Watsonias

I think of Watsonias as "climate change" plants, as we experience wetter, warmer winters. There are a few plants like this. When I lived in Norfolk, I used to visit friends in Cornwall and the Garden House in Devon (which is lovely) and admire the striking, vibrant oranges and reds of Watsonias. All the books stated that, since they come from the Drakensberg mountains, they are not hardy. Naturally, I took some back to Norfolk! Later, I spotted clumps at Wakehurst Place in Sussex, and that was that.

Watsonias do need sun and moisture but should not sit in water, so ideally, they require reasonable drainage with some humus dug in (don’t forget that leaf moUld). The form 'pillansii' is the "toughie," with stunning orange and red flowers - sometimes pink. I have a soft pink variety that I nearly lost to too much shade. They have evergreen foliage, so there’s no messy foliage in winter. I’m also growing a form known as 'marlothii,' which is especially cold-hardy. I’ve been growing them for more than 20 years, and I love them, always getting excited when a new Watsonia species comes my way.