Begonias used to be for hot climates only, but here are some tough enough to survive and thrive in Britain
I am a reformed begoniaphobe. I grew up in the hot spot of begonia biodiversity that is southeast Asia – home to dazzling iridescent species that shimmer like butterfly wings and mottled beauties that look straight off the set of Avatar. But my only knowledge of the genus was massive, double hybrids in lurid Vegas showgirl shades from 1980s British bedding-plant catalogues. Since then, thanks to the introduction of weird and wonderful species, I have well and truly been converted to this fascinating genus.
Back in the day, the only begonias commonly available in the trade had not only had all their wild, rainforesty look bred out of them in favour of a uniform, plastic, perfectness, they were also strictly summer bedding plants only. Come the slightest whiff of frost, their soft, water-filled tissues would collapse to a brown mush that needed to be replaced every year. However, the popularisation of species from more northerly latitudes introduced a gene pool that confers a significant level of hardiness if given a thick winter mulch.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WLT1MC
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