Categories
Christine's garden Gardening Home page features Perenniels

Scaevola Aussie Salute

[one_half]Scaevola Aussie SaluteScaevola Aussie Salute[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Close up of the flowersScaevola Aussie Salute[/one_half_last]

Hi Barbs, I’ve had a very long day – I’ve had so much work to do which meant I had no time to even venture into the garden. Apart from a quick glance at my now thriving new Tomato and basil plants, its been work, work and more work. And now I need to unwind a bit so thought I’d tell you a little about the plant you admired when you were here last week.

This unassuming plant is the Scaevola Aussie Salute I bought a few weeks ago. It has been flowering continuously  since I bought it, lovely little fan-shaped purple flowers that seem to almost hide the foliage. I’ve read up about it and found out that it’s used a lot in pots, border planting, hanging baskets and as a ground cover. It’s branches grow upright but also spread sideways so its looks very “neat” – like a tidy little bush covered in these sweet purple flowers. The branches are about +/- 4o cm and it will spread to about one metre across (wide) once I plant it out. It apparently flowers continuously from spring through Autumn, is water-wise and can tolerate some drought.

It is supposed to do very well in full sun but will also tolerate shade. I’ve had the pot sitting in a spot where it gets full on afternoon sun for a good few hours. Now I need to decide where to plant it – I don’t want to keep it in the pot. Any suggestions?

Hope you’re having a great weekend!

Categories
Christine's garden Gardening Home page features

Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’ flowering

“Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul.” – From The Koran

I work in my garden because I love to watch my plants grow. There are two things which really make me forget about the problems of the world – If ever I am having a stressful day or been upset by something, taking a few minutes out to cuddle or play with one of my “four-legged” family members always seems to relieve some of the stress and put things into perspective. Even better? A walk around my garden with both of them in tow as we admire new growth, sniff a flower or pluck out a weed … and the world is right once again.

My lovely Pandorea Jasminoides have sprouted lots of new leaves and stems since last weeks “cutting back” exercise and two of the tree have new flowers! They are so pretty. And then today we are admiring our Plectranthus – ‘Mona Lavender’ which are just starting to flower now. The Mona Lavender is an attractive form of Plectranthus that does not spread like other members of the family. It is a wonderful solution for shady areas in the garden and apparently also makes an ideal container or basket plant (though I haven’t tried that). Numerous spikes of lavender coloured flowers begin to appear from late summer and flower through autumn. They form a neat low shrub with an upright, erect habit and when not flowering, it’s ornamental foliage of deep green leaves with dark purple coloured undersides are very attractive too.

Here they are just starting to flower now – and will apparently be a mass of purple flowers soon …

[one_half]Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender'[/one_half_last]