'Eden Blue Star' Dark blue-purple flowers with pale inner ring. They can be grown successfully in a smaller 10cm pot but will never reach their full potential of a floriferous multi-flower-spiked clump. What is the best way to grow border auriculas?Ī good true border type thrives in a well-drained situation outside in a large container or a border. Some carry heavy meal or farina (a white powder similar to fine flour on flowers, stems and leaves) while others show no trace of it. They range from large clumps bearing numerous flower spikes and full-petalled blooms that shout their joy at you to the smaller, shyer plants nearer the ground that require closer inspection to appreciate their full beauty.Ĭolours vary from almost black to white and every tone and shade in between. The most appealing quality is their enormous variation. However, not everything sold as one behaves like one, so we always trial new cultivars outdoors to check their hardiness. All other auriculas come into the category of florist's flowers' and meet certain specific written criteria, but there are no rules and restrictions with border auriculas. What is the difference between border auriculas and their rarefied relatives, the show auriculas?īorder auriculas used to be called garden auriculas or Dusty Millers and should always be hardy, floriferous and have a sweet scent. The first catalogue was issued in 1999 and was printed to order at home. The collection increased and, within a few years,Ī bigger tunnel was installed and surplus plants were being sold at plant fairs, from the garden gate and via mail order. Those original auriculas were grown in the shade at the side of the garage with minimal weather protection. It was not long before the first 6ft x 10ft polytunnel was 'needed'. When did you become interested in auriculas?Īnnabel's mother grew them for pleasure and she passed on some spare plants to her, with the comment, "Just a hobby you might enjoy now the boys are away at school". Until 2001, I worked elsewhere, so my efforts were confined to structural work, hedges and lawns. Many winter evenings were spent drawing plans and researching plants. Since we married 36 years ago, Annabel has been the gardener wherever we have lived. Their favourite species? Border auriculas. This is what we learnt about growing the perfect, colourful border.īut first, a bit about Robin and Annabel. Once the current display is over, swap in more seasonal plants as they reach their peak for an ever-changing and beautiful drama on your doorstep.Continuing our search for horticultural devotees whose gardens are shaped by their love of one species of plant, we went to Drointon Nurseries in North Yorkshire to meet Robin and Annabel Graham. Stick to similar types of pot to pull the whole thing together: select your favourite designs from the range of handsome terracotta, glazed or lead-effect containers in our garden centre here in Iver and Bourne End. Everything you need fro your plant theatre at our garden centre in Iver and Bourne EndĬreate your display with a collection of a single plant, such as perennial violas, or a type of plant such as herbs or bonsai. Place them against a wall or fence to give a tiered effect (you may need to fix the shelves to the wall for added stability). Make your ‘shelves‘ from wooden greenhouse staging, wooden planks or even a wooden stepladder. Raise your plant collection on shelves and you can better appreciate their charms at eye level, without having to stoop to see them properly. Plant theatres became popular in Victorian times, often to show off the spectacular markings of dainty auricula primulas, but you can create a plant theatre out of any special plant from alpine bulbs and herbs to pelargoniums, violas and bonsai trees. Create a plant ‘theatre’ to show off your collections of choice seasonal treasures at their best.
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