Statice flowers: hidden gem of the garden

Statice flowers.

By Beatrice Hawkins

I have recently seen many lovely flower arrangements and bouquets and almost all have included Statice as a “filler” and a foil for the more dramatic main flowers such as roses or proteas.

I have also noticed statice in gardens in my travels in many areas, often used as the second row of borders and flowering from early summer right through till late autumn. It is a very hardy, useful plant and definitely a must for floral arranging.

It has its origins in the Mediterranean area, the botanical name is Limonium and is sometimes known as sea lavender, or marsh rosemary but has nothing to do with either! Depending on the variety, it is native over a wide area from Russia right through to Africa. There are at least 120 different forms in this genus. I believe it is an evergreen perennial with the botanical name coming from the Greek word for “meadow”. However, there is some confusion over this as sometimes it is referred to as a hardy annual!

Fairy Statice, with its tiny flowers, is evidently an African native and just looks like a soft cloud of blooms.. another must-have for me. It grows to about 60 cm high and wide… can already visualise where I want to plant it… hope it lives up to my expectations!

They are easy to grow in full sun in medium fertile, well-drained, soil. Ideal for a low-maintenance garden and as mine is very definitely a low-maintenance garden, it is a flower that will go into mine as soon as the frosts are done. I think the purple heads would look great flowering over the profusion of continually self-sown, white Alyssum, which is always the base of my flowerbeds. I will probably find some already started in punnet even though I am reliably informed they are very easy to grow in place from seed.

They are bee and butterfly-attracting flowers, another reason for including them, as I already have a good assortment of native and domestic bees coming to my gardens and need to keep adding to the nectar and pollen source for them.

They come in a range of colours from white through yellow, pale pinks through to rosy crimsons, and many shades of lavender through to a deep purple. It is the deep blue/purple that I particularly like and can visualise in my garden although I won’t mind if I get a variety of colours from the punnets I buy!!

The papery flowers last so well in flower arrangements and dry well for almost everlasting displays.

Lastly, I looked up the flower meaning and for the people of Victorian times it symbolised memory and remembrance and this was probably because the flowers lasted so well. It can also mean sympathy or success, so is appropriate in a vast array of floral bouquets.

With the days now getting longer and hopefully the frosts decreasing it is time to get things moving in the garden for spring and summer.

The veggie garden will be the first place to get my attention and I will definitely plant some spinach, beetroot and potatoes. Radishes will also be planted ..always planted them for my children as they produce so quickly for impatient small.. and older!!.. gardeners! Maybe a bit late to put broad beans in unless I can get some plants already started.

Now is also the time to plant bare-rooted trees if you have fruit or ornamental ones you are wanting to add. I have a spot for one or two dwarf citruses I’d like to have. Time also to plant shrubs.

Pruning, roses and shrubs, is also something that needs attention now so that the roses will be blooming nicely for Roses and Rodeo in October. My main effort this week will be to prune three abelia’s into shape. My brother tidied two for me back in March and they are still looking great. The other three, however, are definitely in need of a good “haircut”.

Cleaning up or planting a herb garden is also something that can happen as the days get warmer. I would like to get a lemon balm plant going in a pot near my front door again.. I love the fragrance of the leaves when they are brushed against or crushed. The chives, oregano, marjoram, two types of thyme, rosemary, mint and pineapple sage are all doing well. I need to get some parsley going now also perennial basil, and as soon as the frosts stop, some other annual basils.

Finally, pay attention to your compost bin… you will be needing its healthy contents for your garden in Spring!

With all that done you will all have great gardens to enter in the spring Garden Competition in early October and entries for the Spring Flower Show on the 19th and 20th of October in St Mary’s Hall.