The Gardeners Almanac

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Hesperis

Common name: Damask Violet or Sweet Rocket

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Week Numbers

Deadheading

Division

Planting out

Pricking Out

Seed sowing Indoors

Seed sowing Outdoors

Overview:

Blue flower head

Hesperis matronalis flower

Plants in the border

Hesperis matronalis

The name Hesperis comes for the Greek word for evening alluding to its evening fragrance.

It is a hardy herbaceous biennials or short lived perennial of the brassicaceae family, that dependant upon variety can grow to 1.5 metres (5ft) high with a similar spread.

The white, mauve or purple flowers that open in June give off a fragrance in the evening.

Remove the flowering spikes after flowering.

If grown as a perennial it is advisable to replace them every two or three years as the have a tendency to grow a bit woody.


Cultivation:

Week 16:

Seeds can be sown thinly in a sunny position in open ground.

Alternatively, sow them in trays of seed compost and place them in a coldframe to germinate.


Week 22:

Prick off the seedlings into a nursery bed.


Week 40:

Plant out seedlings 500mm (18”) apart, between now and March in a sunny position.

They will tolerate most types of soil providing it is moist.

Established plants can be divided now and replanted where necessary.