Sterling Silver

No doubt it is considered as the favorite among all roses! The Sterling Silver is the true and original lavender rose, being nearly thornless, and having a sweet and citrusy fragrance. The parent or ancestor of nearly every single modern lavender variety today.

This rose fits in well with our English Old Rose Hybrids, even though it has a little of the Leander group in its genetic make-up.

This rose fits in well with our English Old Rose Hybrids, even though it has a little of the Leander group in its genetic make-up. This shows up in its rather shiny foliage. It is a superb rose with flowers of an unfading, strong yellow. Their formation is most pleasing, having a neat outer ring of petals enclosing an informal group of petals within. The growth ...is low and naturally rounded, making it an ideal rose for a position towards the front of the border. There is a rich fragrance with strong lemon tints at first, becoming sweeter and stronger with age.

Narcissus Flower

First, let’s establish what we’re talking about. We all know what a daffodil looks like, right? Well, may be. When I was a child I called all the yellow flowers of this type ”daffodils” and the white one “narcissus”. I also know people who call the yellow ones “jonquils”. Well, botanically speaking, they’re all from the genus Narcissus. But you’re welcome to call them whatever you like. These narcissi, like many flower groups in which many different species, and their hybrids, are grown, have been classified into groups. Here’re the major ones, which sound at times like a list of bra sizes. Keep in mind that the “cup” is the round, protruding part of the flowers that is surrounded by the petals. 

“Trumpet” narcissi produce one flower per stem in which the cup is at least as long as the petals. The big yellow “King Alfred” narcissus is a classic example. Large cupped narcissi have a cup that is a big around as but shorter than that of a trumpet. I especially like the ones with the pink cups, of which Mrs. R.O. Backhouse was the first, and “Pink Beauty” is a fine modern example. Small cupped narcissi are rather flat flowers with a short cup. With any of these, the cup may be one color, the petals another. 

“Double” narcissi are any that have more than one row of petals. They tend to be very fragrant, with almost a jasmine scent, and there’re often several white with some yellow deep in the center, is a popular double. 

“Jonquils” are hybrids of the small, early N. jonquilla, and have as many as six flowers to a stem. No longer all yellow, the colors vary. “Tazetta” narcissi have many flowers on a stem and are fragrant, often with a small, colored cup. Paper white and the yellow and orange “Grand Soleil d’Or” both nonhardy narcissi that are excellent for forcing, belong in this group. Those in the “Poeticus” group are fragrant and have only one flower per stem, which is white with a contrasting shallow cup. In “Actaea” an old favorite, the cup is yellow edged with red. The red-cupped “Geranium” is another good variety. 

In addition there’re a number of delightful species and their hybrids that produce miniature flower on short stems, perfect for the rock garden or any other small-scale planting. Among these are N. bullbocodium (hoop-petticoat daffodil), which has a big cup and rather wispy petals; N. triandrus, which has little drooping flowers with pulled-back petals. “April Tears” is a lovely fragrant yellow variety and N. cyclamineus, whose petals look as if they were being blown back by the wind. 

How to Grow

 

Give narcissi full sun or light shade. They prefer a well-drained sandy loam. Well, Plant large varieties at least 6 inches apart and at least 6 inches deep. Small varieties can be a little closer and less deep.  Work some high-phosphorus fertilizer into the soil. Do not cut the foliage down until it turns brown. Established plantings will increase by themselves but benefit from being dug up every four or five years and divided. To do this wait till the foliage has died, then dig them up with a digging fork and pull apart the bulbs that will separate easily. Either replant them right away or store them in a cool place until later in the summer.

Source: Charismatic Planet

Jasmine is Popular Evergreen Flowers

Some jasmines may twine to some extent, but as a group they’re really in the category of shrubs. Some have long, arching stems, however, and are therefore grown as vines. They’re very popular in warm climates, where they’re usually evergreen and bear lovely flowers in spring or summer sometimes even in winter; many are extremely fragrant. Common jasmine (Jasminum Officinale) is vigorous and hardy to Zone 7. It will grow to 30 feet; very fragrant white flowers appear in summer. Winter jasmine (J. nudiflorum) grows much less tall and is hardy to Zone 6. 

Yellow flowers which are not fragrant, appear before the leaves in early spring in cooler climates, in winter in warm ones. Pink jasmine (J. polyanthum), whose flowers are more white than pink, has small, dainty leaves and starts blooming in winter in warm climates; it is hardy only to Zone 8 to 9 but can be grown successfully indoors and is very fragrant. Many jasmines in fact, make good container plants, indoors or out. Some of the larger ones make good, dense, fragrant hedges. There’re many other jasmines worth exploring, especially if you live in a warm climate.  The plant called “star jasmine” (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is actually not a jasmine. It is evergreen bears fragrant white flowers in spring and summer and is a good screening plant in frost free regions. 

How to Grow Jasmine

Jasmines prefer sun, though some may do well in part shade. Any well drained, light loam is suitable as long as there is some moisture. Most need pruning to keep them within bounds. With indoor plants especially it is important to cut them back hard after blooming to encourage branching and more bloom. The stems must be anchored to their supports. Propagate from cuttings or by layering.