With their fiery
hues, crocosmia
add a bold blast
to the dying
days of summer
FIVE crackIng
crocosmIas
Martyn
Cox
IN THE GARDEN
1 cItron Ella
Between July and September,
24in-tall stems clothed with
soft yellow flowers (above)
rise above upright clusters
of pale green leaves.2 EmIly mc kEnzIE
Emerging through sword-
like leaves, bright orange
flowers marked with crimson
adorn 2ft-tall stems from
late summer until October.3 hEll FIrE
A fairly recent introduction,
boasting large red flowers
carried in tight clusters on
3ft-tall stems from late
summer into early autumn.4 sol FatarE
Dating from the 1880s, its
apricot-yellow flowers are
displayed perfectly above
smoky-bronze leaves in
late summer.5 zEal tan
2ft-long arching stems
carrying fiery, orange-red
blooms rise above mid-
green leaves from August
until mid-autumn.GAP PHOTOSGardens^89
T
OWARDS the end
of the 19th Century,
a French nursery-
man called Victor
Lemoine set out to
create a new type
of crocosmia. The
most celebrated plant-breeder of
his day wanted to develop a hybrid
that was tougher, showier and more
reliable in gardens than the wild
forms indigenous to Africa.
The result of his efforts was Cro-
cosmia x crocosmiiflora, a perennial
with 2ft-tall stems clothed with fun-
nel-shaped, fiery orange-red flow-
ers in summer. Commonly known
as montbretia, it was an immediate
hit with British gardeners thanks
to its looks and ability to withstand
temperatures down to -15C.
Alas, Lemoine had created a
monster. Montbretia turned out to
be highly invasive and the first gar-
den escapee was recorded in 1911.
Today, it can be seen in hedgerows,
roadside verges, waste ground and
on clifftops. As a result of its thug-
gish behaviour, it’s illegal to delib-
erately introduce it into the wild.
Fortunately, not all crocosmias
are so unruly. There are scores of
amazing varieties that won’t spread
like wildfire through beds and bor-
ders, providing a display from July
until October, depending on vari-
ety. Flowers come in shades of red,
yellow, orange and peachy pink,
with some that are two-tone.
Apart from looking good at the
tail end of summer, now is a good
time to set ready-grown plants in
the ground for a show next year.
Don’t worry if you forget. Bulb-like
corms are available in spring,
although these are unlikely to
flower during their first summer
as they will concentrate on estab-
lishing a strong root system.
Crocosmias are native to vast
swathes of southern and eastern
Africa, from South Africa to Sudan,
where they thrive in moist grass-
land. In our gardens they prefer a
warm, sunny spot and do well in just
about any soil, as long as it’s fertile,
moist and fairly well drained.
Their botanical name derives
from the Greek words krokos and
osme, which roughly translates
as crocus-scented. Bizarrely, this
is nothing to do with them emitting
a delightful scent in the garden
but because their dried flowers
smell a bit like the spice saffron,
which comes from the flowers ofCrocus sativus.
We’ve been grow-
ing these late-
bloomers in Britain
since the 19th Cen-
tury, when tender wild
species were raised by
the wealthy in glasshouses.
Over the years, plant-breeding has
led to the introduction of 300 or so
different varieties that are much
better suited to our climate.
Another attribute of cultivated
varieties is that flowers are much
larger than their wild cousins – up
to 3in in length. They are borne
from slender buds that are arranged
in a distinctive herringbone pattern
on stems which can be anywherefrom 12in to
5ft in height.
Of all the vari-
eties, perhaps
the most famous
i s C r o c o s m i a
‘Lucifer’, a plant
bred by Alan Bloom
at his Blooms of Bress-
ingham nursery. Making
its debut at the Chelsea Flower Show
in 1966 and first offered for sale in
1970, it bears fiery red flowers on
4ft-tall stalks, rising above a mass of
heavily ribbed, dark green leaves.
My personal favourite is ‘George
Davison’, whose arching 2½ft stems
carry amber-yellow flowers during
July and August. Making its first
appearance in 1910, it’s named after
a Norfolk-based gardener whoGARDEN GURU
Flaming
gorgeous
Got a problem in your plot?
Email Martyn Cox at [email protected]Q
There are white ‘marks’ on
the underside of leaves
on my camellia. What are they
and can they be treated?
Pat MatthewsA
The white ‘marks’ are most
likely cushion scale insect, a
sap-sucking pest that secretes a
liquid called honeydew on to the
upper surface of leaves, causing
the spread of sooty mould. Rub
off with a damp cloth or spray
the underside of leaves with a
suitable pesticide, such as Vitax
Organic Pest & Disease Control.Q
My Agapanthus ‘Arctic Star’
has not flowered for two
years. What might be wrong?
Viv NevinA
There are a few possibilities.
Firstly, agapanthus prefer a
sunny, sheltered spot and tend
to perform poorly in any kind of
shade. Move the plant if need be.In my experience, agapanthus
with a tight root system flower
best, so it may need to fill out a
bit. As a general rule, feed plants
every fortnight in the growing
season, and water regularly.Q
I bought a shrub two
years ago and planted it
in a sunny, sheltered position,
but unfortunately I lost its
label. I wondered if you
could identify it for me. It
is bushy, 4ft tall and has
lance-shaped leaves.
Linda CrushA
The picture you emailed
shows Echium fastuosum, a
plant sometimes called Pride of
Madeira. It can reach 6ft in height
and will eventually be topped with
tightly packed spires of deep blue
flowers in spring and summer.HOT STUFF: The vibrant blooms on Zeal Tan, above,
and, right, the flecked flowers of Emily McKenzie introduced a number of varieties in
the early 20th Century. In my gar-
den, a swathe of ‘George Davison’
rubs shoulders with golden day lil-
ies and a clump of dwarf alstroe-
merias with mauve-pink flowers.
They also make great partners for
red hot pokers, agapanthus and
dahlias. For a contrast in texture,
team up with ornamental grasses,
such as carex and Stipa gigantea.
Feed crocosmias in March with
slow-release fertiliser and water
freely during the growing season.
In late autumn, spread a thick
mulch of garden compost over
the ground to insulate corms from
frost. Leave faded foliage in place
over winter and cut back to the
ground before new leaves appear
in early spring.