Report From An Opinionated Gardener – September 30
There are some plant that I refer to as Brylcreem plants. They are the ones that explode in the garden: a little dab’ll do ya indeed. Licorice plant, Helichrysum petiolare is just such an annual. This licorice plant that’s climbing up, no attempting to devour, a Harry Lauder’s walking stick, is an excellent example. There are three Helichrysum in this 7′ by 10′ garden. Yup, only three. If the growing season was longer here, this plant would be up and over the walking stick and on top of the grape arbor in no time.
I’m not complaining – in fact, I’m enjoying the plant’s exuberant nature….since it’s an annual and I won’t have to be ripping it off of that grape arbor. It is, however, a great reminder of the wisdom of finding out what a plant will do before we put one in our gardens.
