We are always pleased to be able to introduce a new plant to our range and on this occasion we are especially delighted to be able to offer Sanguisorba Janets Jewel. This special plant is named in honour of Neil’s Mum who, together with her husband John and Neil, came to Knoll Gardens a little over 28 years ago.
As with most of our new plant introductions Janets Jewel has been on trial for a number of years, which enables us to watch its progress, and over a period of time assess its performance in the garden and in association with other plants. And especially with grasses! It has performed consistently over the whole trial period and so we are delighted to now add it to our range. It is an especially nice plant and so we named it in memory of a rather special person.
As sanguisorbas, or burnets, are deservedly popular there are a number of excellent selections and cultivars as gardeners begin to appreciate the value of such beautiful plants. Nonetheless we feel that this selection is entirely worth a place high in the rankings for its combination of beautiful red flowers held on airy, delicate looking stems.
Although the mounds of pinnate green foliage are effective from spring time it is around mid summer onwards when many of the sanguisorbas start to flower and this includes Janets Jewel. The enthusiastically produced, cylindrical and graceful red flowers have a height range of around 1.5 m to 1.8m and so are not inclined to flop or require staking. As with any sanguisorba a sunny open position is best though a degree of light shade (such as cast by a nearby building), may be tolerated as long as the plants are not within the rootzone of established woody plants. Generally unfussy as to soil type and moisture, though best to avoid very wet.
Thanks to their airy and graceful stem structure that hold the flowers clear above the foliage nearly all sanguisorbas work well in association with grasses, whether they are used in more solid groups and drifts, or with a lighter touch are used individually amongst other plants like the grasses. We have several groups of Janets Jewel in the garden, such as in the Long Walk (above), in partnership with panicum and a few agapanthus and backed by taller miscanthus and echinops. While in the Decennium border Janets Jewel is planted with Molinia Dauerstrahl and again backed by miscanthus and calamagrostis amongst others.
