All Greek to Me

Whilst I have never really been much of a successful gardener, nor have I gained much knowledge about plant propagation, seed and bulb types, or ideas about the proper care and maintenance of pot plants or flower beds, I am able to recognise attractive displays, both in formal gardens as well as in natural surroundings.

In the kitchen garden (more properly the jardin potager, as my French friends would say) there was a fairly dense border of low-growing leafy things. And that’s what they were for the months of December and January. I don’t know who planted them there, or whether they are a legacy from the previous owners.

At one point I tried to tidy the pathway bordering the j.potager, and I hacked the parts of these plants which overhung the cement walkway and dropped their rotten debris on the hard surface. The main plants apparently suffered no harm by the hacking process.

Then, in February, the plants started becoming more dense, and little buds started appearing in March. By the middle of March, we started seeing these purplish blooms appearing.

 

The interesting thing about this en masse display is that we did not water them at any time – natural rainfall has been their only supply of moisture. So, water-wise is good, even though they may be invasive and alien.

According to the garden handbook, they are probably something like Grecia Windflowers, or Greek Anenomes, known to the Latins as Anemone blanda.

I understand that we let them die down after flowering, cut the dry stems and dig up the tuberous material for re-planting? Any readers with good advice, please comment below, so that we can get them going next season.