Acanthus hungaricus (Bear’s Breeches) Knot Garden; This species is the least known of the Bear’s Breeches and makes a terrific speciman in the garden with upright spikes of hooded light pink flowers. It adapts to a wider climate range and here at the TBG blooms reliably year after year.
Eryngium giganteum (Miss Wilmott’s Ghost) Water Channel; This plant produces large spiny flower heads of silver-grey with a greenish centre cone. It gets its name from the English plantswoman, Ellen Wilmott, who supposedly spread the seed when visiting other gardens.
Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ (Alpine Betony) Entry Garden; Species of Stachys are generally known for their woolly grey leaves, however this cultivar is known for its basal rosettes of ovate glossy leaves and long-lasting rose-lavender flowers. In my humble opinion, if you have a position in full-sun available this plant is a must -have — it’s also great in containers and overwinters well!
Liatris spicata (Dense Blazing Star or Prairie Gayfeather) Water Channel & Entry Garden; Native throughout most of Eastern North America, this herbacious perennial has dramatic tall spikes of magenta-purple flowers which open from top to bottom. A prairie wildflower, it has naturalized extremely well in the TBG Entry Garden meadow.
Allium sphaerocephalon (Round-headed Leek) Water Channel, Perennial Border; Also known as Drumstick Allium, the egg-shaped flowers begin green opening to a pink and finally maturing to a reddish purple. They last for 3-4weeks and are excellent amoungst other plants in the herbaceous border, naturalizing freely.
about the author: Sandra Pella
Sandra Pella has worked as Head Gardener of the Toronto Botanical Garden since 2008. She holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Western Ontario, and upon graduation worked in the financial sector until the pull of plants was too much to resist, whereupon she found herself at Janet Anderson Perennials (formerly JEA Perennials) as a horticultural technician. She has been the Perennial Manager at Summerhill Nursery & Floral followed by the Assistant Horticulturist at the TBG prior to its renovation. Sandra worked as a Gardener for two seasons with the City of Toronto as well as seasonal Gardener for the TBG prior to being named Head Gardener. She is self-taught in the field and thus greatly appreciated the experience a gardening internship in 2009 at Great Dixter in the UK brought to her. Sandra has a regular What’s In Bloom blog and is one of the spokespeople for the TBG.
