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There are literally hundreds of species of begonia and the one in question is the tuberous begonia.
This is not a natural species, but a hybrid of several species that has been bred over many years for the sole purpose of providing masses of flowers.
And compared to the size of the plant, its flowering is prodigious.
The species from which it was bred are all native to tropical South America, mainly Brazil and neighbouring countries.
The cultivated forms have been bred for colour variation, double-flowers and size of flowers.
Different varieties
The main groups are roughly defined as: Tuberhybrida, Multiflora and Pendula.
Tuberhybrida kinds can be 60cm and more tall, and are really for greenhouse growing, making huge flowers, the size of saucers, but often needing staking to support the weight of the fleshy stems and flowers.
Multiflora types are free-flowering with many large flowers too, but these are smaller, and held more upright.
The Pendula types are much the same but with flowers that hang on longer flower stalks, giving a cascading appearance.
Both of these kinds are widely grown in pots, window boxes and hanging baskets.
The Multiflora types are also grown in flower beds and borders in the open ground.
The colour range is dark red, scarlet, pink, orange, peach, salmon, rich yellow, lemon, ivory and white, some with fragrance.
There are named cultivars and many that are just generic mixed. The named kinds on offer vary according to the wholesale supplier and the retail garden centre.
Among those offered are ‘Non-stop’, a series of mixed colours; ‘Crispa Marginata’ with frilled edges and a margin of dark colour, Wild ‘Bouton de Rose’ is-rose like – pink with a dark rim to the petals.
The ‘Superba’ range has an assortment of soft colours, offered as a mix or as single colours.
Mixed colours can be a bit over-powering and it is usually best to stick with one colour or a couple of colours that work well together.
Pendula kinds are, if anything, more popular, such as ‘Apricot Shades’, a mix of orange tones; peachy ‘Ballerina’ and ‘Fragrant Mother’s Day’, which is white with a blush of soft pink.
The best thing to do is to visit a few garden centres now to see by the colour labels which you might be interested in.
Easily damaged
Being derived from tropical species, the tuberous begonias are very easily damaged by frost and cannot be put outdoors until the danger of frost has passed, in late May or early June.
The first hard frost of autumn will turn the leaves to mush, so the tubers must be lifted and stored overwinter in a frost-safe shed.
But this is not as onerous as it seems for a few containers, and the plants benefit from the annual re-potting in any case.
The tubers must be started off in spring, usually in March. This can be done on a window sill without a greenhouse.
They will be close to flowering when planted out, the first flower buds showing.
Planting advice
Start off the tubers by filling a seed tray or pots with potting compost, and water them.
Allow to drain and gently push the tubers level into the surface of the compost with the hollow side uppermost.
Give another light watering and place the tray in a greenhouse or on a window sill indoors. Give very little or no water until the shoots are a couple of centimetres long.
Wet compost causes the roots to rot and encourages mushroom fly larvae, which eat the roots.
Pot on as necessary and harden them off a week before planting out by placing the pots outdoors in shade for a few hours.
Ivy is rarely classified as a weed because it is both a garden plant and a native wild plant, but it can readily fit the role of pernicious weed too.
It clambers along the ground until it reaches a tree, a wall or a rock to climb. When it has reached into the sunshine, it switches to an adult phase and produces flowers and berries.
The young climbing shoots are easily pulled away from their support or cutaway low down.
Ivy should be rooted out from under hedges and shrubs, as it will get stronger and climb up through a hedge or shrubs.
Now is a good time to chop out ivy, because it can be more easily seen.
Trees, shrubs & roses
Rose bushes and repeat-flowering climbers should be pruned in the next two weeks, if not already. This is a good time to plant deciduous trees, shelter belts and hedges, provided the ground is not too wet. Control weeds around young trees, as it will double their rate of annual growth.
Fruit, vegetables & herbs
With such wet weather, it has been difficult to dig ground for vegetables but be ready to take the first opportunity. Early potatoes benefit from being sprouted before planting. Fruit trees and bushes can be planted. A wide range of tree and bush fruits are available at garden centres.
Flowers
Sow some sweet pea seeds for an early crop of flowers this summer. The lifting and dividing of over-grown herbaceous flowers can continue if the soil is not too wet. Tug away the old growth of grasses and sedges. The oldest material will have rotted at the base and comes away readily.
Lawns
There has been considerable grass growth over winter, even if the ground has been wet. Lawn areas should be mown as early as possible. The grass sward can be very heavy and awkward to mow if it is left until March. If there is heavy moss growth, use a lawn mosskiller.
Greenhouse & house plants
Check for signs of growth and water well any plant that is showing bud break. Permanent greenhouse plants that are too large can be pruned back. Greenhouse peach trees should have the first flowers gently pollinated with a soft paintbrush. Tidy the greenhouse.
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