Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Nicotiana sylvestris

Family: (Solanaceae)

(A) to 6′. Flowering Tobacco. This tobacco plant adds boldness to the flower border. Slender, pendulous, scented trumpets make this another indispensable Nicotiana. The heavenly evening fragrance invites you back into the garden. Self-sows. Sun. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Papaver somniferum Mix

Family: (Papaveraceae)

(A) to 3.5′.  Southeast Europe, West Asia.  We are lucky to have a number of showy variants of the classic Opium Poppy that self-sow each year in the Flower Garden.  Stems and leaves are a glaucous, greyish-green and sparsely covered with coarse hairs.  Jaggedly incised and toothed leaves clasp the upright stems at the base.  Tissue paper-like flowers are typically four-petalled, but often double, vary widely in colour and can have dark makings at the petal bases.   Flower centres feature many attractive stamens arranged in multiple whorls.  The beautiful and persistent fruits are hairless, rounded, many-seeded capsules opening by pores just below the apex.  Whilst we cannot promise specific colours, we can assure you great satisfaction in establishing these self sowers in your full sun garden.  Best sown in situ upon receipt.

This year’s colours include: 

Pink, Peach, Red, Orange and Blue. 

 

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Perilla frutescens Green Leaf

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(A) to 4′.  Shiso.  Himalayas to East Asia.  A selection of superb, iridescent foliage plants.  Try one, or all of them in the flower border.  Easy to move around the garden to “fill in” when you need a good block of colour.  Self-sows.  Sun.  Best sown in situ or 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Persicaria orientalis (syn. Polygonum orientale)

Family: (Polygonaceae)

(A) to 7′. Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate. Southeastern Asia and Australia. A spectacular, old-fashioned cottage garden favourite with lush, heart-shaped leaves and fast growing, stout, branching stems bearing in late summer flamboyant, arching, three to four inches long, pendulous, crimson-pink flower clusters. Makes an excellent cut flower too. Self-sows. Prefers moist, rich soil. Flowers from midsummer until frost. Direct sow or 3 & 7 for 3 weeks then T2.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Reseda luteola

Family: (Resedaceae)

(A/B) to 5’. Dyer’s Rocket. Long, meandering, slender spikes of small, yellowish flowers top narrow, lance-shaped leaves. A dyer’s plant yielding flavone, used to colour textiles yellow. Long blooming and self-sows. We just love it. Sun. 4 & T2. Best in situ.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Silene armeria

Family: (Caryophyllaceae)

(A) to 8″.  Sweet William Catchfly.  Europe.  Grey-green, glaucous leaves and loose clusters of tubular, bright rose-pink flowers with five notched petals.  Flowers profusely July through August.  A cheerful and easy self-sower.  An old fashioned beauty that is a mainstay in grandmother’s garden.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Talinum paniculatum

Family: (Portulacaceae)

(A) to 2.5′.  Jewels-of-Opar.  Southeast United States to Central America.  Many slender flower stalks bear panicles of shiny, red-orange, three-part buds followed by tiny, rose-red, ¼-inch flowers containing 15-20 stamens.  Jewel-like, ruby-orange, rounded berries that eventually turn black.  Very succulent, dark green, opposite leaves add to this oddity.  Sun.  4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Leonurus sibiricus

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(B) to 6′. Chinese Motherwort. Native to Northeast China and Korea. A huge, imposing presence, each of the branching stems is heavy with small, pale pink, tubular blooms in dense, axillary whorls. Pinnately divided, dark green leaves are deeply veined. An ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Summer bloom. Small black nutlets follow. Bizarre and beautiful. Sun. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Peruvian Tassel Flower.  Many branched panicles of crimson, tassel-like flowers accentuated by the deep maroon foliage of this plant, creates drama in the border.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Mirabilis jalapa ‘Limelight’

Family: (Nyctaginaceae)

(A/TP) to 3′.  Four o’Clock, Marvel of Peru.  Delicate trumpets of shocking pink are accentuated by the astonishing, bright chartreuse foliage.  A show-stopper.  Sunglasses de rigueur!  Sun/partial shade. 4 & T3