Gardening columnist JACKIE WARBURTON features a perennial plant that makes a great filler in a summer garden. 

Alstroemeria, otherwise known as Peruvian lily or princess lily, is a perennial plant that’s coming to the end of its annual flowering cycle. 

Originally from South Africa, it grows well in our climate and benefits from its stems being plucked or pulled to snap them at the base of the plant to allow new growth when the weather warms.

It has a fleshy root system of tubers that can be easily damaged if they are disturbed. Dividing should be done in late winter to early spring, when there is new growth appearing at the base. 

Propagating tubers is easy and, like all tubers (such as potatoes and dahlias), the hard stem at the end of the tuber is the growing point (eye) and must not be damaged. If this is missing, the tuber will rot. 

Dig the entire clump from the ground and shake as much soil from around the tubers before planting it into new ground on a mound of soil and cover. 

There is one particularly bad, weedy variety of Alstroemeria called A.psittacina, which can be fast-spreading and invasive. But this species should not give all alstroemerias a bad name. Alstroemeria is a great filler in a summer garden and has many colours. 

AQUILEGIAS grow through winter, untroubled by frosts. Their dainty fern-like leaves suit a cottage garden and prefer not to be disturbed in the soil once planted. 

They grow well in full sun or part shade, in good drainage and with lots of compost. 

They have a few different common names from granny’s bonnet or Columbine, but botanically they’re an Aquilegia so look for this name. 

They’re easy to grow from seed in late winter with some seed-raising mix and a heat bed. Fill punnets with seed-raising mix and keep moist and indoors until there is germination. 

Once there are at least six or so leaves, they can be placed outdoors, but with a little protection to keep them growing strong before being planted into the garden in spring. 

Some varieties of Aquilegias will self-seed in the garden if the conditions are right and sometimes their flower colour may not remain true to type due to promiscuous bees mixing pollen about. Which means surprisingly beautiful and unusual coloured flowers can appear. Growing them with spring-flowering bulbs will give the garden a mass colour display.

Best of all, they are suited to pots and hanging baskets and, if deadheaded, can flower for several months until the heat of summer arrives. 

Jottings 

• Prune small deciduous trees after they have lost their leaves. 

• Keep water up to peas, beans and any winter vegetables. 

• Mulch bare garden areas to keep weeds down in the garden.

• Fertilise camellia and rhododendrons that are beginning to flower. 

jackwar@home.netspeed.com.au