Think summer anemone and we think immediately of fall-blooming pink Japanese windflowers. These swans are nothing like that.
About 10 years ago a Scottish plants woman and nursery owner, Elizabeth MacGregor, noticed a few anemone that were well-behaved. They stayed where they were planted and didn't self-seed into other beds. Best of all, their glorious pure white blooms flowered from June into October! They created a stir at the Chelsea Flower Show.
Several years later, we have several swans to choose from. Wild swan has pure white flowers with lavender blue backed outer petals. Dreaming Swan is bigger, flowers, leaves, size. Ruffled Swan is the tallest of the swan series, hip-high (90 cm/33") with large semi-double blossoms, white with the swan trademark purple-blue reverse. At the other end of the scale is Elfin Swan, growing to mid-calf height (35 cm/14").
Editor’s note: This column is part of a weekly online feature in partnership with the South Delta Garden Club. Columns appear every Tuesday at www.delta-optimist.com.
