Award-winning Penstemon collection
beard tongue
This award-winning penstemon collection offers a rich blend of jewel-toned flower spikes in shades of deep wine red, violet and glowing magenta-blue, rising above fresh green foliage for a lively, vertical display. Flowering freely from midsummer into autumn, the plants create generous clumps that fill borders with colour while attracting bees and other pollinators.
How to care for award winning Penstemon collection:
Plant penstemons in well-drained soil in a sunny or lightly shaded position, incorporating compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility. Water regularly until established, then reduce watering, as they prefer drier conditions once settled.
Deadhead faded blooms frequently to extend the flowering season. In autumn, leave the top growth in place to provide winter protection, then cut back in spring when new shoots emerge lower down the stems.
Apply a dry mulch, such as bark or composted straw, around the base in colder regions to insulate the roots from frost. Every few years, lift and divide congested clumps in spring to maintain vigour and encourage fresh growth.
Deadhead faded blooms frequently to extend the flowering season. In autumn, leave the top growth in place to provide winter protection, then cut back in spring when new shoots emerge lower down the stems.
Apply a dry mulch, such as bark or composted straw, around the base in colder regions to insulate the roots from frost. Every few years, lift and divide congested clumps in spring to maintain vigour and encourage fresh growth.
What's included:
In this collection you will receive one of each of the following varieties:
Penstemon 'Andenken an Friedrich Hahn': Elegant spikes of small, tubular, foxglove-like flowers appear from July to October among lance-shaped, bright green leaves. This vibrant, easy-to-grow perennial commemorates an 18th century German astronomer.
Penstemon 'Andenken an Friedrich Hahn' will quickly form large, leafy clumps and is perfect for adding a splash of colour to the middle of a sunny, well-drained border. The sumptuous, deep wine-red flowers contrast well with acid greens and silver leaved plants or with wispy grasses and spiky leaves. Grows to 90cm.
Penstemon 'Sour Grapes' M. Fish: Elegant spikes of small, tubular, foxglove-like flowers appear from July to July to October among lance-shaped, bright green leaves. This easy-to-grow perennial will quickly form large, leafy clumps and is perfect for adding a splash of colour to the middle of a sunny, well-drained border. If you deadhead Penstemon 'Sour Grapes M. Fish' regularly, the flowers will persist until the first frosts. The flowers of this penstemon can vary in colour from magenta- violet with purple undertones, to soft violet-blue. Grows to 60cm.
Penstemon 'Stapleford Gem': Elegant spikes of small, tubular, foxglove-like flowers appear from July to October among lance-shaped, bright green leaves. This easy-to-grow perennial will quickly form large, leafy clumps and is perfect for adding a splash of colour to the middle of a sunny, well-drained border. If deadheaded regularly, the flowers will persist until the first frosts. The magenta-blue flowers of this penstemon have a metallic sheen, reminiscent of black grapes, which contrasts particularly well with deep purples and blues. Grows to 60cm.
Penstemon 'Andenken an Friedrich Hahn' will quickly form large, leafy clumps and is perfect for adding a splash of colour to the middle of a sunny, well-drained border. The sumptuous, deep wine-red flowers contrast well with acid greens and silver leaved plants or with wispy grasses and spiky leaves. Grows to 90cm.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Position:
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth:
Average
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
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This perennial is semi-evergreen so it can lose some of its leaves in winter. In colder regions or more exposed gardens, it may lose them all, but then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
