Alstroemeria 'Sweet Laura'

About this cultivar:

Alstroemeria 'Sweet Laura' is an introduction from Mark Bridgen at Cornell University. Tall stems provide fragrant golden flowers, highlighted with orange/red tips and specks. The sweet fragrance of the floriferous display makes this a must for the summer border. This Alstroemeria caryophyllaea hybrid spreads slowly, unlike many of the more vigourous species. Makes a good cut flower.

• Position: Full sun, partial shade
• Soil: Almost any soil - grows well in Ballyrobert!
• Flowers: June, July, August, September
  
• Other features: Cut Flowers or Dried Flowers
• Hardiness: Fully hardy - grows well in Ballyrobert!
• Habit: Bushy, Clump forming
• Foliage: Deciduous
• Height: 75 - 105 cm (2.5 - 3.5 ft)
• Spread: 45 - 75 cm (1.5 - 2.5 ft)
• Time to full growth: 2 to 5 years
• Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
• Colour: Yellow, green
• Goes well with: Roses. Try by a fence.

About this genus:

Alstroemeria, also know as Peruvian lily, are one of gardening's best kept secrets. They are fleshy rooted herbaceous perennials forming spreading clumps of erect stems bearing narrowly lance-shaped leaves, with umbels of showy funnel-shaped flowers in summer. You may be under the impression they are hard work and not hardy. Well, this is not true - not with the cultivars we have trialed. We have found that some cultivars are tough as nails and often flower from June to November! They are also great as a cut flower - which, along with the long flowering time, might explain their dominance of that industry.

They tolerate a wide range of soils and will grow almost anywhere that is not in total shade. If you think your garden is a bit exposed then plant Alstroemeria next to other bushy plants so they support each other. Looks great with rose bushes or by a fence.