My mums are flowering! No, not the little wretched cushion mums you see everywhere. These are the lovely, fully hardy ones from
Faribault Growers I was all excited about buying
earlier this year.
Plants and flowers are a bit smaller than the catalog descriptions, but given they started as itsy bitsy little plugs this spring, that isn't too surprising. I expect they will grow into their full size next year. In any case, I'm nuts about them. Great colors, diverse forms, large voluptuous flowers, on utterly tough, carefree plants. What's not to love?
Matchstick has a vivid, ever-changing mix of yellow and red I've seen around in catalogs. It is nice, but not my favorite.
Snowscape has a graceful combination of pale pink and yellow on huge, profuse blooms. Very soft and romantic feeling.
Centerpiece has an elegant spooned form, in a richer shade pink
My favorite, hands down, is Peach Centerpiece. Same form as Centerpiece, but in a warm peach tone that one of my absolute favorite flower colors.
Drooool....
I think I need a LOT more Peach Centerpiece next year. I want dozens and dozens of them, all over the garden, sending the gardening year off in a rush of glorious, decadent beauty. That shouldn't be too hard... I love it when I fall for a plant that is both cheap and easy to grow.
7 comments:
Oh, those are stunning! My favorite is the lavender/cream one, but I like them all.
I'm trying some new mums this year, from seed I got from T&M. They are supposed to deal with the kind of winter we get here better than most types. I hope so, because I love mums and hate how even the hardy types die every winter here.
Laurie,
Most of these were bred in Minnesota, so they should be able to take a LOT in terms of winters.
I was just gonna say...most of those look familiar! My advisor was head of the mum breeding at the U of Minnesota so I spent lots of time working with his mums. I always loved snowscape
The Mums you describe are sold here under the moniker "Mammoth" and they are stunning. By next year we should if they maintain the neat mound shape as promised or if they spread and sprawl like Clara Curtis.
Hi Joseph,
Next to Orchids, Mum are the flowers that quite literally take my breath away. I love them all and hope someday to grow them all or as many as space allows. However, my favorites are precisely the ones you’ve said are not yours — Matchsticks. I guess it’s the contrast between the deep burgundy red and the canary yellow that does it.
Snowscapes have a gentle classiness which I simply cannot resist and these were actually the first Mums I have ever cultivated and yes, they are in full bloom at the moment with their heads being almost as large as my own.
Hanna
p.s. Love your photography!
Thanks Hanna! It is interesting to see how everyone's tastes are different. Peach Centerpiece makes me drool, but I've been told by retailers that it is not a good seller.
My favorite is the peach too. My favorite rose is Pat Austin, with lovely multishades of peach and SMELLS like peaches.
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