Copyright: Takii: All America Selections

My apologies for using a stock, very pimped image but today’s new plant is a petunia with the rather tacky name of ‘Evening Scentsation’ and I have not actually seen or smelled it yet. Many of the plants I post about are a bit obscure but those of you who have followed me for long will know that I have no problems praising some bedding plants and especially petunias. They may be common, but that is for a reason – they are just so pretty and willing to please. I admit that they sulk if the weather is rotten but when the sun shines they make you smile.

And if you have grown them yourself you will know that some of them, especially the purples and whites, have a decent scent. I admit that it is often not a very refined smell and has that rather coarse, tropical edge that is common in the Solanaceae such as brugmansias and daturas. So here we have a petunia that is specially selected for its perfume. It is a seed-raised, multiflora (meaning it has lots of smaller flowers so it is more weather-resistant than some) and an F1 Hybrid. According to the breeders it has a low, spreading habit, 20cm high and 80cm wide so it should be OK for baskets. My one proviso is that the best basket types mound from the centre so they do not develop a flat ‘top’ – it will certainly make economical bedding with that sort of spread. It is an All America Selections (AAS) Winner for 2017.

And the scent? It is said to be similar to hyacinths, with hints of rose and honey. The colour is described as ‘indigo’ – but not the sort of indigo I know of. One of the AAS judges apparently said “One of the best blue petunias I have seen, nice mounding and spreading habit. Excellent fragrance too!” I would not say blue either. I would say lavender, if the photos are accurate. Which, of course they are not because that photo is not a plant but some stems arranged, I suspect. But, grooming of the publicity photo aside, I am actually excited that a petunia has been introduced for its scent and I love the colour.

I don’t think seeds are available in the UK as yet but plants may be in garden centres in a few months. Well worth a try!

Sunday puzzler solution

The plants were:

tricyrtis

Limnanthes

Nigella

Allamanda

Osteospermum

Calliandra

Magnolia

Rodgersia

Eucryphia

That gives you T L N A O C M R E

Rearrange those and you get Claremont, in Surrey.