Berry delight
Beautiful nemesias
Nemesias are savoured as the entrée to a spring cottage garden with those magical first blooms, now bigger and more fragrant than ever!
Nemesias originate from the sandy coastal regions of South Africa. Their ‘cheeky little faces’ appear on mass from late winter to early spring, quickly forming a delightful carpet of soft mauves, blues and pinks. As one of the earliest perennials to flower, they are valued for their ability to quickly transform the barren post-winter garden with colour and fragrance.
UK breeder Martine Tellwright has dedicated much of her life to breeding nemesias with larger flowers, and more compact growth. The new fragrant ‘Berry Delight’ nemesias are the spectacular results of this breeding program. The creamy bi-colours are a breakthrough colour combination, not seen before in perennial nemesias. The plants were also selected for exceptional hardiness and form.
Ideal as ground covers, ‘Berry Delight’ nemesias quickly spread to form a colourful mat approximately 60cm across. With adequate watering, they are also spectacular in hanging baskets and pots.
Nemesias thrive in light, moist and well-drained soils in full sun and will benefit from the addition of compost and fertiliser to fuel their extreme flowering performance and support long-term health. These hardy and easy care perennials have very few pest or disease problems making them very suitable for the gardener preferring a ‘no fuss’ plant.
Flowering does continue with these new hybrids for an extended period well into spring.
Care Tips
- Keep moist but ensure good drainage and friable soil
- Compost and slow release fertilisers will assist optimum flowering performance
- Avoid intense afternoon sun as nemesias prefer morning sun
- Keep moist but ensure good drainage and friable soil
- Prune by half and apply a slow release fertiliser after flowering to maintain vigour
For more information visit www.livingfashion.co.nz
Feature article from Living Fashion
4-Oct-2013
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