A rather surprising sight greeted me this morning: a single Anemone de Caen. I planted the corms in an old wine crate last autumn and they produced a wonderful, if gaudy, display back in June. I really wasn’t expecting to see them again until next April or May.
Generally, I prefer these anemones as cut flowers because their exuberance can sometimes overpower everything around them, though on the Crocus site I notice that they recommend lavender as a suitable planting partner (sadly, I have no room for lavender, and what little I have had in the past has never done well). But in their crate the anemones proved to be a useful, moveable feast, and I was able to relocate them as needed.
I had so many flowers from the 25 corms I planted, I was able to cut them regularly during June, never more than two or three at a time though. This is surely the cue for me to get some more anemones for the two wine crates currently filled with gardening clobber.
PS Following Uphilldowndale’s comment regarding the scent of anemones, I am now rather tempted to cut this single flower and bring it indoors – which I think means that, although I haven’t done it yet, I can just about qualify for Small but Charming’s monthly flowers in the house link up.
What a charming surprise for you. I have never been able to grow them and I love their exuberance. I do think that your should expand your growing area for them, but where witll you put the gardening clobber?
It’ll probably end up in a heap somewhere in the house and I’ll trip over it daily and curse it, the anemones and myself! Actually most of the stuff should go in the tiny little shed, but as it’s so very tiny and so very stuffed with yet more clobber, I daren’t open the door because everything always falls out.
On the Anemone-front I have to say they were very easy – cheap and cheerful bulbs from supermarket and I soaked them as per the instructions, and was pretty convinced nothing would happen … but in early spring lovely green leaves emerged and later, in June, the first flowers. Maybe you could try them in a window box.
You’ve inspired me to grow some. I love anemones, One of my earliest childhood memories is the scent of a jug of them, I had to kneel on a chair to reach them, my mum tells me I would have been three or four. (They do have a scent, when they are full, just before they drop their petals, it’s woody, mossy…)
Scented you say… I’ll have to give it a sniff tomorrow. It closes up over night and if it’s sunny, is open fully by about 10′ish.
You can buy them from lots of suppliers online (Crocus, Sarah Raven, Nyssens etc) or at the supermarket, as I did – the big three all stock them – or any garden centre. Good luck!
Your blog really makes me want to grow things however experience has shown me that I am pretty rubbish at it. Just about keeping the peace lily in the lounge alive.
Thank you. If it’s any comfort to you, I am absolutely hopeless with houseplants – they always die!
Dear Charlotte
What a lovely surprise to see that brilliant flash of colour. My cosmos are giving me a flash of colour at the moment but I don’t think that will be for much longer once the frosts start in earnest, so I am enjoying it while I can.
I have not had much luck with lavender either, but have tried again with Hidcote, in pots with JI no3 compost and grit. I pruned them back in September and so far they are all right, but they haven’t survived the winter yet, so we shall see. Fingers crossed. Enjoy that lovely vibrant colour!
Best wishes
Ellie
I planted a bunch of anemones this Spring but saw no signs of them at all. I suspect it had something to do with the little tree that was next to them which grew like a teenage boy all of a sudden. Yours have inspired me to try again, they are beautiful.
Welcome to the party. Sometimes just telling me you’re thinking of a flower and it begins with an “a” is enough to gain you admittance.
But beautiful pictures are a sure way to get invited back.
xo jane
Thank you – I’ll try to be more on the ball next time!
They look fabulous growing in the wine box!
Penny x
I have never had any success with growing these and, as a floral photographer I’m really keen to succeed. What sort of soil do you use?
I just used a bag of John Innes – not sure which number, but the one the garden centre said was best for bulbs (I’ll check and get back to you). The key though is soaking them over night, I think. I have three in flower now, Jan 3rd. But the first flush was in the summer, they died back and then suddenly the box was full of frilly green leaves again and I’ve had a flower a week during the last month or so.