{"title":"Agapanthus","description":"\u003cp\u003eAgapanthus is the sound of high summer. Tall stems carry perfect globes of blue or white flowers above strappy green leaves, and they are never happier than in a sunny pot by a door.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"agapanthus-africanus-white","title":"Agapanthus africanus White","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eAgapanthus africanus\u003c\/strong\u003e, the white-flowered form of the \u003cstrong\u003eAfrican Lily\u003c\/strong\u003e, is one of the most elegant summer performers you can grow in a pot or a sheltered border. Broad, strap-shaped evergreen leaves form a neat clump, and from late summer tall stems carry rounded umbels of pure white, trumpet-shaped flowers that glow against the deep green foliage. Native to the Western Cape of South Africa, this is a sun-loving, coastal-toned plant that brings a clean, architectural note to \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic borders\u003c\/a\u003e and patio displays alike.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUnlike the fully hardy deciduous hybrids, evergreen \u003cstrong\u003eAgapanthus africanus\u003c\/strong\u003e is half-hardy (RHS H3) and keeps its leaves through winter, so it needs a little more care in cold gardens. What actually finishes off this plant is a soggy winter rather than a cold one: sit those fleshy roots in damp, waterlogged ground for months and they rot away long before frost could do the job, so sharp winter drainage is essential. Grow it in gritty, free-draining compost, keep it on the dry side once dormant, and in exposed or colder areas move containers under cover or into a frost-free spot from autumn. In mild \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/coastal-plants\"\u003ecoastal gardens\u003c\/a\u003e it can stay outside year-round given excellent drainage and a dry winter mulch.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun in a warm, sheltered spot, ideally against a south or west-facing wall.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e any fertile, free-draining soil or gritty compost, from chalk to loam, across the full pH range. Winter drainage matters most.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e reaches around 0.5 to 1 m tall with a compact 0.1 to 0.5 m spread, ideal for containers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e half-hardy (RHS H3), happiest when shielded from sodden winters and hard frost.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgapanthus flower best when their roots are slightly restricted, which makes them superb \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants for pots\u003c\/a\u003e on a sunny terrace. Water freely and feed through spring and summer to fuel those big flower heads, then ease off in autumn as growth slows. The nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for bees, so it earns a place among \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003eplants for pollinators\u003c\/a\u003e as well as making a striking cut flower. For more on how these tender exotics behave through the seasons, see our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ehardy exotics guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePart of our wider \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e range, every white \u003cstrong\u003eAgapanthus africanus\u003c\/strong\u003e we supply is nursery-grown, selected for a strong root system and a healthy evergreen crown, and packed with care to arrive in top condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"9cm \/ 0.5L","offer_id":57974335635839,"sku":"AGAPAFRIWHIT9","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/iStock-1296634956.jpg?v=1784327079"},{"product_id":"agapanthus-africanus-blue","title":"Agapanthus africanus Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eAgapanthus africanus\u003c\/strong\u003e, widely loved as the \u003cstrong\u003eAfrican Lily\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003eLily of the Nile\u003c\/strong\u003e, is one of the most striking summer perennials you can grow. It sends up tall, slender stems topped with rounded umbels of deep blue, trumpet-shaped flowers held above glossy, strap-like evergreen leaves. Native to the Western Cape of South Africa, this is the true evergreen species, prized for the intensity of its colour and for the way it performs in pots on a hot, sunny patio.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is worth knowing that the evergreen \u003cstrong\u003eAgapanthus africanus\u003c\/strong\u003e is noticeably less hardy than the familiar deciduous garden hybrids. Rated RHS H3, it is happy outdoors only in mild coastal and southern gardens and tolerates around -5C at most. Soggy ground is far more dangerous to it than a cold snap: park those fleshy roots in waterlogged winter soil and they rot far faster than frost could ever manage. Sharp winter drainage is therefore essential, and in colder gardens it is best grown in a container that can be moved to a frost-free porch or greenhouse from late autumn until spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eHow and where to grow\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e full sun in a warm, sheltered spot; the more sun it gets, the more freely it flowers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSoil:\u003c\/strong\u003e fertile, moist but sharply free-draining soil or a loam-based compost, and never wet over winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e a compact evergreen clump to around 0.6 to 0.9 m tall and 0.45 m across within a few seasons.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardiness:\u003c\/strong\u003e half-hardy (RHS H3), so guard it from hard frost and, most of all, from a wet winter.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eAgapanthus africanus is superb in containers, and a little root restriction actually encourages a stronger show of flowers, which makes it a natural choice for our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pots\"\u003eplants for pots and containers\u003c\/a\u003e. It also earns a place at the front of a warm \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/exotic-border-plants\"\u003eexotic border\u003c\/a\u003e and shines in mild \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/coastal-plants\"\u003ecoastal and seaside gardens\u003c\/a\u003e. The nectar-rich summer umbels are a magnet for bees, so it sits happily among our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/plants-for-pollinators\"\u003eplants for pollinators\u003c\/a\u003e. To see the wider range, browse all of our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/hardy-exotics\"\u003ehardy exotics\u003c\/a\u003e, and read how these plants behave through the year on our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/hardy-exotics-what-to-expect\"\u003ewhat to expect\u003c\/a\u003e guide.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEvery African Lily we send out is nursery-grown and hand-selected for a healthy clump and strong roots, then carefully packed to arrive in superb condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"GROW TROPICALS","offers":[{"title":"17cm \/ 2L","offer_id":57974337864063,"sku":"AGAPAFRIBLUE17","price":14.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0361\/9645\/0348\/files\/iStock-2233530340.jpg?v=1784326912"}],"url":"https:\/\/growtropicals.com\/collections\/agapanthus.oembed","provider":"GrowTropicals","version":"1.0","type":"link"}