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Rodgersia have been slowly increasing in popularity through the last decade and I have at last caught on.
They make dramatic perennials that prosper in moist climates and tolerate reasonable shade.
Just perfect for the garden here. I have been slowly acquiring them as opportunity presents. R. aesculifolia comes from Northern China and can grow to six feet or more, though I have never seen it reach much over three in the UK. Mine is a baby and so I have potted it while it develops a decent rhizome (and while I consider where to plant a monster). After several years it has been planted in the new herbaceous border - full of new herbaceous weeds - and it is slowly getting stronger. In 1914 William Purdom and Reginald Farrer collected in Gansu Province, China. One of their introductions was R. aesculifolia under the number F.132. Writing in 'The English Rock Garden' in 1919, Farrer says: "Rodgersia aesculifolia (F.132) is perfectly magnificent in the richest, cooler and darker aspects of the great Siku gorge, growing to 4 to 5 feet high in corners under the cliff' with enormous metallic foliage and foamy white blossom in crest over crest to the summit of the spumy pyramid - by far the most superb of rodgersias when is such form, and completely vanquishing the utmost effort of Astilbe and Spiraea. It is general all over the alpine coppice of the Siku-Satanee ranges and, above Siku, even lingers handsomely on hot dry hills of coarse grass, from which the woodland has been pitilessly cleared for many generations." |
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| 10th August 2013 | ||
