Now that the first hard frost of the season could surprise me any minute, it’s time to think about what worked and didn’t work in the garden this year. Figuring out my favorite new (to me) annual is easy—Audray gomphrenas (globe amaranth):
I haven’t grown gomphrenas in at least a decade. Why I gave up on them I’ll never know, but it was a foolish decision. They are about as carefree as an annual can get.
I haven’t touched my plants since I tucked them into my flowerbeds in late May. The flowers didn’t need any deadheading because they are everlastings (meaning you can cut them, dry them out and use them for cut-flower arrangements). My plants started blooming in early July which is a little slow for an annual, but I’m not complaining. The flowers kept their color throughout the summer, and continue to shine like a beacon in my gardens as we head into October. The foliage was and still is green and lush with no signs of pests or diseases.
The only hitch is that I sprouted the plants from seed indoors, and I did have some problems with damping off. I think if I make sure to water the seedlings from below and keep the top of the soilless growing mix dry, I would avoid the problem.
This is ‘Audray Purple Red’:
The flowers look great with pink flowers like Profusion or Zahara zinnias or yellows like marigolds, calendulas or rudbeckias. I also had a few growing next to some lavender ageratums. I was afraid the colors would clash, but it turned out to be a nifty combination.
My favorite is ‘Audray Pink’:
The pinkish-lavender flowers look positively fetching with dark purple flowers like Salvia ‘Victoria’, but they also blend well with just about every other color in the garden.
Audray gomphrenas grow 20 to 24 inches tall on bushy plants with great branching. I hope they introduce more colors to the series because this is one fantastic annual.