Malcolmia is a dream flowering plant for every gardener. You sow its seeds and in no time you smell its flowers. And I swear by it. What is four weeks of waiting for Malcolmia's lavender four-petalled blossoms compared to a period of time, e.g. twice as long, other species make us wait? Nothing!
Virginia stock (Malcolmia maritima) is an annual which produces a profusion of fragrant flowers. The plant naturally grows in Mediterranean Europe and shows clear predilections to become a natural part of any environment where it finds suitable growing conditions. Being not very demanding, it thrives in every decent garden soil in full sun or light shade, which means, it can easily transform part of your garden and make it look Greek. In four weeks!
Virginia stock (Malcolmia maritima) is an annual which produces a profusion of fragrant flowers. The plant naturally grows in Mediterranean Europe and shows clear predilections to become a natural part of any environment where it finds suitable growing conditions. Being not very demanding, it thrives in every decent garden soil in full sun or light shade, which means, it can easily transform part of your garden and make it look Greek. In four weeks!
We can sow the seeds either in a flower bed or in containers. In countries where the winters are rather mild, Virginia stock can be sown in the autumn. Then the first flowers can be smelled early in the spring next year. Where the winters are harsh, spring sowing seems to be a more reasonable option. And we do so in intervals (every 2-3 weeks) to secure an uninterrupted display of white, pink, purple and lavender blossoms which will appear on 15- 20 cm (6-9in) tall stems.
If we let the capsules (siliquae) mature, the seeds will spread by themselves and germinate in most unexpected places in the garden. But the young plants, no matter where they grow, will always attract not only our attention but also the senses of various insects, bees and others. Unfortunately some of that other- than- bees creatures like to feed on the tasty leaves and petals. The signs of that affection can be easily recognised by the numerous holes in the leaves and very often the lack of one or two petals (and other petals visibly perforated).
However, we should not be disturbed by such adversities and simply open a new bag of seeds and sow Virginia stock again and again. It is only four weeks and: les voila, new beautiful fragrant flowers for everybody! Miraculous Malcolmia!
I would like to thank my friend Piotr for the video clip he diplomatically suggested for today's post. Great choice!
If we let the capsules (siliquae) mature, the seeds will spread by themselves and germinate in most unexpected places in the garden. But the young plants, no matter where they grow, will always attract not only our attention but also the senses of various insects, bees and others. Unfortunately some of that other- than- bees creatures like to feed on the tasty leaves and petals. The signs of that affection can be easily recognised by the numerous holes in the leaves and very often the lack of one or two petals (and other petals visibly perforated).
However, we should not be disturbed by such adversities and simply open a new bag of seeds and sow Virginia stock again and again. It is only four weeks and: les voila, new beautiful fragrant flowers for everybody! Miraculous Malcolmia!
I would like to thank my friend Piotr for the video clip he diplomatically suggested for today's post. Great choice!
Jarek
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