Royal Purple
Originating from East Asia, the Turf Lily (Liriope ‘Royal Purple’) is a hardy perennial reaching a height of about 50 centimetres and spreading up to 50 centimetres wide.
From late summer upright spikes of deep blue, hyacinth-like flowers emerge from the attractive clumps of deep green, strappy foliage.
The Turf Lily prefers a shady spot in organic-enriched, well-draining soil. After planting, water regularly to ensure a good start.
Use Turf Lily to fill in gaps in rockeries or mass plant them to form an edging for paths and driveways or to cover difficult embankments.
They make an ideal, hardy groundcover as a lawn substitute in areas too shady for grass to grow.
Growing several plantings of Turf Lily in large containers on patios or entertainment areas, repeating three or more containers in a row, creates a very stylish, modern effect.
Turf Lily is easy to maintain. Simply remove old flower heads at their base and fertilise with a slow-release fertiliser in spring to encourage vigorous growth.
Top gardening tips for April
- Plant some strawberries in pots or hanging baskets. Be sure to buy certified, virus-free plants and use a premium-grade potting mix that complies with Australian standards.
- Dig some manure and compost into the soil to prepare for planting winter vegetables, such as cabbage, silver beet, broccoli and broad beans.
- Plant out potted plants, including citrus and natives, while soil temperatures are warm.
- Tidy up perennials that have finished flowering, such as agapanthus, daisies and daylilies. Lift and separate crowded clumps to encourage flowering.
- Move cymbidium orchids into a sunny spot for a few hours of sunlight each day to encourage flower production and feed them fortnightly with a specially formulated fertiliser. Watch for snails and caterpillars after the flower spikes appear.
- Choose trees with colourful autumn foliage while they are displaying leaf colour. Some small trees suitable for Sydney gardens are Japanese maple, Golden robinia and Chinese pistachio.
