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It's actually hard to find plants in garden centres at this time of year, Christmas stock seems to take over and somewhere which is supposed to be the place to buy plants is full to the rafters with tinsel and baubles. I would have liked to have visited a nursery but I just didn't have time, so I put on my blinkers so as not to be dazzled by the fairy lights and navigated my way through the extensive Christmas displays to the small, in comparison, plant section.
There actually wasn't very many plants to choose from which are flowering at this time of year. There were some summer plants which were past their best, but in the end I decided to go for this Dianthus Sunflor Charmy. The information label states that it flowers from early spring through to late summer, so as well giving some colour in September, it should be a good plant right the way through the year.
I've enjoyed growing dianthus in the past, I remember them from my mum and dad's garden as a child, and as I don't have any in my garden at the moment, I think this is a good choice for my September plant.
Looks pretty and if it flowers for that long then its a worthy addition to any garden :) We were at our local garden centre yesterday and they were busy setting up christmas displays. I don't know anyone who shops for such things now - so why do they do it?!
ReplyDeleteIt is pretty, I love the colours. I saw the Christmas cards being put out in our local card shop back in August, ludicrous.
DeleteLovely flowers. My mum used to grow lots of them but I don't see them much nowadays, which is rather a shame. Flighty xx
ReplyDeleteI don't think they're very fashionable these days, but I remember my mum and dad having them in a rockery, I liked them all those years ago.
DeleteSuch DISCIPLINED purchasing! Your garden must be well-stocked by this stage of the plan. I agree with what you say about the plants on sale at this time of year - not so many to choose from.
ReplyDeleteMy garden is filling up, I haven't found where this will go yet, but I'm sure there'll be space. I think a nursery would have had a better selection of plants than the garden centre did.
DeleteIn my experience the dianthus is good value for money. It seems to be quite a hardy plant and will keep producing flowers in those months when there's less colour in the garden.
ReplyDeleteThat's the experience I've had of dianthus in the past so I'm only too pleased to find room for it in the garden. I like plants which earn their keep.
DeleteOur dianthus makes a good show early Spring and mid Fall it's been very hardy in our garden.
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear. It sounds as though I've chosen a good plant for September as it will perform at other times too.
DeleteI bought a dianthus collection of ten plants a while ago that are growing on in the cold frame. I love their perfume
ReplyDeleteTen plants should make a good display. A plant with perfume is an added bonus.
DeleteSuch a pretty colour Jo. Your garden will look lovely with year round flowering in 2014!
ReplyDeleteThe two tone colour is really pretty. I'm hoping that my purchases throughout this year will bring a little more colour in to the garden next year.
DeleteGood choice Jo, I didn't realise dianthus flowered for such a long period!!
ReplyDeleteI think they're great little plants, I shall make a note of how long it flowers for next year.
DeleteIt looks good and healthy too. My September purchases were seriously pot bound.
ReplyDeleteIt is getting a bit more challenging to find plants now!
It takes a little while for plants to get established once they're pot bound, I'm sure they'll spring back though. I think the November and December plants will be the most challenging of all.
DeleteIt's lovely, such dramatic petals. I remember picking them when I was little. Can't believe Christmas things are in already, I really don't want to think about it.
ReplyDeleteI think the petals look almost velvety. I hate it when shops start selling Christmas things so early, it takes the real excitement out of the season when you've had it rammed down your throat for the previous four months.
DeleteA most attractive colour Jo. I like dianthus especially the highly scented ones. The Christmas stock in the garden centres seems to arrive earlier and earlier each year as well as taking up more and more space :(
ReplyDeleteThey had a few different colours but I thought this was so pretty. My local garden centre gets completely taken over by Christmas. It ends up where there's just a corner devoted to gardening things.
DeleteI'm a huge fan of these, they seem to do so well with such little care.
ReplyDeleteOh I know....Christmas has arrived!!!! Arghhhh!xxxx
I love plants which look after themselves, I hope this one does well in my garden. Christmas gets earlier every year.
DeleteWhat a great choice you made Jo - such a gorgeous colour. Its a great idea doing that, I too have just done the same thing as my garden is more of a spring garden colourwise and lacks colour at the moment. I managed to find some platycodons, asters and chrysanthemums, as wellas some violas, and grew some dahlias from seed, so i now have a bit more autumn colour.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week Jo
Gill xx
You should have plenty of colour in your garden now after your shopping spree. Asters are great plants, they go on flowering for ages.
DeleteGood luck with the dianthus. They don't overwinter here - ground stays too wet and they rot :{
ReplyDeletePhlox is only just going over so that would be another good one for you to plant for August and September.
What a shame you can't overwinter dianthus, they're usually quite hardy. I'll keep an eye on mine over winter now that you've mentioned that. I don't have any phlox in my garden so it would definitely be a good one for some late colour.
ReplyDeleteThey certainly are an eye catching flower aren't they. Have you planted them in a pot or in a border?
ReplyDeleteI'm ashamed to say that they haven't been planted anywhere yet. I'm waiting to have a good clear up of the border and then I'll plant it there. Some things want ousting, they've grown far too big for the space they're in.
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