With their long stems and umbels of tiny flowers, agapanthus are the stars of the garden in August.  Most are blue but they come in white too and a few pink varieties are also available.

They thrive in pots and in soil that’s moist but free-draining and even once their flowers have faded, their architectural skeletons continue to delight for many months.

Despite having a reputation for being slightly tender, many varieties of these South African natives grow well in Scotland so long as they can bask in a sunny spot that doesn’t become waterlogged, although it is best to mulch them in autumn to prevent their crowns from being damaged by frost.

The hardiest kinds of agapanthus have narrow, strappy leaves which die down in winter. Evergreen forms, which have broader leaves, are more tender and these need to spend their winters under cover, so it’s best to grow them in pots and to reduce watering to the barest minimum until they move outdoors again in spring.

From tiny plants that grow to just 20cm to varieties that send up whopping 1.5m flower spikes, there’s a wide range of agapanthus to select from. Those that carry the RHS Award of Garden Merit, have been shown to be great performers in most gardens, so choose these if you want reliable plants that will do well year after year.

Most agapanthus spread quite slowly, but you can increase their numbers by splitting up clumps every four or five years. In containers they thrive when they fit snugly against the sides, but their strong roots can shatter pots so its best not to plant them in containers that you cherish.

Feed plants in spring with a balanced fertiliser and give those in containers a seaweed feed until the flowers start to colour up. A lack of water in autumn can lead to poor flowering the following year, so make sure that your agapanthus don’t dry out and check too that they aren’t being shaded by overhanging plants, as this can also inhibit flowering.

Do all this and you’ll have flowers that will light up your garden in summer and give you beautiful seed-heads to enjoy well into autumn.

 

AGAPANTHUS FOR SCOTTISH GARDENS

Scottish Gardener:

Agapanthus ‘Ben Hope’ is a tall-growing, deciduous variety with flowers that range from mid to dark blue. It is reliably hardy.

Scottish Gardener:

At 70cm, Agapanthus ‘Castle of Mey’ is smaller, but it has delightful lavender blue flowers and it is equally as tough.

Scottish Gardener:

Agapanthus ‘White Heaven’ is an evergreen variety, with attractive strappy leaves and long stems that carry huge heads of pure white flowers. Grow it in pots and move it undercover during the winter.