Aka 'Adonis Flower'. Greek legend has it that this flower sprang from the blood of Adonis. By the 16th C., it was widely grown in Britain. Gorgeous crimson and black flowers bloom on feathery green foliage in summer. This plant is diminutive - no more than 15" tall - but breathtakingly gorgeous. Highly recommended.
This plant has been grown in English gardens since the 1500’s. It bears blood-red flowers (giving it its common name) with a dark spot at each petal’s base. Grows to 12”; sun.
This graceful cottage garden classic grows to 36”, and bears large (2”) open, pink-lilac flowers all summer. Self sows so you'll always have it. Sun/pt.shade.
Gorgeous flowers in a range of colours from deep red to pale pink, salmon, and rose grace this tall back of the border plant from summer to fall. Although a biennial, this one has been grown as an annual for decades.
Aka “Great Purple Flower Gentle”. This magnificent plant was considered an old country flower in 1665! Long tassels of burgundy, woolly blooms dangle towards the ground from 4’ stems. Try pairing with white Musk Mallow. Very elegant, it gives a beautiful, old-fashioned look to the garden. Sun; self-sows.
A relative of Love-Lies-Bleeding, this beautiful annual was brought to North America from Germany generations ago. Beautiful maroon-purple flowers are shaped like an elephant’s head with its trunk in the air. Blooms all summer. Drought-tolerant. Rare.
The true wild form from England, this charming, slender plant with scarlet (or rarely blue or lilac) flowers was immortalized by both the novel and movie of the same name (“they seek him here...they seek him there...” ) I feel extremely fortunate to have located some seeds for this legendary plant. Grows 2 - 12”; sun.
(Aka Italian Pimpernel) 14th C. This pretty little plant was the most popular Anagallis in Britain in the early 1900’s, probably due to its flowers – large blossoms, a deep blue shaded with rose. Grows to 12”; regular garden soil.
NEW FOR 2010!! Cultivated since at least the 17C, this Mediterranean native is prized for its clusters of brilliant flowers in shades of blue, lavender, rose, cream and white. They dry easily and retain their vibrant colour for months. Drought-tolerant.
Snapdragons have been grown in English gardens since at least the 16th C. This old variety comes from original plants found growing on old walls on a farm in Suffolk, England. Grow to 12”, in a wide variety of colours. Sun/pt. Shade; well-drained soil.
This beautiful South American perennial has been grown in North America as an annual since at least 1880. Growing to 30”, it carries clusters of orange/red flowers (hence its name) continuously from spring to fall. This is a major nectar source for Monarchs, who also lay their eggs on the plant. Grows easily in dry or moist soil. Sun.
13th C. Aka Pot Marigold, Marygold. Calendula was first considered an herb for cooking and flavouring butter, and the petals are edible. I offer the single-flowered type, quite rare, because it is the original unimproved species that has been cultivated since the 13th C. Grows to 2' in full sun, and flowers continuously in a variety of shades of yellow and orange. A truly outstanding plant. Highly recommended. Self-sows readily.
SORRY, SOLD OUT FOR 2010. Aka ‘Hurtsickle’, due to its tendency to grow among corn and blunt a sickle blade during mowing. This plant has an ancient history – a revered cottage-garden staple, it was especially popular in Tudor times. The Victorians favoured it for boutonnieres (hence its common name). Red, pink, white or blue cornflower blossoms appear throughout the summer on a branching plant that grows to 3’. Self-sows. Sun.
This relative of the Bachelor’s Button is prized for its unusual flowers – resembling thistles in shades of rose. However, they are better known for their sweet fragrance, as their name implies. Sun; 24”.
The deep purple form has been grown since 1792. In the 1800’s it was considered one of the best annual vines for its quick growth and beautiful, large flowers.
This beautiful vine is originally from Mexico and was named after Father Cobo, a Jesuit naturalist in the 1700’s. The vine quickly grows to 10-20’ and makes a good cover for trellises, fences, etc. Its flowers are large, deep bell-shaped, creamy-white tinged with green. The oblong-shaped leaves have bronze undersides, making this a very attractive vine.
Previously labeled as Delphinium consolida, it is an ancient plant. First mentioned in 1572 by Thomas Tusser, it was valued for healing wounds and strengthening the eyes. The distilled water of the flowers was believed to improve sight, and some believed that just the act of constantly looking at them would strengthen the eyes. They would, therefore, cut bunches and hang them up in the house – leading, perhaps, to the phrase “a sight for sore eyes”? Larkspur has been grown in cottage gardens for centuries and was loved for its tall stalks crowded with large blooms in many colours for a long period in summer. The flowers retain their vibrant colours when dried, making them very popular for dried flower arrangements.
Selected from a Tasmanian variety of Cosmos by Seeds of Change, this beautiful plant grows to 30" tall. Its large (3-4') attractive flowers are white, edged with magenta/rose, and seem to "float" above the dainty foliage. Blooms from mid-summer to frost.
This is a very rare form of cosmos with large (4”), open flowers of pure white. I found it listed in a 1917 Canadian seed catalogue with high recommendations for it as both a garden flower and a cut flower.
