I adore blossom, but it is so short-lived! To have "blossom" throughout the year, please could anyone recommend any frothy white or pink flowers which are maybe 2ft - 3ft tall. I do have Sweet Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis) which I love, but what else can I grow?
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How about Bouncing Bett (love that name) - Saponaria officinalis. It's a British native and comes in single and double versions - the double is particularly attractive in gardens.
Thank you landgirl . . . I'll look that one up. The only Saponaria I have is very low-growing - this one is new to me.
You could have Cleome which are annuals, or Cosmos, white campion, white Honesty, poppies, Camassias. In the shrub line you could have Choiysia, dogwoods, amelanchier
The double Saponaria officinalis is one of the worst thugs going. We have been trying to get rid of it for the last 18 years and it still comes up everywhere.
for later on, one of the small flowered asters, an ericoides or laterifolius cultivar.
There's an ericoides called 'Pink Cloud' or something like that.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Many thanks Gardenmaiden! I tried Cleome one year, but wasn't very successful, and my Camassias don't last very long either (but I appreciate the suggestions); Cosmos is a great idea, and I will try to increase my white Honesty. Love the idea of masses of poppies too. I'm lucky enough to have the shrubs you mention, but my dogwoods have never flowered
- wrong type of soil apparently.
Thank you nutcutlet - I will look up ericoides Pink Cloud.
Berghill - I looked at Saponaria on Bob Brown's website (Cotswold Garden Flowers) and he says the same as you - very invasive!
The flat heads full of tiny flowers of Achillea are always nice in the summer months and loved by pollinators but careful what you buy as from my experience some are so heavily bred that they actually become sterile. My personal preference is wild carrot (Daucus carota) which looks similar but flowers for a very long period and is absolutely loved by pollinators, I found that ladybirds are particularly attracted to this plant for some reason!?
I grew Wild Carrot in my wildflower area last summer alongside Knapweed and scabious and it's a winning combination for texture, colour and best of all pollinators.
Just my thoughts hope they help
Best
Higgy
http://higgysgardenproject.blogspot.co.uk/
Ammi majus and gypsophila are pretty annuals, Sarah Raven does them
Just a note on Saponaria - I haven't found it invasive on poor, sandy soil, and it doesn't spread much in the road verges either round here. Must depend on the soil.
Hi Higgy, Thanks. I have a wildflower area too, so might try that. Our ladybirds will be happy! I've just looked it up and like it a lot . . . do you grow it from seed, and if so, do you have a reliable supplier??
Thanks Fleurisa: two good ideas. I was given Ammi majus by a friend once, and grew it "through" the Cotinus, which helped as it was so tall!
Landgirl - good point about the soil, that would make a big difference.