By Thea Hegland

Mid-September brings us to the best time in the lesser known Mediterranean Garden. Only developed within the last 20 years at The Butchart Gardens, this little gem offers some big surprises and is a showcase of what is possible when the limits are challenged. An unstated hot spot on the property was the perfect micro climate to test the boundaries past Zone 8 and experiment with plants suitable for warmer, more Mediterranean like climate.

Punica (Pomegranate) in the Mediterranean Garden

Beauties such as Lagerstroemeria (Crape myrtle), Vitex (Chaste tree) and Punica (Pomegranate) are usually considered marginally hardy in this climate resulting in some success, but in the Mediterranean Garden, they are surpassing expectations and absolutely thriving. The unusual Desfontainia spinosa, a native from the Andes (Colombia to Straight of Magellan) is drawing some attention with its unique, showy tubular reddish-orange flowers. Finally, after taking a few years to establish themselves, it looks like we have a few winners here and we seek other new and interesting plants to challenge our beliefs about the things we think we know.

If you plan a visit this week to The Gardens you will discover an abundance of flowers and plenty of surprises!

Plants that are currently blooming

• Abutilon (Flowering maple)
• Achillea
• Aconitum(Monkshood)
• Albizia julibrissin (Mimosa tree)
• Angelonia
• Anigozanthos (Kangaroo paw)
• Antirrhinum (Snapdragon)
• Arum italicum (Lords and ladies)
• Aster (Michaelmas daisy)
• Begonia
• Cephalaria (Giant scabiosa)
• Chelone obliqua (Turtlehead)
• Clerodendrum bungei (Glory bower)
• Clerodendrum ugandense (Blue glory bower)
• Clerodendrum trichotomum (Glory bower)
• Clethra (Summersweet)
• Colchicum (Autumn crocus)
• Cosmos atrosanguineus (Chocolate cosmos)
• Crocosmia
• Dahlia
• Desfontainia spinosa
• Echinacea (Coneflower)
• Fuchsia
• Gladiolus callianthus
• Helenium (Sneezeweed)
• Helianthus (Perennial sunflower)
• Heptacodium miconioides (Seven –son flower)
• Hibiscus syriacus ‘Blue Bird’
• Hydrangea
• Iochroma
• Lagerstroemeria (Crape myrtle)
• Leonotis (Lion’s ear)
• Lespedeza (Bush clover)
• Lobelia speciosa
• Manettia (Firecracker vine)
• Persicaria (Knotweed)
• Punica (Pomegranate)
• Rosa (Rose)
• Rudbeckia (Gloriosa daisy)
• Schizostylis (Kaffir lily)
• Streptocarpus (Cape primrose)
• Tecoma
• Thalictrum (Meadow rue)
• Tibouchina (Glory bush)
• Verbena
• Vitex
• Zauschneria (California fuchsia)
• Zinnia