Cornflowers

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mo on April 16, 2011 at 19:06

I love Cornflowers, and it looks like you'll have quite a show :)

Permalink Reply by elaine rickett on April 16, 2011 at 20:22

I had a big clump (nice word clump) of Centaura which the bees love - but this year I have dug it up and split it into about a dozen single plants and re-planted them for a better overall effect, I hope.  (If they all take, that is).

Permalink Reply by Flighty on April 16, 2011 at 20:33

Me too, and I sure hope so! 

Mo said:

I love Cornflowers, and it looks like you'll have quite a show :)

Permalink Reply by Flighty on April 16, 2011 at 20:37

I divided one clump of perennial ones up last year and all the new plants are doing fine!  

elaine rickett said:

I had a big clump (nice word clump) of Centaura which the bees love - but this year I have dug it up and split it into about a dozen single plants and re-planted them for a better overall effect, I hope.  (If they all take, that is).

Permalink Reply by Jan Willetts on April 18, 2011 at 9:19

I have lots of this growing in my garden. A few years ago, I took it to Gardeners World plant swap, but had to confess I didn't know its name. I was a bit crushed when the assistant instantly identified it as "common knapweed" ! However I was soon restored to faith in gardening when I was served by the bubbly Carol Klein who gave me some grasses in exchange for my humble offerings. They are all doing well and I still have lots of knapweed!

Permalink Reply by Flighty on April 18, 2011 at 18:56

Took this photo this morning of the first of many perennial cornflower flowers

 

 

Jan that's a nice tale! 

Permalink Reply by elaine rickett on April 18, 2011 at 19:13

What a beautifully clear photograph.  It may be Common Knapweed but it's still lovely.

Permalink Reply by Flighty on April 18, 2011 at 19:32

Elaine thanks! That's perennial (or mountain) cornflower not common (or lesser) knapweed which has only just started growing again so that won't flower until well into the summer!

Permalink Reply by Sarah Rideout on April 18, 2011 at 21:01

here's last year Knapweed with a heavily laden visitor!

Permalink Reply by Sarah Rideout on April 18, 2011 at 21:07

This is one of the best flowers for bees - phacelia - easy to grow green manure (supposed to chop and turn it in before it flowers but we always leave a patch).

Permalink Reply by Flighty on February 20, 2012 at 20:51

Another lovely flower! Mine are mostly blue with a few pink ones but never any white ones. I'm going to have to buy a packet of seeds of the white variety!   

Samantha Smith said:

I went mad with tall mixed cornflowers on plot last year, but boy did they look gorgeous.  As soon as you started the walk up to the main path of the allotment, all you could see was a big cloud of blue (mingled with white and pink).  Love them but will keep them off the main plot area this year and grow them at the back somewhere.