THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Chrysanthemums thrive on neglect and bloom well into November
TRAVELLING in Romania last month I was surprised to see so many chrysanthemums. These were not the tall funereal type, but cheeky little Cushion Mums. In parks, front gardens and street planters they grew as packed domes of yellow, pink, bronze or white. Dwarf chrysanthemums like these are fine for speedy colour. Garden centres still carry them, but few will last into winter. However, tougher garden varieties are in bloom — or limbering up to make a glorious show from now to December.
Rain or shine and regardless of cold, garden chrysanthemums last for months. Their colours, growth habits and flower-types are diverse enough to please all tastes. And if, like me, you’re a horticultural tight-wad, they’re the cheapest and easiest plants to propagate.
Don’t confuse these with competition or florists’ chrysanthemums. They’re closely related and share the same origin. But exhibition or flower shop blooms will have been budded and fussed over through summer and autumn. Garden chrysanthemums thrive on neglect. They’re longlasting perennials, brilliant for cutting and magnificent in a late border. The earliest open in August and last for weeks. The latest may not flower before November, but will still look lovely — rain, sleet or snow — into December.
TOUGH MUMS
LIKE all perennials, you can plant containerised chrysanthemums whenever you like. So this is as good a time as any to make your selection and pop them in for a quick display.
Garden chrysanthemums are excellent for pots, too. So even if space is limited, these are a good choice for autumn beauty.
There’s still just enough time to buy and enjoy dwarf Cushion Mums. Crocus, crocus.co.uk, offers the Jasoda series (reduced to £9.59) as flowering plants.
These grow to look like gigantic iced buns, carrying massed flowers in pink, white, yellow or orange- bronze, but they’re reduced because it’s late for such varieties. Some will have bloomed for a while, yet fresh plants should hold colour until the first frost. And although most are dumped when they lose their charm, all are perennial, reasonably hardy and easy to propagate.
Border chrysanthemums are made of sterner stuff, however. They’re fully hardy, taller and much better as long- term perennials. They’re also quick to bulk up into clumps.
RUGGED BEAUTY
I BOUGHT most of my favourite border chrysanthemums from Woottens of Wenhaston ( woottensplants.com).
Single-flowered types — lovely for informal autumn borders — include dusky- hued Rose Madder, deep red Ruby Mound and button-flowered, plummy pink Anastasia. The prettiest yellow is Spartan Canary, whereas Lucy Simpson has blooms in warm old gold.
Garden chrysanthemums need medium soil that drains freely. Full sun guarantees prolific flowering, but most perform well in partial shade, too.
After flowering, you can cut back spent stems, but I prefer to leave mine until the new basal shoots appear in March.
Single- flowered varieties produce seeds and it’s a joy to watch goldfinches feeding on them in winter.