Hesperis matronalis var. albiflora
sweet rocket
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- Standard £5.95
This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
- Position: Full sun or partial shade
- Soil: Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: Average to fast
- Flowering period: May to October
- Hardiness: Fully hardy (but short-lived)
Gorgeously scented pure white flowers are held above rosettes of dark green leaves. This is a biennial or short-lived perennial that readily self- seeds, often coming true to type, so it is perfect for naturising in a wildlife garden. Like all sweet rockets it is highly attractive to bees and other beneficial insects, and the fragrant flowers perfume the air in spring and early summer evenings. They are also edible and look great sprinkled over salads. Although relatively short-lived, it self-seeds freely.
Garden care:
Pinch out the growing tips to encourage bushier growth and keep well watered. Feed with a good, high potash fertiliser (such as Tomorite) on a regular basis throughout summer. Dead-heading regularly will help prolong the flowering season, but if you want them to self-seed, allow some of the seed heads to develop fully.
Sow seed where it is to grow in late spring, after the worst of the frosts have passed. Prepare the bed well first and then surface sow, thinning the seedlings out as they grow to allow 30cm between each plant.