Begonia (Million Kisses Series) Devotion
Words: Graham Rice
New types of begonias derived from previously unfamiliar species have brought prolific flowering and elegant new styles to our patio containers in recent years. So last year the RHS ran a trial of them at Wisley and among the winners of the coveted Award of Garden Merit (AGM) was the latest in the Million Kisses Series, called Devotion (‘Yadev’).
The Million Kisses Series features plants with a semi-trailing habit and they’re ideal plants for baskets or other containers, or for the open ground – they’re being used extensively for the summer displays at Wisley this year. Individual plants make superb specimens in 30cm (12in) or 35cm (14in) patio pots.
Devotion features slender, sharply pointed green leaves, neatly edged in pale pink, and a generous display of four-petaled, bright velvety red, pendulous flowers held on pink stems. Plants reach about 40-45cm (16-18in) high. The panel assessing last year’s trial noted that Devotion is “more vigorous and pendulous (than others in the series); good basket plant; looks spectacular and doesn’t appear to get scorch.” The fact that plants did not scorch when grown in full sun on the windy Wisley trials field was especially impressive.
I’ve noticed that the plants start to flower when still just a few inches tall, continue right through into October, and don’t need dead heading.
Devotion, and the others in the Million Kisses Series, were raised by Cheshire plant breeder Fred Yates and they are now grown all over the world. Fred has also raised other patio begonias, trailing antirrhinums, penstemons and other fine new plants.