How to grow...Begonias

Whether you fancy a cascading trail of dainty blooms, exotic specimens, or just some striking and unusual foliage, begonias really do have it all, says Anne Swithinbank

- Anne Swithinbank

STEP into the world of begonias and be amazed at the variety of leaf shapes, forms and blooms displayed by one of the largest genera of flowering plants. There are around 1,800 different species, most of which share the characteristic of asymmetric, odd-sided leaves.

Begonias were Victorian favourites and a speciality of the renowned Veitch Nurseries, which sent out plant hunters to find unusual and exciting specimens for its customers. On one trip to Brazil, William Lobb discovered Begonia coccinea, known as the angelwing begonia and the parent of many hybrids. Begonia rex arrived from Assam circa 1856 and was an instant hit as a tough parlour plant, able to cope with low light.

The Victorian plant craze supported a growing number of nurseries and towards the end of the 1800s, Covent Garden had 300 grower’s stalls. For advice, enthusiasts turned to Amateur Gardening, launched in 1884 by its first editor, horticulturalist and writer Shirley Hibberd.