ALLURING ANEMONE

Windflowers… At this time of the year I think of tall stalks of blushed white flowers waving in the breeze as it slides through my back yard…In spring, I think of knee-high blotches of bright color, special and rare after a winter of green.

Last year, I decided to plant masses of white A. coronaria tubers in my parking strip, accented with bright tulips. The result was such a treat, they just kept blooming. Other than a little up keep on spent foliage, it was a no-effort terrific, florific display!

Some of the most popular and available species of Anemone are:

Anemone blanda (Grecian Windflower) These diminutive daisy-like flowers of blue, pink and white hold themselves a mere 2-4” above dark green leathery foliage in April and May. Grown from tubers planted in the fall, they will also self-seed once established, eventually carpeting their spot in the semi-shady garden with their softly illuminating colors.

Anemone coronaria (Poppy Anemone) Another fall planted tuber, these 10-12” beauties have a more poppy-shaped flower in an array of jewel-like shades of red, pink, blue, purple and white. Varieties come in both single and double flowers, and provide a kaleidoscope of color in your springtime sunny (or partly sunny) garden.

Anemone x hybrida (Japanese Anemone) These are the graceful white and pink stands of 2-4’ tall and wide plants that help the late-summer / early-autumn garden come alive after the heat of high summer. No accident that many think of this as the “best of the fall flowers!”

Varieties: “Honore Jobert” – single white flowers with yellow eye “September Charm” – pale to deep pink single flowers with yellow eye “Whirlwind” – double white flowers with slightly twisted petals