Recommended Ornamental Flowering plant 2 May 2020 at 8:49AM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 10 replies 171 views

60BOWENS

Hi

We would like to have one eye catching flowering plant in our front garden.

looking for long flowering season plant which does not grow more than 2 metres and has bright coloured flowers.

any ideas?

thanks

Davesnave

If it existed, we'd all know what it is!

Shrubby potentillas can be high value plants, coming into flower about now and lasting a long time, but they are hardly blow-you-socks-off bright and eye catching. The brightest thing in my garden at present is a Doronicum 'Little Leo' paired with a particularly strong coloured honesty, but on the whole I go for class rather than brashness. Erysimum 'Bowles Mauve' is about as loud as I normally go.

Alstroemeria 'Indian Summer' is pretty.....um....'Indian'... and reasonably long flowering. People will certainly notice it anyway.

JulieM

I would second Erysimum Bowles Mauve. The only downside is that it usually gets a bit untidy after about 3 years, I just dig mine out and start again.

twopenny

I grow Erysimum Bowles Mauve and down south it will even flower through winter.

There is one in the same family that is softly multicoloured but the mauve is striking.

I have a deep red rose that 'hits you in the eye' visually. Mines an old breed climber but there are bound to be shrub roses. A standard rose is a feature plant that stands out. Then you'd have scent as well.

sheramber

What type of soil do you have? Acid, alkaline, clay, free draining loam?
What direction does the garden face?
The answers will narrow down what will grow successfully. 

Mojisola

Does it have to be a flowering shrub?  Our Photinia "Little Red Robin" is far more colourful than many flowering plants.  It's also a very neat and tidy growing shrub - unlike its big brother "Red Robin".

Farway

How about salvia Hot Lips? Certainly eye catching and care free as well. I've seen it as large shrubs but doesn't mind a bit of hacking about

Davesnave

sheramber said:

What type of soil do you have? Acid, alkaline, clay, free draining loam?
What direction does the garden face?
The answers will narrow down what will grow successfully. 

I agree with this We're often asked to provide idea based on minimal information , so some are almost bound to be unsuitable, or even destined to fail. For example, we have a brilliant red azalea here which my wife bought and it's doing really well after a year or so of growth. In our last garden it would either be extremely sick or dead by now.

Davesnave

Farway said:

How about salvia Hot Lips? Certainly eye catching and care free as well. I've seen it as large shrubs but doesn't mind a bit of hacking about

Sexy name, but I go more for 'Cerro Potosi' myself, or 'Royal Bumble,' but they're all good doers here and bloom for months. Unfortunately, some of the more refined and tasteful selections seem a bit wimpish in harsher winters and disappear here. Good old Mrs Yeo is like her namesake: more or less indestructible, but incredibly untidy and needs keeping under strict control!  (She isn't still alive is she? I don't want to defend a libel case!  )

KittenChops

JulieM said:

I would second Erysimum Bowles Mauve. The only downside is that it usually gets a bit untidy after about 3 years, I just dig mine out and start again.

Erysimum Bowles Mauve is incredibly easy to take cuttings from too - just snip a small non flowering bit off & pot it up - it'll root in a few days.  I think they're quite short lived compared to other varieties.  I'm in Kent and it flowers all winter here - great for early bees.

Farway

KittenChops said:

JulieM said:

I would second Erysimum Bowles Mauve. The only downside is that it usually gets a bit untidy after about 3 years, I just dig mine out and start again.

Erysimum Bowles Mauve is incredibly easy to take cuttings from too - just snip a small non flowering bit off & pot it up - it'll root in a few days.  I think they're quite short lived compared to other varieties.  I'm in Kent and it flowers all winter here - great for early bees.

Thanks, off to try that later, mine, like it's owner,  is getting past it