Green Fingers: Anemones: Sea farers or flower favourites

Dec 18 2008

Literals among us may be wrestling with images of tentacled sea creatures stranded in autumnal flower borders, but Japanese Anemones (not ‘Finding Nemo’ friends) are quite a different kettle of fish.

Linguistically challenging Anemone japonica – now more correctly A. x hybrida, may be the source of the name of the maritime hydra, but there is definitely no hidden sting to this Cottage Garden favourite.  What-you-see-is-what-you-get - a stalwart hardy perennial with weed-smothering foliage and rounded, simplistic blooms.

Anemones are essential ingredients of the late summer / autumn flower garden, adding height and substance in clear shades of purple, pink and white.  Their vine-like leaves are generally dark green and semi-evergreen, reaching up to half the height of a mature plant.

Despite being known as ‘Japanese’, the three main types of Anemone – A. hupehensis, A. tomentosa and A. vitifolia confusingly hail from China, with most modern varieties being descendants of the garden-originating A. x hybrida.

Growing Tips

Apart from excessively wet, Japanese Anemones will thrive in a wide variety of conditions.  Similar to their woodland relations, they flourish in shade, colonising heavy clay, or damp limy loam.  Don’t be misguided by their diminutive habit in a pot – allow them plenty of time and elbow room to reach full size, as plants may take two to three years to mature.

Established clumps improve year-on-year, providing branched clouds of blooms until cut back by frost.  Light colours appear to float above dark foliage with the backing of an evergreen hedge or companion.  Plant deep claret-pinks with mildew-resistant Asters in mauve and blue.

Eeelworm is their only nemesis, causing tiny sections between the leaf veins to brown as the microscopic pest multiplies inside the leaf.  Rarely fatal, removing the worst affected leaves is the only effective control at present.

Varieties

A. hupehensis ‘Hadspen Abundance’ – five rounded deep rose purple petals surround a central boss of golden stamens, before falling to reveal a green ‘ball’ seed head.  Highly acclaimed and recipient of an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), ‘Hadspen Abundance’ reaches 90cm (3ft) in height.  Its peculiarity for producing two intensely dark petals and three larger, lighter ones gives the flowers a shimmering quality and adds a valuable two-tone effect to borders.

Semi-double A. ‘Bressingham Glow’, ‘Pamina’ and ‘Prinz Heinrich’ bear typically narrower petals in ruby purple shades; a direct contrast to other colours and shorter than most.

The purity of A. x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ is intensely popular and a deserved AGM winner.  Perfect, simple rounded blooms on plants up to 1.8m (6ft) tall, have a grace few autumnal flowers possess.

Fascinating ‘Whirlwind’ bears a ‘ruff’ of distorted green outer petals, more of a curiosity than a beauty, around its crowded semi-double 4” blooms.  Growing up to 1.2m (4ft), ‘Whirlwind’ is considered medium height.

A. tomentosa differs in sporting delicate pale pink flowers above soft, greyish foliage, tinged white beneath.  Often the first autumn Anemone to flower, the woolly A. tomentosa may join other hardy perennials with blooms at the tail end of July.  Silvery-tipped buds open a succession of blooms, on stems up to 1.2m (4ft) tall.

Garden Care

Cut back stalks after flowers have faded and tidy away old leaves each March.  Anemones resent root disturbance and just as their rock-pool namesakes, wait for food to come to them.  Mulch heavily each spring with a fertilising mix of garden compost and manure to fuel growth, - and wait to be captured by their beguiling beauty.


IN THE GARDEN THIS WEEK…

Intentionally or not, our gardens offer a shared experience to all passers-by.  It is easy to overlook the pleasure given by self-seeding annuals or billowing roses as they cross over from private property to public space.  So why not plant accordingly and encourage your garden to be viewed from all sides?

Planting for ones own pleasure often leads to a wider sharing of the joy of a particularly successful colour combination or flourishing species – perhaps inspiring other would-be gardeners to try their hand.

Collectively, our front gardens make a difference to the ‘landscape’ of our towns – highlighting with positive effects, the difference committed individuals can have on the wider community.

Sharing successes with our neighbours and swapping advice or plants, is just the beginning…creating a more beautiful and caring environment for all.

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