plants in Lady Anne’s Garden. This plant sensibly hid underground beneath a blanket of mulch during the winter so it escaped the worst of the snow.
At the beginning of the month, Blueberry 'Bluecrop' is the star of the fruit crops in the fruit and vegetable garden. The berries are every bit as decorative as the spring blossom and are followed by brilliant autumn colours. This is an easily grown fruit crop provided you give it lime-free conditions. They make excellent patio plants - decorative as well as edible – potted up in ericaceous compost.
Cuphea cyanea is a tender perennial, native to Mexico, and at Rosemoor it is grown as summer bedding in the formal garden and in Lady Anne’s garden. The racemes of green/yellow tipped orange tubular flowers are borne prolifically from late spring to autumn. Cuphea cyanea has a tropical feel which makes it ideal for the exotic borders; its tolerance of shade means that it can be grown successfully beneath large leaved plants such as Musa basjoo AGM and Ensete.
Echinacea purpurea is one of the more striking plants to be found in the herb garden where it earns its place as a medicinal herb. The golden brown, cone-shaped discs are surrounded by partly reflexed, purplish red ray-florets. A native of the dry North American prairies, it associates well with grasses and other perennials from the same habitat such as asters, Coreopsis, Geum, Helianthus and Solidago.
Eucomis bicolor is one of the borderline hardy plants that have made it through two severe winters where others have perished. As a native of South Africa, we have it growing on our southern hemisphere Croquet Lawn border in Lady Anne’s garden. The sumptuous exotic racemes of pale greenish white flowers with purple-margined tepals, emerge from strappy leaves, and are topped with a tuft of leafy bracts giving it the common name of pineapple lily. It can also be found adding to the tropical effect in the Exotic Garden growing among gingers and bananas.
No self-respecting sunny border would be complete without red hot pokers, and the soft yellow/orange flowers of Kniphofia 'Bees Sunset' make a hot spot in the Long Border combined with Aster, Crocosmia and Hemerocallis cultivars. The sturdy flower spikes rise to about 90cm and are especially attractive to bees.
Lobelia x speciosa ‘Hadspen Purple’ is another plant in the Hot Garden and is a visitor favourite. The vivid purple flowers are held on straight, sturdy stems from mid summer to mid autumn. We use it in repeat plantings throughout the Hot Garden combined with the other sizzling colours of Kniphofia, Geum, Achillea and Helenium, but softened by grasses, for example Miscanthus and Molinia cultivars.
The flowers of sedums are irresistible to bees and butterflies and make an invaluable contribution to the front of any sunny border. The bright rosy-red flowers of Sedum ‘Bertram Anderson’ are enhanced by the purple-grey leaves. These succulents require good drainage in a sunny spot and the dried flower-heads provide colour and structure during the winter. This is one of those plants that benefit form the ‘Chelsea chop’ which will help keep its shape; during Chelsea Flower Show week, cut one in three stems back to the ground – the plant will flower later but will be less likely to ‘flop’.