Every time I post about new echinaceas more of you than usual take a look. (I can check exactly how many times each post and each picture is been viewed.) So today and tomorrow I'm bringing you news of two more new echinaceas. Today, the first seed mixture that includes all the new colours - ‘Dreamcoat', from Mr Fothergill's Seeds.
Bred in Holland, this is the first opportunity to grow all the new colours from one packet of seed and this brings both advantages and disadvantages. As the picture shows, the mix includes white, deep pinks, purplish shades, yellow, orange, coral and scarlet - they're all there. And notice the very pale blushed white flower in the bottom right hand corner; that's a colour rarely seen.
But of course, with only 20 seeds in a packet there's no telling exactly which colour your plants will turn out to be. My guess is that there'll be more pink and purple shades than anything else. But one plant of the new scarlet, orange and yellow shades usually costs a great deal more than the cost of a packet of ‘Dreamcoat' so basically the odds on a bargain look good.
The other thing is that plants are highly unlikely to flower in their first year. I'd suggest sowing early in gentle heat, pricking them out into pots, harden them off and then planting them in the garden. Always keep them a little on the dry side, never allow their compost to get soggy. This will give the plants a long growing season in which to build up to a good size and so produce the most flowers in their second year.
Echinacea ‘Dreamcoat' is available only from Mr Fothergill's Seeds.
Declaration of interest: I sometimes advise Mr Fothergill's Seeds on their catalogues, and have written the introduction to the latest edition of their flower seed catalogue. For this I am paid a fee.