Japanese anemones are reliable late summer bloomers, some taking us well into autumn, and thrive in sun or mid-shade. They rarely need staking and their large vine-shaped leaves act as a very useful ground cover. What’s not to love? The simple, charming open flowers look spot-on in a cottage garden but will work just as well in a shady town or city plot.
While doing the hard landscaping in my newish garden I lost a few perennials. I saved what I could but when the digger moved in for a couple of days and moved large quantities of soil around, I was playing catch-up and, frankly, some got a bit … mullered.
There were a few Japanese anemones in there, pink and white ones, which subsequently started popping up in beds. They are resilient things: it sometimes takes only a small amount of root to be left in the ground for them to come back. In fact root cuttings taken between November and January are an easy way to propagate Japanese anemones, or else you can divide up a large clump between autumn and spring.
Before I get letters or comments, yes, I do know they are on the “boisterous” plant list, but sometimes gardeners need plants like that. Being a fan, I’ll let the ones that have popped up grow away and add in a few more, especially to tricky areas where I know they’ll help me out.
Japanese anemones are resilient flowers that can flourish in a variety of environments
MARIANNE MAJERUS
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If you generally plant your perennials in spring, anemones may get overlooked. When I make a plant list, I try to plan seasonally to make sure there’s impact at key times, and for late summer and autumn interest Japanese anemones invariably make the cut. You could buy some in flower now and pop them in, then every year they’ll flower anew to remind you why you chose them in the first place. After a few years you’ll have a decent clump or two to lift, divide and dot around into available gaps.
The common name is perhaps a little misleading, as Anemone hupehensis, the parent of many garden hybrids, is actually from China, but they have been revered in Japan for hundreds of years. These anemones are not to be mixed up with the far more diminutive spring-flowering A. blanda and A. coronaria, which grow from autumn-planted bulbs. They are within the same buttercup family (Ranunculus) but Japanese anemones are very different beasts, being robust herbaceous perennials.
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They come in a range of pinks and whites, and work nicely in clumps or chunky blocks to soften the bases of fences and walls. I’ve experimented with some in quite deep shade (under canopies of trees and against north-facing walls) and found that if they have some moisture and you take time to prepare the soil well, they will flower well, if not quite as prolifically as those that get more light.
Prepare the soil well by digging in plenty of leaf mould to improve drainage and moisture retention while keeping the soil open for a root system to develop easily. If you plant them now, water well in dry spells until autumn. I wouldn’t feed them this season; instead, next spring and summer, give them a scattering of something like pelleted chicken manure. Divide congested clumps in late autumn after cutting back or early spring before the new leaves emerge. Mulch plants in spring with leaf mould or garden compost.
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Eight excellent Japanese anemones1. A. hupehensis var. japonica ‘Prinz Heinrich’
Deep rose pink, semi-double flowers with a slight curve on the petal creating a lovely quill effect. Height 90cm x spread 60cm.
2. A. x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’
Clear white single flowers with a subtle pink tinge on the underside of the petals. Light green and yellow centres contrast nicely. Height 1.2m x spread 60cm.
3. A. x hybrida ‘Andrea Atkinson’
Another one with white flowers, a touch more robust than ‘Honorine Jobert’ and forms bigger clumps. The flowers are sometimes tinged pink or green on the outside. Height 1m x spread approx 1m.
4. A. x hybrida ‘September charm’
Extremely popular as it has a very long flowering season from the end of July right through to September. Light pink inner petals contrast nicely with the darker pink outer edges. Height 90cm x spread 40cm.
5. A. x hybrida ‘Robustissima’
A vigorous plant that will grow in most garden soils (except very wet) so is perfect for tricky areas. Pink flowers with deep-pink petals and red-tinted stems. Height 1.2m x 60cm.
6. A. hupehensis var. japonica ‘Pamina’
A shorter and earlier flowerer with deep pink semi-double flowers with distinctive bright yellow centres. Good for smaller gardens, middle or front of border or even a container where space is limited. Height 80cm x spread 40cm.
7. A. x hybrida ‘Königin Charlotte’
A lovely double-flowered rich rose-pink variety with overlapping petals and prominent yellow centres. Height 90cm x spread 60cm.
8. A. ‘Ruffled Swan’
The parentage of this new introduction is different (a cross between early and late anemones) but as it flowers a long time and into the autumn, I’ve decided to include it. Pure white petals with a blue blush on the back — gorgeous. Height 80cm x spread 80cm.
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