Canna
Canna are one of the most flamboyant and colourful plants to grow in our British gardens, the large tropical leaves and dazzling flower colour look stunning all summer long. They can be planted in the ground as specimen plants or as part of a gorgeous tropical-like explosion of colour with other summer flowering plants, particularly Dahlia, and of course they are brilliant grown in pots and containers. Despite their tropical heritage they are an easy plant to grow, they can be grown as an annual if you wish but with a little care can be grown as a perennial and enjoyed for many years. There are many Canna cultivars and we are delighted to be able to offer a lovely range of Canna varieties and are working hard to increase our beautiful range of Canna so we can make them available to you. All our Canna plants are grown from our own stock and are tested annually to make sure they are free from virus and are healthy plants. We can offer one of the best selection of Canna in the UK on a nationwide delivery service. Please Note; During the winter Canna are dormant and will have no leaves.
Canna love the sunshine but can take a little partial shade during the day, they will flower well and sooner in the season if they get plenty of sun, however the blooms will last a little longer and stay fresher if they receive a little shelter and shade. The beautiful often glossy foliage is as much a feature as the flowers. The Canna can be planted in a free draining soil and once rooted will only need an occasional water during the summer, for good growth and luscious foliage, give the plants a liquid feed every two weeks, especially if they are in a pot. If planted in a container they will need to be watered more regularly. A great thing about Canna is that they can take drought, their rhizomes will manage to supply enough moisture to the plant for quite a long time, so dont panic if you are going on holiday!
Keep your Canna frost-free during the winter season, just like a Dahlia. You can either dig up the rhizomes and store on the dry side in the greenhouse or shed, some people will store in newspaper or dry compost. In some areas and especially if the garden soil is well drained you can keep the rhizomes in situ in the ground and cover with a thick mulch or, cover with an upturned pot, this will keep the area drier and create a little cloche and you will see where you planted them! In late Spring, early Summer when signs of growth are showing and frost is not a problem, pot them up or plant out again and introduce a little water.