Tasks for February
Flowers for romance
In the language of flowers, roses are synonymous with love and none is more suitable than the sweetheart rose, ‘Cécile Brunner’, with sweetly-scented, miniature shell-pink flowers.
There may not appear to be anything romantic about herbs, but did you know that some have certain connotations in folklore? These include lavender (devotion), rosemary (remembrance), sage (esteem), thyme (affection), marjoram (blushes) and basil (good wishes). All of these plants would make a great gift for a herb-loving Valentine.
In the coolness of the evening, candles, pots of white moth orchids (Phalaenopsis) and fragrant white gardenias on the patio would also set the mood for romance.
Gone to ground
Groundcovers can be grown as a lawn substitute, are useful in preventing soil erosion, cope well on slopes and are ideal for covering bare soil under trees. Groundcovers can take the form of creeping carpets and mats that spread by means of surface runners or underground roots, or massed compact plants that cover the soil. Try these groundcovering stalwarts:
• Dwarf agapanthus, Aptenia cordifolia, arctotis, Dymondia margaretae, Festuca glauca, gazania, osteospermum, vygie and thyme – they all look most effective when planted close together.
• In shady spots try Ajuga reptans, Barleria repens, Chlorophytum comosum, Lamium maculatum cultivars, Liriope spicata and trailing phlox (Chaenostoma cordatum).