16 MAY 2019 GARDENING AUSTRALIA
10
Flowers are always a great way to show your appreciation. But why
not go a step further this year and give Mum a plant that will live on?
Here’s a diverse selection of ideas from DERYN THORPE
“I LOVE YOU”
planty ways to say
Daphne
(Daphne odora)
The winter daphne is
adored for its pinkish-white
clusters of fl owers, with
their intense, rose-citrus
perfume. It’s a fi ckle plant in
warmer areas, as it prefers
a moist, cool, humus-rich
and well-drained soil, so,
unless conditions are ideal,
keep it in a pot. The newer
cultivar, Daphne ‘Perfume
Princess’, is less tricky but
still best grown in afternoon
shade in hot areas. It has
much bigger, blush-pink
blooms and a longer
fl owering period, from
mid-winter to late spring.
Its heady fragrance is more
citrusy than the original.
Generally, daphne do not
need pruning, but if your
mum wants to shape her
plant, she should do so
immediately after it fl owers
to ensure that she doesn’t
removeanynewbuds.
1m 1.5m
full sun/semi-shadeRose
(Rosa spp.)
Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a rose.
Personalise your gift by checking online
catalogues for a rose with your mum’s
name. If you can’t fi nd a match, it’s hard to
go past the bushy, fragrant, pink-fl owered
Hybrid Tea rose ‘Mother’s Love’, or pink,
cluster-fl owered ‘Dearest’. Roses need
good air circulation and at least six hours
of sunshine. Fertilise regularly during
the growing months to encourage good
growth and lots of blooms, and cut back
by half to two-thirds in winter. Varieties
include miniature bushes, groundcovers
and big climbers, so whether you’re
shopping for a rose for the garden or
acontainer,you’llbespoiltforchoice.
from 30cm from 30cm full sun