First are a couple of new seedlings of Aconitum carmichaelii, the Autumn Monkshood, with outstanding foliage colours (he lists almost a dozen varieties, all with cultivar names that begin with "river"). Below is 'River Dee' that emerges with orange leaves that turn to yellow-green with a green edge as they mature.
Another somewhat similar plant is 'River Lugg' (below) with foliage that emerges a bright, golden yellow colour, greening-up as it matures. Both this one and the previous one, are relatively dwarf at approximately 30-40cm (12-16") in height, and produce the typical purple-blue Monkshood flowers in the autumn.
Here is Angelica 'Ebony' of unknown origins, at least as far as I can tell. According to other sources, it comes almost 100% true from seed, and caused quite a stir at the Chelsea show when it was first shown. It grows to 75cm (30") in height.
Next is Astrantia 'Comptom Lane Strain' with brilliant crimson flowers, and seemingly large and extended, bristly bracts.
Below is an outstanding, but still unnamed, yellow-leaved form of Euphorbia amygdaloides, the Wood Spurge. Bob states, "so far, no mildew and a good garden perennial", that the plant is thriving, and rates it a 8.5 out of 10. What a beauty!
Next is Geranium phaeum 'Séricourt', another yellow-leaved plant, in this case the foliage nicely contrasting with the dark, reddish-brown flowers. Bred by Yves Gosse, Séricourt, Pas de Calais, France. Bob rates it an 8.
Geum 'Bell Bank' is a variety raised in the 1980s by Geoffrey Smith of the U.K., likely from a cross between G. rivale and G. coccineum. The pink colour is unique, and the deckled (love that word) edges an interesting feature.
Next is Iris sibirica 'Roaring Jelly', a 1992 introduction from Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks. It was awarded the Morgan Wood Medal in 1999, and consistently ranks highly in the annual Siberian Iris Society's 'Favourite Cultivars List'. The colour is outstanding! Why it is not being more actively propagated in North America is beyond me.
Finally for this post (the first of two featuring plants from Cotwold Garden Flowers), are a couple of Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker, Torch Lily), 'Barbie' immediately below with large, round heads of yellow, orange-tipped flowers (very lucent), and then 'Barton Fever' with tawny buds that open to a fine apricot.
Here's to dirt under your nails, and more of these plants becoming available in North America!
Mark, the coolplantsguy
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3 comments:
Those two aconitum's are amazing! I can definitely see some of those in my garden someday...and that angelica...so cool, wish i was better ability at planning with biennials...
They are indeed! I believe I found one that is very similar to one of those two, amongst a crop of 'Royal Flush' a purple-leaved selection.
As for the Angelica, and designing with biennials in general -- you are indeed right -- they must be a pain from a design/planning perspective. I have A. gigas, and love it, but it self-sows and comes up all over the place. I would suggest that the garden (design) must be almost always somewhat flexible! ;)
Aconitums are some of my favourite plants and I've built u-p quite a collection. i consider 'a. Carmichaelii arendsii' the absolute best as it is beautiful almost all year round, form the ridiculously bronze emergence of its foliage in January, gorgeous glossy green leaves all season, and then its profusion of china blue flowers in September/October when sucha fresh blue is completely rare. i can't wait until these cultivars become available, I have no doubt that they'll be not only beautiful, but incredible useful, garden-worthy plants.
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