Agapanthus are everywhere at the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show this year and there were two newcomers on show from the Hoyland Plant Centre in Yorkshire.
Agapanthus ‘Yorkshire Dream' is a lovely new variegated form. A seedling of A. praecox, the variegation is unusually luminous and, unlike so many variegated Agapanthus which are simply striped along each edge in cream or white, the variegation is less predictable. The pale yellow or cream colouring may feature as a broad band at one edge and narrower streaks through the green part of the leaf. The pale blue flowers are striped in dark blue. ‘Yorkshire Dream' is also hardier than many variegated forms, and is hardy to at least -8C.
The other new form from the Hoyland Plant Centre is Agapanthus ‘Margaret'. Bred by Hoyland's Steven Hickman, the powdery blue flowers are carried on 60cm/2ft stems above evergreen foliage and the quality of the blooms is excellent. "Agapanthus ‘Margaret' is named for my friend Margaret Evans, whom I've known for twenty five years and who's a well known Yorkshire vegetable judge."
Plants of these two new Agapanthus are available at the Show, or check the Hoyland Plant Centre website for online availability.