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Nicotiana
(Flowering
tobacco) Gardeners with an interest
in tobacco fall into two groups. A few, determined
to ruin their health with the least possible
expense in taxation, grow tobacco to smoke. The
rest of us, intent on enjoying our gardens into old
age, grow only the ornamental nicotianas and these
represent a rare example in which the plant
breeders' enthusiasm for reducing the height of
their new varieties has actually led to a more
versatile plant. For many years the tall
and swaying 'Sensation'
and 'Evening Fragrance' types were the standard,
reaching 3ft/90cm or more they tend to close their
flowers by day, the petals relaxing to limpness
then coming alive to release their exotic scent
only in the evening. They can be spectacular, given
space they develop, and their colours show a
strange luminosity in evening light. Sadly, they
are available only in the unpredictable mixtures
rarely required in the borders of colour conscious
gardeners. It is true that the blend
of shades is less offensive than in many mixtures -
the soft reds and purples, the pinks, mauves and
white together with the lack of brilliant scarlets
or livid purples harmonise rather than clash in a
mass planting. But for planned associations sow
early, move the individual seedlings steadily on
into 5in/12.5cm pots then by planting time in late
spring the first flowers should be open and each
plant can be given a place with the appropriate
neighbours. Two valuable single
colours have long had their fanciers, the pure
white and the lime green. White comes in the form
of N.
alata, also known as
N. affinis, an elegant plant with its
height, size of foliage and flowers, degree of
branching and the quantity of flowers open at any
one time all in scale and not so tall as to be out
of place in smaller gardens. Although reaching
21/2-3ft/75-90cm, it has foliage which is
sufficiently discreet to allow it to be grown in
large tubs, its pure white flowers have boldness
enough to make a visual impact and a scent to add
its own intoxication to a relaxing drink on a
summer's evening. Placing a clump in the sunny
angle of a hedge in a city garden ensures that the
flowers are set off well and the scent held in the
evening air. The modern F1 hybrid types
have let us down in the greens, 'Domino Lime' and
'Havana Lime' are a thin and watery shade, quite
without passion. Most of the old open pollinated
types are stronger in colour but even these vary so
search out, please, the shimmery, more truly lime
green found in the 'Unwins Lime Green Strain'; its
depth of colour is outstanding. British plant breeders have led the way in the
development of F1 hybrid nicotianas and in the
Domino Series, at 12-15in/30-28cm, have reduced
their height while sacrificing relatively little of
their natural elegance. But once their height is
reduced we tend to look down on the flowers from
above rather than view them from the side. So the
breeders have created individual flowers whose flat
face is angled upwards so we see the most colour as
we look down. Very neat. The flowers also stay open
all day but the scent, sad to say, is much
reduced. In some series the height has been further
reduced - and the elegance lost. There is
temptation in 'Havana Appleblossom', a unique white
with pink backs to the petals but it's too dumpy
and the flowers are floppy and untidy. No, the star of all the modern nicotianas is
surely 'Domino Salmon
Pink'. A soft yet vivid shade, it makes a
tasteful pastel planting amongst the small silver
leaves of Plecostachys serpyllifolia and the
stiff, silver and white spikes of Salvia
farinacea 'Strata'. For a bolder look, it
gleams in front of purple Cotinus coggygria
'Notcutts Variety' or behind the new the American
dark-leaved heucheras like 'Stormy Seas' yet is
never garish. But two unaltered wild species remain the most
useful and effective of the whole group. The
dainty, waisted green bells of N. langsdorfii
(portrait)
(plant
grouping) on their slender wiry stems are
spectacular in a fluttery, airy mass although I
will not be growing the variegated form,
'Cream-Splash'; once was enough. Altogether more majestic is N.
sylvestris - occasionally diminished by a
strangely appealing yet entirely redundant cultivar
name - 'Only the Lonely'. The great, soft, rather
sticky, pale green foliage is impressive from early
on but its vital supporting midrib can be damaged
in strong winds and then the leaf flops. This is a handsome plant, again a perennial in
mild areas, and a fine back-of-the-border spectacle
best seen against a simple and unfussy background
such as a hedge or a dark wall (which will also
provide the necessary shelter), or up into a clear
blue sky. Finally, it is only fair to say that smoking
tobacco, N.
tabacum, does have an acceptable use. It
makes a tall and bold specimen, its soft and
luxuriant foliage is imposing long before the
flower spike stretches and if kept free from
drought and the new pestilence, tobacco blue mould,
it stays impressive until the flowers fade.
Nicotiana
A-Z
