What else could this month’s newsletter lead with but the news from the 2023 Chelsea Flower Show that South Africans Andy de Wet and Quinton Bean had scooped up Plant of the Year for their Agapanthus Blackjack.
The winners
The judges’ commentary was unequivocal and to the point. Blackjack is “vigorous in growth and flowering, disease resistant and stable – with no hidden flaws. A superb plant choice for landscapers and gardeners.”
While this prestigious achievement is cause for major celebration, there have been other shining milestones along the way for this exceptional partnership. Aloe Fireworks garnered them 3rd place at Chelsea in 2019 and Agapanthus Poppin Purple was named Best New Perennial at the IPM show in Essen, Germany in 2020.
However, it is clear from Quinton’s description of the breeding process that it is sheer passion not accolades that drives them.
“Plant breeding is a long, tedious and expensive process,” he told me. “It took the plant breeding division 17 years to make a profit. We do on average 12,000 hand pollinated agapanthus seedlings every year. On the first selection we might get 200-300 that we then pot up and trial for another year, but on the final selection we will get two or three plants out of 12,000 that can actually get a cultivar name and go to market. Everything that does not get named and go to market gets destroyed.” (That last makes me wince, I have to say.)
All of this action happens at the Aloe Farm in Hartbeespoort which was purchased by Andy in about 2003 and, after opening to the public many years later, has become an iconic destination for indigenous plant lovers. A limited number of Agapanthus Blackjack are available from the Aloe Farm and CND Nursery in Linbro Park Johannesburg.
Well done, Andy and Quinton, and thank you for giving us a ‘proudly South African’ moment!
IN THE GARDEN
With the late rains and early snow, I’m afraid I am expecting a very cold winter.
Colbyn certainly had more than its fair share of rain during May. Curious to know exactly how much, I approached our meticulous local Rain Recorder, Denis Milton. It seems that our average rainfall for the month of May over the past 20 years has been 21mm. In May 2023, it was 154mm! No wonder the garden plants have shown little if any shock from the cold temperatures we have experienced.
In addition to the Chinese lanterns that are putting on such a show, the tree dahlias are just beautiful. The ground below these robust perennials where the spent flowers have dropped is almost prettier than the plants themselves.
Tree dahlia
The tree daisy - giving the tree dahlia a run for its money!
Abutilon Linah
Justicea aurea
IN THE NURSERY
Click here to view all the plants in this newsletter on one website page.
Indigenous plants
The fragrant pink flower clusters of the pink wild pear, Dombeya burgessiae, are an absolute joy during winter. Now in bud, this strong growing small tree with downy heart-shaped leaves grows approximately 3m high. It is evergreen and hardy, and likes sun to semi-shade.
The serious collectors out there will know that Kniphofia pauciflora is already extinct in the wild so is well worth acquiring. This evergreen hardy perennial grows just 40cm high and has grey green straplike leaves and spikes of dainty tubular yellow flowers in summer. It wants full sun but moist soil. Lovely for the bog garden.
Osteospernum imbricatum is a hardy evergreen perennial that likes full sun and dry sandy soil, and is tough enough to survive even the most inexperienced gardener! Reaching a height of 50cm plus, it has upright stalks with narrow leaves and gorgeous dark yellow flowers in summer.
The slow growing suckering perennial Talbotia elegans makes a good container plant. It has creeping fibrous rosette-forming leaves and star-shaped coconut scented white flowers in summer. Evergreen and very hardy, it grows about 25cm high, and wants shade and moist soil.
Exotic plants
Buddleja hybrid – Maroon has sprays of yellow-eyed maroon flowers that attract butterflies from summer to autumn. The exotic buddlejas are fast-growing, very hardy evergreen shrubs with arching shoots and lance-shaped leaves that reach a height of about 2m. Plant in full sun.
With the delightful common name of cherry pie, Heliotropium arborescens is a lovely well shaped evergreen perennial with rough oval dark green leaves and vanilla-scented purple/ mauve flowers that are loved by birds and butterflies. It is hardy, grows about 70cm high, and is happiest in part shade. The flowering season is summer to autumn.
The upright branched shrub Justicea aurea is a good choice for those deeply shaded parts of the garden. Evergreen and hardy, it has robust stems with huge mid-green leaves and sprays of tubular yellow flowers that attract bees and butterflies in summer. Cut back in early spring.
Scabiosa atropurpurea wants sun and dry, sandy soil. This self-seeding upright perennial with has deeply lobed leaves and wiry stems with rounded plum-coloured flowers from spring to autumn. It is evergreen and hardy, grows on average 1m high, and is also a magnet for bees, insects and butterflies.
SNIPPETS
The Aloe Farm’s yearly Aloe Festival was famous long before Andy de Wet and Quinton Bean started bringing home their awards. This year, it is scheduled for 20 June to 5 July. The second week of the festival will coincide with Andy’s 50th anniversary as a plant breeder! Don’t miss what is sure to be a special occasion.
Six weeks ago, the hard drive on the very aged computer which drives our price tag printer crashed. What a gedoente! It took all the knowledgeable people I could muster to help us out. A special thank you to Robert Basson from Libwin Library Systems for the magic he performed to get things operational again.
Happy gardening!
Leoné
082 482 0257.