Once more the Wish Books, as a friend calls them, are coming in the mails. And once more we look ahead and plan for next summer's flowers. With annuals, we have the opportunity of creating new and different pictures each season, yet always there are old favorites which we cannot get along without. Now that we have installed solar landscape lights in the garden we cannot live with those either.
In looking back over garden pictures that have pleased me, one particular grouping comes to mind. It was planted with particular attention given to evening effect. At the back of the bed there were several large datura plants, which opened their sweet scented white trumpets each evening. Several clumps of the flowering tobacco-nicotiana affinis-were scattered thru the bed, and the edging was a double row of ten weeks stocks, in cream color and purple.
The datura grows easily and rapidly in any ordinary soil, but rewards one generously for. extra attention, well rotted manure- added to the soil and liberal watering in dry weather. Their large trumpets, white tinted purple, give out the richest perfume and look almost tropical. Both the datura flowers and the nicotians droop, when the sun gets hot next day, but give a beautiful evening picture. I had the white nicotiana, as I think the white flowers show up much better for evening effect but they, also come in a variety of colors.
The ten weeks stocks were started early, in a box in the house, and set in the garden after frost danger was past. These also come in many colors, mostly double and very fragrant.
No comments:
Post a Comment