A Gardener’s Miscellany
This week it’s:
Penstemons
Great bloomers from the past and present!
AROUND the year 1900, penstemons were incredibly popular. They were seen as new and exciting, and there were lots of varieties available. But they were also seen as fussy and tender, and they gradually fell out of favour. It wasn’t until the final decade of the 20th century that they came back into vogue – and then some! New forms, which demand less specific growing conditions, were bred, and gardeners became aware of newer and better techniques for growing them.
Today, penstemons are highly fashionable. Most are easy to grow and propagate, and there are many cultivars that are ideal for perennial and mixed borders. Their extraordinary colour range, and their ability to flower over a long summer period, compounds their appeal. Let’s take a look at them…
