 The Antirrhinum (or 'snapdragon) is one of the most reliable plants used for bedding out in the garden, mainly because it will perform well regardless of how wet or dry our summers are. They have a long flowering period, from early summer through into the autumn and, as long as they are dead-headed regularly to remove any seed capsules that form, they just don't know when to stop flowering.
Some varieties don't even need this amount of attention. There are now types such as Antirrhinum Antirodora that will not set seed, so there is no dead-heading and the flowers are 'self-cleaning' (once the flower has finished, it withers away or drops from the plant to be replaced by fresh new blooms). These types are propagated from cuttings as there is no seed.
Antirrhinums are one of hardier plants we use for summer bedding and many are tough enough to survive outdoors in a mild winter (although they can look pretty bedraggled).
Over recent years, plant breeders have concentrated on increasing the colour range and the size of antirrhinum flowers. There is now a range of colours from white, through creams and yellows to pinks, orange shades, reds and purples. As well as single colours, there are now many bicolours, where flowers display two or more colours on each individual bloom.
They are easy to grow but always do better in a sunny position with good drainage, which makes them ideal for growing in containers as well as in the border. Position them in containers close to the house or seating area to get the full benefit of the fragrance. Antirrhinums are a good choice for the novice gardener, because they rarely disappoint, and for the experienced gardener because they are so reliable. |
