THE begonia family was featured recently listing all the types and qualities of these most colourful bedding and container plants.
According
to a trial by a leading national breeder, 2009 could well be termed 'the year of the begonia.'
Visitors to their trial grounds voted begonias into the top four places in all categories. Other flowers considered included petunias, marigolds, alyssum, New Guinea busy lizzies and cosmos – all very colourful and useful summer bedding plants but could not match the appeal of the begonias on show.
Begonia Million Kisses was the variety which came first overall. This is a stunning new semi-trailing type producing an abundance of large white and pink bicolour blooms. In a heat wave, not the best conditions for begonias, it is drought tolerant, yet in cold wet conditions it performs well.
In second place was a possible future introduction at the moment known only as Begonia Exp 15710. Begonia Dragon Wings came third and Begonia Nonstop Fire, a new introduction, took fourth spot.
In the four designated categories: trade customers, garden centres, home gardeners and parks, begonias were voted first choice in each of them. Other begonia varieties included in the placings were Begonia Illumination, a trailing variety and Begonia Lotto, a semperflorens type. At one time the popular bedders were geraniums, French and African marigolds, alyssum and lobelia but now it is begonias, begonias, begonias with the amateur gardener and council plantings.
The varieties Million Kisses, Dragon Wings, Fire, Illumination and Lotto were available as plug plants from various mail order firms this year; garden centres and other outlets still with the older varieties.
It's too late to be looking to get the award-winning begonias for your garden this year, but make a note of the names for next season because it's going to be begonias everywhere from now on.
Slugs and snails are always a menace but in showery weather they are even more active. To keep them from spoiling your plants, especially hostas, and devouring young shoots, use either pellets or liquid products.
