Limnanthes Douglasii

Limnanthes Douglasii has distinctive yellow saucer like flowers with white petal tips which leave no doubt why this is so widely known as the Poached Egg Plant.  It is one of the most free-flowering scented annuals you can grow, and it is just so useful to have in your garden…with two RHS accolades, an AGM and a pollinators plant listing.  More information about how you can harness the power of Poached Egg in your garden can be found below.

Flowers from June, earlier from an autumn sowing.

Height 15cm

Annual

Price for 50 seeds

SOW & GROW: three options - indoors February to March on the surface of moist well-drained seed compost and cover lightly. Ideal temperature is 16°C, germination takes about 2-3 weeks. When large enough to handle transplant seedlings to 8cm pots, they can be planted out after frost danger is over.

OR sow in April & May where they are to flower, on open soil and barely cover the seed.  Aim for your plants to be 15cm apart (for edging or ground cover), if they are too close then transplant some.  You can still sow in modules at this time for ease of positioning.  

OR autumn sow and protect from frost for an earlier flowering next year

They are happy in most garden soils & situations but prefer a well-drained site in sunshine, water if they are growing undercover, transplant self-seedlings to where you need them (or compost!). 

WILDLIFE BENEFITS:

• A particular favourite for hoverflies (the aphid munching gardener’s friend)
• Nectar and pollen rich so very attractive to bees and other pollinators.
• Lacewings and ladybirds are also drawn in by Limnanthes

• Put those hoverflies to work near your roses by underplanting with Limnanthes
• Attract pollinators into your greenhouse and polytunnel with the nectar and pollen power of Limnanthes
• Plant in and around your vegetables – small and compact they are easy to transplant – treat them as companion planting for tomatoes, peppers, squash, pumpkins and courgettes: anything that would be helped by a friendly pollinator or two and some predatory support.
• As a green manure!  Yes, late sow (or transplant self seedlings) amongst your kale and winter brassicas and allow to die back on the soil before digging in after harvesting those veggies.

SUITS:

• Vegetable gardens, greenhouses & polytunnels
• As ground cover or individual spot planting
• Path edging
• Companion planting
• Wildlife gardens and wildlife meadows (damper areas particularly)
• Patio and containers, hanging baskets
• Flower borders & as a bedding plant
• Courtyard gardens, informal and cottage styles
• Coastal locations, rocky and some exposure