Summer: an abundant season

Summer is the season of generosity, spreading its largessewith bountiful colour, shade and perfume. Horticulturist andRoss tour leader, Paul Urquhart shares his top five.

Work with the season and it will reward you with a kaleidoscope of blooms and sensuous delights. Imagine sitting under a spreading canopy of fragrant brugmansia or frangipani in the balmy warmth of early evening; roses, nicotiana and gardenia blooming below while alyssum and petunia subtly calm the air.



Shrubs are the backbone of the summer garden, a green backdrop to the hard landscaping of social areas while climbers, annuals and perennials are unstinting in their contribution. Consider these five favourites to enhance your joy of summer.

Stephanotis (Stephanotis floribunda)

Often used in wedding bouquets, stephanotis or Madagascar jasmine is the ultimate romantic climber with its pristine white flowers, simple form, delicious fragrance and handsome green foliage. It needs a sturdy framework (it can grow to 6m but most often only 2-3m), some partial protection from the hot sun to prevent scorching and moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. It won’t thrive in boggy soils and resents frost. If you live in Melbourne, say, where winters can be cool, give it a protected position.



Stephanotis can be attacked by scale or mealybug but these pests are more likely in climates, such as Europe, where it is grown as a house plant. In the open ground, good air circulation will control most pests, though a spray with horticultural oil should suffice. In the Victorian language  of flowers, it symbolised a happy marriage.

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia spp.)

The gorgeous fragrant flowers give it the common name of angel’s trumpet. Colours range from white to cream, yellow, gold, orange and shades of pink. The perfume varies considerably too, but most apparent at dawn and dusk.



Brugmansias flower on new wood and respond to light pruning. They grow 4.5m tall, sometimes rangy and ratty, so if this isn’t ideal, pruning is an option. Aim for an umbrella shape by keeping a Y-shape and removing low side branches. Prune too hard and they send up long water shoots that don’t have much aesthetic appeal. Brugmansiahas had a bad rap due to its toxicity, but with careful handling there’s no reason to be afraid of it. Wear gloves and eye protection when pruning.

Frangipani (Plumeria spp.)

Nothing beats frangipani for encapsulating summer’s sensuousness with its exquisite fragrance and beautiful flowers. Frangipanis are particularly alluring in a coastal garden where the blend of perfume and salt air is intoxicating. Old trees take on an appealing, gnarled and twisted form up to 5-8m tall with a 3-5m spread. If starting from scratch, it will take time to achieve this status. That said, if fed and well-watered in quick-draining soil, frangipanis will put on an impressive growth spurt but at the expense of branch strength, if overdone. Excess water produces swollen fleshy stems and longspacing between leaves meaning strong winds can damage water-rich branches thus defeating your efforts to achieve a quick result. When selecting a fertiliser, avoid high-nitrogen content and instead look for a higher phosphorus and potassium content, and apply conservatively.



Frangipani rust is a common problem late in the season in the south but worse in Queensland. Yates Rose Shield helps control it. Rake up leaves as they fall in autumn and safely dispose of them. In Queensland, growers use copper oxychloride, sulfur and Mancozeb.

 

Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp.)

There are many different types of hibiscus, so choose the best one for your climate. In frost-free and coastal climates, H.rosa-sinensis, the tropical-looking one is by far the most familiar. Hybridists have come up with some quite bizarre colour combinations but it’s hard to go past the straight-forward cultivars such as ‘Molly Cummings’, with velvety, glowing-red flowers. They grow around 3m tall with a slightly smaller spread. For frosty or hot dry inland climates, don’t ignore H. syriacus. Oddly it originated in China but plants were collected in Syrian gardens, hence the name. It is deciduous, growing about 4x2.5m, with colours in the blue/mauve/white spectrum. ‘Bluebird’ and ‘Aphrodite’ are common cultivars. The rose or swamp mallow comes from Texas, is deciduous and loves a spot on the edge of a pond. It only grows to a metre and 80cm wide, making it an impressive alternative

Heliotrope (Heliotropium arborescens)

Here’s one for the purple lovers. Heliotrope orcherry pie, like so many summer favourites, is fragrant and originates from Peru, land of the Incas, dahlias and potatoes. It’s a low-growing shrub 60cm-1m in height and up to 2m spread.



The common name comes from its perfume’s similarity to baked cherry pie and vanilla. Colours vary from quite pale to deep purple and the leaves too can have a purplish cast and be richly veined. Prune lightly in spring and through summer to keep the plant compact and avoid woodiness. It’s cold tolerant but not frost hardy and light, well-drained soil is best. Give protection from afternoon sun in summer to avoid sunburn. A single bush is quite nice but why not mass plant for a truly regal display.