Unexpected arrivals

Two insect species not seen before arrive in Val’s garden

- Val Bourne

THIS year got off to a brilliant start, although it might not seem so to some. Do you remember that incessant rain? It began in September and carried on through January, February and the first half of March. That wet deluge kept away the cold weather and some plants loved it, especially those that enjoy a wet growing season. My South African dieramas have never been better. These angel’s fishing rods (Dierama pulcherrimum) sway about and quiver in the wind. Although they look fragile, they have the same tensile strength as ballerinas do.

In the wild, these toughies are native to the southern half of Africa and they clearly enjoyed having copious amounts of rain. My crocosmias and kniphofias have thrived, too, for the same reason. Other wet-winter successes were more of a surprise. My Chinese herbaceous peonies, named forms of P. lactiflora, put on a huge show of flowers. They clearly liked the rain, as did the roses.

“Blues settle on all sorts of unsavoury things!”