by Elizabeth Shaheen
Although we had arrived home from England nearing midnight, having been well delayed for two hours due to a closed Heathrow runway and then at this end, a good wait of 90 minutes for our luggage, I eagerly strolled the garden to check how it had faired under the oppressive heat.
I have to say that I was well impressed. Although there isn’t a riot of colour, there are a considerable number of climbers, shrubs, perennials and trees contributing a significant floral display and, on the whole, they all seem to be in good shape.
Many have gone underground but I am confident that they will reappear in their season. This is one of the true pleasures of gardening, waiting with bated breath for the dormant plants to stir from sleep.
As always, I returned laden with plants, bulbs and packets of a multitude of varieties of seed. Some seedpods, I earnestly plucked from shrubs, climbers and perennials whilst on a walk leading to a section of the 2000BC Roman aqueduct in Avignon, France.
The ground there almost never receives rain and is utter rock so, I feel very confident that not only will they do very well in Bahrain, they will fair well in the dry garden. Added to which, I haven’t a clue as to their species, which adds to the excitement!
I purchased several calla lilies – more properly referred to as Zantedeschia from the Araceae family.
This is a gratifying genus of tuberous perennials, named in honour of the Italian botanist, Giovanni Zantedeschi (1773-1846).
Taxonomists have been having fun in naming it: first, they were Arums, then Callas, then Richardias and now Zantedeschias!
The name might have changed but their delightful fragrance and form remain in tact. They have a storybook charm. One can imagine garden fairies residing in their funnel-shaped spathe, swinging in and out from their club-shaped spadix, borne on a long stem.
They are ideal plants for a child’s garden, and make super accents grown in containers.
One species I have long had is Zantedeschia aethiopica – a South African native, which is deciduous in Bahrain – piercing the soil in spring and flowering from late spring to midsummer.
It has elegant milk-white spathes and butter-yellow spadices borne on long stems with deep green, lightly varnished, arrow-shaped leaves.
This is a perfect marginal plant for the pond or a wet area in the open garden in full sun or semi-shade attaining a height of between 18 to 36 inches. In Bahrain, the plants should be divided in winter.
I haven’t tried Eranthis “Winter Aconite” before, but its promise of rich golden yellow cup-shaped flowers caught me spellbound.
It – if it comes to anything – is perfect for edging for it attains a height of a mere two inches. As it is winter flowering, I have placed the bulbs in the fridge.
I usually avoid purchasing such bulbs, but I have only just read-up on its requirements and I note that it is often planted with “snowdrops”!
Had I known this when I purchased the bulbs, I shouldn’t have been spellbound at all!
A sun-lover is Orithogalum dubium, which presents a crowded spike of carroty-orange, cup-shaped flowers with charcoal-ink blotched centres.
The strap-shaped, mid-green leaves are attractive in their own right. It is perfect for group plantings to the fore of a border to flower in late spring.
Do make sure that you plant some Anemone. I have last year’s tubers, which I dug up and saved to plant out in autumn. I also bought some more as they do so well here. The varieties I enjoy are “Anemone blanda Mix” in wondrous pastel shades, “Anemone coronaria” in rich royal purple, “Anemone St. Brigid” in red, purple, pink and pristine-white and a new try is – “Anemone White splendour”.
It is imperative that you first soak Anemone tubers overnight prior to planting.
Anemones look so good alongside “Ranunculus Mischung Mixed” with their rose-shaped blooms in rustic orange, tangerine, milk-white, sun-yellow, delicate-yellow, rich red and rose-pink.
Again, I have the tubers from last year, and I really went to town in purchasing new ones, for they revel in our garden soil in full sun.
Whatever you do, don’t be without freesias. They bloom from early spring through late spring and sweetly perfume the air.
Irises, too, are a good buy. This year I have gone for “Iris Oriental Beauty” which is from Holland. Its three outer petals known as “falls” are a soft yolk-yellow, while its three inner petals known as “standards” are a soft mauve – such a genteel combination.
Incarvillea delavayi is a fleshy-rooted, clumping perennial called pride of India. It has handsome fern-like foliage and erect stems, topped with delightful bugle-shaped, rosy-purple flowers in early summer.
It resents soggy soils, so a raised bed in full sun or semi shade is ideal. As it is more a temperate plant, it is unlikely that it will return the following season, but its long, floral display makes it so worthwhile.
The Rolls Royce of the Amaryllidaceae family is Sprekelia formosissima, commonly known as the Aztec lily, Jacobean lily, St James lily or Maltese cross. It is an absolute eye-opener, bringing a regal aura to the garden.
Its basal leaves are semi-erect and strap-shaped in a lovely mid-green colour. A fulgurant scarlet flower looks at you immodestly, borne on a leafless stem and consists of six petals nipped in at the waist.
The all-important upper petal is broad and flanked by two slender horizontal petals and below them are three fine pendent petals, which are sometimes streaked yellow. In Bahrain, the bulbs need to be dug-up and stored once the leaves have died back. Otherwise, it is doubtful that they will return.
Make sure that when you purchase your bulbs, rhizomes, corms or tubers that they are not shrivelled or damaged. They should be heavy and firm. Only refrigerate cold climate bulbs, not warm climate bulbs.
If you are not ready to plant the bulbs when you have already purchased them, or you are waiting for the appropriate season, put them in a dark, cool and airy place.
GDN – 16 Sept, ’07