Familiarity breeds contempt. And that’s true in the gardening
world, too.
For instance, if you have a shady spot in the garden where
you’ve planted annual bedding plants, the odds are good that you’ve
grown impatiens.
Familiarity breeds contempt. And that’s true in the gardening world, too.
For instance, if you have a shady spot in the garden where you’ve planted annual bedding plants, the odds are good that you’ve grown impatiens. Impatiens are, hands down, the best summer annual for the shade. But then, that’s where the “familiarity breeds contempt” adage comes into play.
Impatiens do so well, flower so much and for so long that some home gardeners are beginning to shun them.
I know gardeners who would rather look at rust-filled snapdragons and mildewed zinnias than another bed of free-blooming impatiens. And that finally brings us to the purpose of this week’s column: namely, begonias.
Don’t be confused with the two main types of begonias. There are fibrous-rooted begonias, commonly referred to as wax begonias, and there are tuberous begonias. Fibrous or wax begonias, in particular, are a great alternative to impatiens. Tuberous begonias, because they are tubers or types of bulbs, are much more expensive. For instance, you can’t buy tuberous begonias in six packs as bedding plants. Instead, you have to start them by bulbs or buy already-blooming containers, which can be quite pricey.
On the other hand, inexpensive wax begonias will bloom all summer long in a shady or partially shady (west or north-facing) location. Even better is the fact that wax begonias will overwinter in our climate and come back year after year even bigger and stronger.
Wax begonias come in a variety of colors, with red, pink or white being the most common. They also come with different-colored leaves, with common green or less common bronze foliage to choose from. Bronze-leaved wax begonias will stand out in any garden no matter what color flowers you choose!
The dwarf plants will grow into little mounds about 10 inches high. They never need pinching or deadheading – similar to impatiens in that vein.
Different than impatiens, though, is the amount of water wax begonias need. While impatiens like to be kept moist, wax begonias prefer to be dry. In fact, too much water will encourage mold. Wax begonias have waxy, succulent-like leaves (thus their common name). The texture of the foliage translates to the fact that plants do not dry out easily and are somewhat drought-tolerant.
There are a number of varieties to look for, including “Victory,” Pizazz,” “Ambassador,” “Olympia,” “Party,” “Rio” and “Cocktail.” With names like these, you should know that these plants have altered the reputation of begonias being a little old lady’s flower. No longer does the very name conjure up images of lace curtains and parlor plants.
For plenty of flowers, somewhat unique foliage and ease, it’s tough to beat wax begonias.
