PLANT OF THE WEEK

CROCOSMIA ‘EMILY MCKENZIE’

Crocosmia are valuable for their sword-like foliage and late-summer flowering presence in bright reds and oranges. ‘Lucifer’ is one of the most popular varieties with its devilishly scarlet flowers and looks great in a ‘hot’ or tropical border.

However, I have a soft spot for Emily McKenzie – overall she is quite compact but her flowers are large and in a sizzling orange with red markings at the throat.

Grow in full sun in well- drained soil. In colder regions, mulch the corms in winter to protect them.