Diascia - Rose Queen
This is undoubtedly one of the world's loveliest annuals. It features slender spikes of shell-like, rose pink flowers spring from a mound of small, glossy, dark green leaves. At the back of the flower are two short spurs and the throat is tinged with purple and marked with a yellow spot. Easy to grow, it thrives in ordinary garden soil and flowers and flowers! It is superb for sunny borders and excellent in containers and flowers early summer to first frosts. Height: 30cm.
Sow late winter to spring at 15-18C, 1.5mm deep in a good seed compost. Germination usually takes 14-21 days. As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant into boxes. Pinch out the growing points when 5cm tall and again when the side shoots reach 5cm. Gradually acclimatise to outdoors conditions for 1-15 days before planting out. As the flowers start to fade the plants can be cut back with scissors to around 7.5cm above soil level and they will re flower. Repeat again late in summer for early autumn flowers.