Back in the early summer of 2109 ( which seems a long time ago now) I sowed some wallflower seeds - 'Sunset Apricot ' and 'Sunset Purple'. Germination was a disaster - with only a scanty number of the apricot shade emerging and not one of the purple. It was the first time that I've ever grown wallflowers from seed and as usual in these situations wondered whether the fault lay with me. I contacted the seed company nevertheless who sent me a replacement packet of the purple without any questions.
The few apricot seedlings struggled on and I was eventually able to plant them out. I don't have any photos but they produced a lovely show for a good period last spring and into early summer. I left a couple of the strongest plants in where they came through the winter although the foliage did suffer badly in February but nothing that a haircut wouldn't sort out when it warmed up slightly. I noticed the plants plumping up and flower buds forming but something didn't look quite right. The penny slowly that the buds looked a different colour and sure enough the flowers are! You definitely couldn't call them 'Apricot Sunset' this spring. Funnily enough though the eyes of the flowers are the same colour as last year's flowers. Has anybody else had this experience of wallflowers?
They will be allowed to linger another month or so as I love the scent of wallflowers but then it's into the compost bin and I will start from afresh in another couple of months or so.
It's a pretty colour Anna, whatever it is! My only attempt at sowing wallflowers some years ago was not very successful either
ReplyDeleteThe main colour is perhaps more of a dark purple in the flesh Cathy rather than the pink hue that is conveyed by the photo. Sadly not pretty enough for me. They looked great last spring but it's a case of if only!
DeleteI rather like the patterning on your second year wallflower. The darker buds are a lovely contrast to the open flowers. I think wallflowers need to be sow early, pricked out to nursery beds, and grown on. When I had my allotment it took as long as growing purple sprouting from seed, ie a full year or more from seed to flower.
ReplyDeleteOh that's interesting to hear Noelle as these were sown in June '19 and flowered the following spring. Maybe just different growing conditions? The allotment was great for growing on seedlings. I will miss it this year but plan to build another raised bed for odds and ends. The wait for purple flowering broccoli seemed never ending but so well worth waiting for 😄
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