Osteospernum purple sun
Even if annual plants are not quite your thing, I think you may find Osteospernum purple sun hard to resist.
Plant profile
There are Osteospernums out there that will come through the UK Winter, Osteospernum purple sun however is a tender perennial.
We grow it in pots, and it grabs the attention of everyone who sees it.
The 9 cm pots of them we purchased arrived in late May and were already covered in buds. They are very expensive, and next year I will look out for plug plants at a more sensible price.
Purple Sun with Shades of orange yellow and purple have transformed this once average looking white or pale pink African daisy into something spectacular.
I can recall when I first came upon Osteospernum in the early eighties, the flowers opened only when the sun was shining. I am not thinking of Livingstone daisies, which were all the rage in the 70s. Do you remember those multi coloured ground hugging bedding plants? Never see them these days.
Anyway, as far as Osteospernum is concerned, breeders have done a good job over the years and the blooms on most of them now open whether the sun is shining or not.
I purchased my Osteospernum Purple Sun from two different suppliers. Look at the ones below. The flowers have no trace of the deeper orange shades, even when the blooms first open they are this somewhat more yellow colour. The company charged the high Purple Sun price, I complained but got no response.
Details
Hardiness
This is a tender perennial and is not likely to come through the UK Winter; however, you may want to give it a go. A Google search will bring up methods you can try. Good luck with that, for myself, I will go for the plug plants.
Height
A bushy plant that will grow to a height of about 30 cm and spread of 40 cm.
Position
In the border or in pots, Osteospernum does Best of all in full sun, but will pretty much tolerate partial shade.
Flowers
The tri coloured flowers open in early Summer and with deadheading can go on untill the first frosts.
For 3 9 cm pots of Purple Sun, online retailers were charging £17. Next year, Brookside nursery will have plug plants, I am going to place my order in February.
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Our Fife garden in Summer
The Patio
I think the new bird bath in the patio area is looking pretty good.
The Courtyard
An ideal sheltered spot for us to read our books and share a litre of wine.
The back garden. The trellis has been removed from the top of the fence. I was a little worried that doing this may spoil the appearance, but no, it’s looking fine.
Enjoyed reading your perspective on this topic. It’s a refreshing take on a familiar subject.
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This article is a breath of fresh air.
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Your passion for gardening is just amazing. I have gotten a lot of helpful information from your blog.
Love the vibrant Osteospermum Purple Sun featured in your post! The detailed care tips are super helpful. Your passion for gardening shines through. Thanks for sharing!
Very wise to work with what you have, Amanda. We are also very fond of Lavender. In Cove the idea is to plant in the sunniest and most sheltered position. Do not plant in a spot where you know it never dries out, they will not survive boggy soil. If you plant some, get back to me and I will run you through on how to care for them.
Cats, we have always had a cat, very little problem.
Hello, I have just found your site and what wonderful gardens you have created. I live in Cove Bay and last year attempted to tackle our back garden. I am a complete novice and much of what we have is back-fill and large boulders from when the houses went up. Therefore I thought “if you can’t beat em, join em” and basically used the boulders to create a bit of rockery. One of my faves is lavender but find it’s not that easy to grow. Do you have any tips please? Oh and do you know what may deter the local cats from using the back as their latrine!!
I miss Holmes Chapel Brenda, lovely part of the country.
Hello Trish, The bird bath is Hadonstone, we must have been feeling unusually flush.
Thanks for the lovely photos! The osteospermums look beautiful. Love your bird bath. Where did you get that from?
I’m looking to get one for my special birthday this year ( from my sisters) ?
Allistar I remember you living in Cheshire not very far from me in Runcorn that garden was another credit to you
I think that the beetle has got used to the garlic it did have a good affect on them in previous years
Thank you Brenda, We lived in Cheshire for a few years and that was the first time I came across Lily Beetle. Back in Scotland again and no sign of them, they surely dont like the cooler weather.
Hello Allistar
Enjoyed your garden yet again always look forward to your web the garden is a great credit to you
Your Lilies are exceptional not a sign of the lily beetle what do you recommend mine have ben eaten away this year even though I used the remedy garlic
Brenda