Anemones are flowers that grow in East Asia and Europe and are generally divided into two groups: spring and fall.The first blooms at the end of winter, the second - from August.However some species also decorate many gardens in early summer.
Growing anemones in spring
The spring season is opened, among others, by Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa, Yellow Anemone Anemone ranunculoides and Greek Anemone Anemone blanda. Delicate spring species are ideal ground cover plants for shade or partial shade positions, especially in country gardens. They do best under the canopy of trees or shrubs and bloom before the woody plants even have time to release their leaves.Yellow anemone prefers slightly wetter places, while the Greek anemone likes dry and sheltered areas.
Anemones in summer
In early summer, e.g. large-flowered anemone Anemone sylvestris and anemone Anemone coronaria, which have many different colored varieties, also with full flowers.
Autumn care for anemones
In fact, autumn anemones begin to bloom in August. These include: Anemone hupehensis, Anemone vitifolia and Anemone tomentosa. In trade, you can most often meet Japanese hybrid anemones Anemone japonica - hybrida, in the formation of which the above-mentioned botanical species and subspecies were involved.
Autumn anemones are more magnificent than spring anemones and should be covered with spruce leaves and twigs for the winter as they are sensitive to frost. The varieties of autumn anemones differ in flower structure (single and full), flowering period and height. In areas with frosty winters, we recommend the cobweb of the 'Robustissima' variety. Among the Japanese anemones, the cultivar 'Honorine Jobert' deserves attention, creating single, snow-white flowers. It blooms quite late, being an excellent companion for shrubs that change color of leaves in autumn.
After flowering, anemones form spherical fruit which, when mature, burst into cotton balls.The seeds sometimes last until spring and are a spectacular decoration of a flower bed.
Cultivation and care
Avoid planting anemones in the immediate vicinity of shrubs with a shallow root system. Before planting, the substrate must be dug and enriched with compost soil. Thanks to this, the soil will become light and plump, and, in addition, due to the presence of humus, it will keep moisture longer.
Anemones take root shallow, which should be considered when caring for plants, especially during weeding.Weeds should be removed by hand, without the use of a hoe or other tools. The soil around the plants should be mulched (with shredded bark) immediately after planting - this will prevent weeds from growing, soil crusting and moisture loss. An additional layer of leaves on the plants after flowering will protect the roots from severe frosts.Summer and autumn anemones begin their vegetation quite late, so before starting the spring gardening work, mark the places where the plants have their positions.
Breeding anemones
After flowering, many species of anemone form cotton pads from which the seeds are spread by the wind.We can also pick them straight from the plant and sow them into the ground in a pot. Seeds must germinate in the cold.
The second possibility is reproduction by division. After a few years, spring species form adventitious bulbs, which are separated from the mother plant in late summer.Autumn anemones are multiplied by dividing their roots in spring. Young plants should be planted immediately in their target place.
Variety - autumn anemone
Anemone hybrid Anemone hybrida was formed from the crossing of A. japonica with A. vitifolia in 1848 in Japan.Its varieties are characterized by lush growth (height 80-120 cm) and magnificent flowers, 5-7 cm in diameter, with various number of petals (7-11).White, pink or red flowers appear in August and remain until the first strong frost. The dark green leaves of this perennial are large and palmate.
Hybrid anemone has many varieties: 'Albadura' - 90 cm high, strongly growing, with white-pink flowers; 'Honorine Jobert' - 80 cm high, with single white flowers; 'Königin Charlotte' - 80 cm high, a very old variety with semi-double silky pink flowers; 'Kriemhilde' - semi-double, light purple-red flowers, darker underneath; 'Luise Uhink' - luxuriantly growing with large, semi-double flowers; 'Rosenschale' - 60-80 cm high with very large dark pink flowers.
In autumn, the Japanese Anemone hupehensis also blooms, which reaches 40-80 cm in height and has pink 5-6-petal flowers gathered in loose 15-flower panicles. Its flowering is in August and September.
Variety - Canadian Anemone
The genus Anemone includes many popular ornamental plants.Among them there are species that bloom at different times of the year.The least known are summer-flowering anemones. In addition to the native large-flowered anemone Anemone sylvestris, the Canadian Anemone canadensis is also suitable for growing in our gardens. Plants reach about 50 cm in height.
White flowers appear in early summer. The species performs well in moderately moist soil, in sunny or slightly shaded positions. It is best grown as a ground cover in naturalistic gardens as it can be invasive.In mixed flower beds it may drown weaker growing species.
Variety - Greek Anemone
The Greek anemone has been botanically propagated since 1898. Depending on the weather conditions, its flowers may appear in March or April at the latest.
Anemones grow to a height of 10 to 20 centimeters, their natural color is violet-blue.As a result of breeding work, varieties with blue flowers' Blue Shades', pink 'Charmer' and ' Pink Star ', red' Radar 'as well as white ones' White Splendor', 'Bridesmaide'.
In their homeland, the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and the Caucasus, anemone grows in deciduous and coniferous forests, where it grows in moist, humus ground. In garden conditions, it develops successfully in partial shade.In pot growing, it is best taken in a mixture of sand and a mixture of fresh soil for flowers.
In order for the plants to take root before the onset of winter, they should be planted in September, October at the latest, to a depth of 5 centimeters, every 10-12 centimeters.On one square meter we can store from 80 to 100 bulbs.Before planting, we keep them in a water bath for 24 hours so that they soften and thus take root faster.
Anemones look impressive when grown in a cluster.Many examples prove that they create a very successful plant with blue flowering hepatica and Kashmiri Kashmiri. Anemones look great in pot plantings.
