You may never have heard of them, but these stunners can keep the colour going for months Autumn’s secret stars
LONDON Pride, Tumbling Waters and Cloth o f Gold a r e names firmly etched into the minds of gardeners as types of saxifrage, a race of alpines that are admired for their spring flowers. Yet there is a much less celebrated branch of the family that deserve to be more widely grown for their spectacular display of autumn colour.
Commonly known as Japanese saxifrages, the many varieties of Saxifraga fortunei are overlooked garden gems, producing billowing clouds of white, pink and red f l o we r s . T h e t i n y, s t a r- l i k e blooms appear in great profusion on slender stems between late August and December, depending on the variety.
Even the foliage of these semi-evergreen perennials is impressive. The straight species form a mound of green, glossy, scalloped-edged leaves that could easily pass for those of a succulent, while its offspring boasts foliage in a range of colours, from bronze to black, with some adorned with contrasting veins or speckles.
Any perennials that perform at the tail end of the year are to be cherished, but Japanese saxifrages are extra-special.
They thrive in the gloomiest of spots, from dappled light to deep shade, as long as the soil is well drained but moist. They absolutely hate dry soil in summer and soggy feet in winter.
Given their attributes, some might wonder why they are not more popular. A likely reason is that there simply weren’t many varieties available until plant breeding kicked off with a vengeance in the late 20th Century. Today, there are close to 150 listed in the RHS Plant Finder, with many more around the world.
A native of Japan, China and Korea, Saxifraga fortunei was introduced to Europe in 1863 by Robert Fortune.
The Scottish plant- hunter and adventurer can also be thanked for introducing tea to the Western world, after risking his life by smuggling plants and the secrets of tea manufacturing out of imperial China.
Few new varieties appeared over the next 100 years, and by the late 1980s only a handful were readily available. Among them were Saxifraga fortunei ‘Rubrifolia’, whose starry white flowers rise in Octo- ber on 12in reddish-pink stems over low mounds of bronze-tinged leaves with beetroot red undersides.
Since then plant breeders have been working overtime to catch up with a host of newcomers being created by nurseries in Britain, the United States and especially Japan. Last year alone, more than 20 sparkling varieties made their debut in British nurseries and garden centres.
Their short stature makes them perfect for the front of beds and borders, woodland-style displays or rock gardens.
For maximum impact, plant in small groups or informal drifts – they associate well with shade-loving heucheras, ferns and hostas.
Japanese saxifrages aren’t particularly fussy about the type of soil, but do perform best in a sheltered position – avoid frost pockets or exposed positions, because a hard frost is likely to bring a great show of colour to a premature end. Another option is to raise them in pots, containers or alpine sinks.
Lightly prune plants after flowering to remove spent stems and fading blooms.
Plants contained in pots need watering regularly to prevent a check to growth, and treating annually in early autumn with a pesticide as a precaution against vine weevil.
Saxifrages produce tiny blooms and thrive in the gloomiest of spots