Even in the recent cold conditions, a native of South Africa is blooming

By now we should be experiencing the first true cold winds of winter, however, except for a couple of days of heavy snow fall, we have been feeling positively warm for the time of the year. Famous last words I suspect, certainly in this part of the world!

There is one plant that has been feeling particularly at home during the recent warm spell: the Hesperantha or Sword Lily from South Africa. This plant was formerly known as Schizostylis and produces a late flush of flowers from late summer into the early part of winter. We have still got four cultivars in flower in the gardens and nursery at RHS Garden Harlow Carr; the most distinctive are red and white. Hesperantha coccinea ‘Major’ produces clear deep red flowers. The plants at Harlow Carr still have a lot of fresh new flowering buds that have not opened yet; hopefully the winter conditions will be a little more forgiving on these late flowering bulbs.

The white cultivar is Hesperantha coccinea ‘Good White’; its shape and form is almost freesia-like, without the heady scent. The other cultivars now in flower are Hesperantha ‘Fenland Daybreak’ which is a brilliant shell pink, Hesperantha coccinea ‘Jazz’ which is magenta in colour and Hespetantha coccinea ‘Wilfred H Bryant’ which is a lighter shade of pink.

All these plants are hardy perennials growing from the same bulbs each year. They will survive conditions down to -10 as long as they are growing in a soil medium that is free draining and moisture retentive. During severe winters the plants will benefit from a light mulch around the crowns of the plant.

The leaves on these plants are very tough and distinctive, giving rise to its common name Sword Lily. Like most bulbs they naturally produce young bulbs each year; the younger generation of bulbs would normally take five years to produce a mature flowering bulb. The plants are relatively trouble free from pests and diseases and as long as they are planted in a suitable site and in the correct growing conditions, they will last for many years to come.

This plant is very flexible in that it associates and combines well with herbaceous borders planted to the front of the bed and also in shrub borders placed in small drifts to the front. The plants make excellent containerized plants and can also be used to provide late interest in a rockery. The flowering spikes are relatively long making them suitable for late cut flowers. At Harlow Carr we have found that they perform very well in the Mediterranean border which has plenty of river and sharp sand worked into the heavy clay soil. This helps to provide a quick run off during heavy rain and also helps to protect the plants during periods of very cold weather.

by Andrew Willocks, horticulturist

Jobs for the week

* Shake and remove heavy falls of snow from conifers and other evergreen plants.

* Carry on sowing sweet pea seed under glass.

* Lift and bring inside dahlias into a frost proof shed or glass house.

* Bring inside and over winter the remaining tender plants from summer containers.

* Prune yew hedges.

* Rake up and remove fallen leaves from lawns.

* Bag up fallen leaves and place in plastic bags for leaf mould.

* Continue to take willow and cornus cuttings.

* Mulch tender plants outside with a dry mulch using straw or bracken.

* Insulate outside pots with bubble wrap and fleece.

* Protect overwintering seedlings from mice.

* Collect seed and berries from trees and shrubs for sowing.

With thanks to Andrew Willocks, Horticulturist at RHS Garden Harlow Carr

DIARY DATES

2 – 4, 9 – 11 and 16 – 24 December: Magic of Christmas

Get in the festive spirit with our Christmas Activity Hunt; put on your best Christmas jumper and join our fluffy polar bears and penguins in the photo booth for a festive family snap. Get creative in the glitter emporium and make your own ‘Thank You Santa’ Christmas Eve kit. Normal garden admission.

November - March: Winter Walk 10-Year Anniversary Harlow Carr celebrates the 10-year anniversary of its Winter Walk this year. To mark the occasion, 5,000 irises have been planted and will bloom as the garden moves into early spring. Adorned with daphnes, witch hazels, birch trees and maples, the striking stem colours and variety of forms, textures and scents make this a must-see from November through until March. Normal garden admission.