Scented trailing begonias for hanging baskets – doesn’t that sound marvelous? Well, here they are, after almost ten years development – the latest from the breeding work at Thompson & Morgan.
T&M introduced ‘Aromatics’, the work of a Belgian breeder, in 2005 but they felt that the scent needed to be stronger and the colours needed to be better. So in 2006 they began to develop their own range and introduced ‘Fragrant Falls Apricot’ at Chelsea in 2011. Unfortunately, it proved rather difficult to propagate as it produced so few cuttings. But, now, after more development, T&M are introducing ‘Fragrant Falls Improved’, in three colours (left, click to enlarge) – all scented, all with double flowers.
Each flower of ‘Apricot Delight’ features a blend of apricot shades with a rose fragrance while the flowers of ‘Lemon Fizz’ come in shades of lemon with a sharp citrus scent. The rose-scented ‘Rose Syllabub’ is pale pink with a dark pink picotee edge.
All are ideal for hanging baskets, with a compact semi-trailing habit. They will bloom through the summer until frosts and even put on a good show in wet summers and on shady parts of the patio.
Editor-in-Chief of the RHS Encyclopedia of Perennials; writer for a wide range of newspapers and magazines including The Garden and The Plantsman; member of the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee and Floral Trials Committee; author of many books on plants and gardens.
