THE pandemic may kill off the touchscreen era as Jaguar Land Rover pioneers new contactless screens to help fight the spread of the virus.
With majestic blue blooms, agapanthus are showstoppers
New, patented ‘predictive touch’ technology, developed by Britain’s biggest car maker in conjunction with Cambridge University scientists, uses artificial intelligence and sensors to control in-car systems without touching the screen. JLR says it offers the ‘dual benefit of keeping drivers’ eyes on the road and reducing spread of disease in a post Covid-19 world’.
The car’s electronic ‘brain’ combines an eye-gaze tracker, radio frequency-based sensors, the habits of the driver, and weather and road conditions to ‘work out’ exactly where the driver’s pointed finger is most likely heading. This could be to control satellite navigation, temperature or entertainment settings.
HAIL to the queen of August flowers — the agapanthus. Its cool-blue petals and spring-like foliage are just what you need for freshening up jaded summer planting schemes. These are majestic plants whose flower clusters are carried on tall, naked stems. That enables you to place them anywhere — Agapanthus Charlotte works well in a border front — without masking the other plants. They’re excellent in pots, too.
In borders, they create shellbursts of blue above the general planting. But if naturalised, they become leafy weed-proof carpets, topped with blue.
‘Agapanthus’ is ancient Greek for ‘love flower’, which is puzzling. The plants lack aphrodisiac qualities as far as I know, and whatever the shade, blue is hardly an amorous colour.
Apart from the occasional albino, all wild agapanthus are blue. Garden varieties come in an extended range of blues, as well as white, violet-purple and bicoloured.
Heights and sizes vary, too, and there are dwarf types with shorter stems. Those are good for troughs or bowls. Varieties can be evergreen or deciduous. Hardiness varies, but in mild areas such as Cornwall, almost all survive winters unaided. In colder regions it’s safer to grow varieties known to be hardy.
EASY MANAGEMENT
AGAPANTHUS are wonderfully low-maintenance. Containerised plants need regular watering and occasional repotting. Like most perennials, plants grown in the ground benefit from being lifted and divided every few years.
Most of the hardy varieties die back in winter, though the dead leaves look messy for a while. They’re safe outside all year, but benefit from a compost or leafmould mulch. Lay that over the dying foliage in late October.
Less hardy varieties need a thicker, more bulky mulch if grown in the ground. But if grown in containers, those can be trundled into safety or be wrapped up for winter.
In spring, the young leaves can be vulnerable to late frosts. So have fleece handy in late April or early May for protection.
Despite the extra fuss, big evergreen agapanthus are certainly worth growing. In large containers, they’re superb with sturdy stems and massive flower heads. Deciduous varieties are better for borders. They blend sweetly with summer perennials such as phloxes, rudbeckias and penstemons.
For best results, grow all agapanthus in well-drained soil in a sunny position. I give my plants a light dressing of bonemeal, just before spring growth begins. To propagate, dig up clumps in spring, split them up and re-plant divisions.
PICK YOUR FAVOURITE
BREEDERS and selectors have increased the colour range from white through various blues almost to purple or black. Sizes range from dwarf types to whoppers such as Regal Beauty.
Flower of Love, one of the deepest blues, has 60cm stems, big flower heads and broad, strappy leaves. It has the RHS Award of Garden Merit, and is hardy over much of the UK — a fine container plant.
For permanent outdoor planting, hardiness is essential. For that, and for reliability you can’t beat, try the Headbourne Hybrids. These are a catch-all bunch of hardy deciduous types in a variety of blue shades plus an excellent white.
For more varieties, look up specialists Hoylands nursery at Among others, it offers purpleblue Royal Velvet, white and violet Twister and dark, brooding Indigo Dreams. Maybe that one is a true flower of love.