Agapanthus

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No summer garden is complete without Agapanthus. The blue varieties are perfect with dark red or vibrant yellow Hemerocallis, planted in the border making a bold statement. They are also ideal companions for Bearded Iris, flowering after the Iris has bloomed with the same statue and splendour

Agapanthus in containers are also a must for summer. Plant them in tubs or large pots. Their bold architectural heads of flowers make a perfect backdrop for Pelargoniums. After flowering Agapanthus seedheads, first bright green, later turning brown, continue to provide invaluable bold graphic shapes into the late autumn.

Agapanthus like full sun and rich moist, well-drained soil. They detest dry sand. Agapanthus make excellent subjects for pots and tubs but can also be planted in the border and will thrive and bloom. Contrary to gardening folk law, Agapanthus for optimum flowering do not need to be pot bound
The essential conditions for an abundance of flower are:
1) Agapanthus need to receive an abundance of water in the lead up to flowering – May-July.
2) During May, June and July, Agapanthus should be fed with a high potassium fertiliser every two weeks.
3) Full sunshine in flowering season

As a general rule, deciduous Agapanthus are hardy whereas evergreen forms can need shelter in the winter. Any variety marked semi-evergreen is somewhere in between and should be given extra shelter in harsh winters. Plants in pots can be sheltered in a greenhouse or outside that isn’t completely dark. Or they can be stored near the house with feet under each pot to insure the best drainage from winter wet. Plants in the ground can be mulched if needed

plant care guide instructions Click here to view Agapanthus Care Notes

Agapanthus Care Notes

AGAPANTHUS. . (Liliaceae). Agapanthus, despite their misleading English common name: “Lily of The Nile”, are native to South Africa not Egypt. They have long been cultivated in this country; the first Agapanthus to have flowered in England was recorded at Hampton Court in 1697.

Agapanthus like full sun and rich, moist, well-drained soil. They detest dry sand. Agapanthus make excellent subjects for pots and tubs.

In general the largest flowered and broadest leaved Agapanthus tend to be tender and should be grown in containers and be brought in for the winter. Smaller flowered varieties with narrower leaves are much more hardy and suitable for planting in the open garden. In coastal and London gardens all varieties can normally be considered hardy - for instance the magnificent A. White Heaven grows happily in gardens in Woodbridge and Chelsea.

Agapanthus make excellent subjects for pots and tubs. Hardy varieties in pots can be left outside all year but should be lain on their sides in winter - this will stop them getting too wet. Tender varieties in pots can be brought into a heated conservatory where they will continue growing through the winter - evergreen varieties produce larger flowers and taller stems if kept in continuous growth. Agapanthus in pots should be repotted each year in April into a larger container.

Over a period of years Agapanthus will make large clumps and may require splitting. Agapanthus may be split in early April. When dividing Agapanthus, it is advisable to divide only into a few large multicrowned chunks. If split into small pieces Agapanthus will take time to recover and recommence flowering.

Contrary to gardening folk law, Agapanthus for optimum flowering should not be pot bound. If excessively pot bound Agapanthus can actually refuse to flower. The essential conditions for an abundance of flower are:

Agapanthus only flower well as mature plants.
Agapanthus must be grown in a rich fertile soil - they detest thin sandy soils.
Agapanthus need some sun but will still flower in part shade.
Agapanthus need to receive an abundance of water in the lead up to flowering, ie May-July.
During May, June and July, Agapanthus should be fed with Tomato fertiliser every two weeks.
Agapanthus seedheads are decorative - I never cut them off till they disintegrate and this does not seem to weaken the plants or decrease the flower count in the following year.

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