FLAMING TORCHES

November is the time to indulge in some luscious planting, with the memory of warm autumn colours still fresh in the mind. The inspiration for this scheme came from the flowers of Goeppertia crocata ‘Tassmania’, which reminds me of burning torches. The beautiful metal container, found in an antiques market, complements the colour scheme of this arrangement of leaves and bright flowers – almost like a bowl of fire.

How to achieve the look

The plants are linked by the colour purple, found on stems and leaves, especially the underside of the Tradescantia. The flowers of the Goeppertia are the obvious stars of the display, but even without them, the shapes and textures of the leaves make an interesting arrangement. I especially love the shape of the container, which seems to elevate the planting from the table. Drainage is important for most plants grown in a pot. It becomes even more important when there is no drainage hole, as in this case. Using a saucer or plate to capture excess water would, however, spoil the look of this arrangement. To get around this, I filled about a third of the pot with hydroleca (you could also use grit, gravel or crocks). This will provide a good reservoir of water but will prevent the roots from sitting in water for too long. Multi-purpose compost is a good choice here, but the key is watering. Only water when the compost is dry, and then not too much; maybe a little, three times a week. Once the flowers of the Goeppertia have gone over, cut them off as low as possible, without injuring the leaves. The Tradescantia will need some reining in by cutting off shoots, and the Begonia needs to be given enough space to develop more leaves and eventually flowers. Feed with a liquid fertiliser every two weeks.