This is another new ($2) addition to the pots I have attached to the fence and a perfect contender for my next entry in Becky’s ‘In the Pink’ Square in September photo challenge.
– ⋅ o ♥ o ⋅ –
The plant with these cute little flowers is referred to as either Sweet Alyssum or Sweet Alison because it was originally classified as Alyssum. These days though it has been reclassified and now goes by the scientific name Lobularia maritima, and it’s a ground cover belonging to the Brassicaceae family of flowering plants. This family is also known as the mustards, crucifers, or cabbage family and, I must admit, it’s hard to imagine this tiny little thing is related to a cabbage, but it is.
New classification aside, I’ll just refer to it as Alyssum.
Alyssum flowers are typically small and grouped in clusters, they are often white but can also be pink or purple. I do have white and purple, as well as lilac and now this lovely magenta variety.
The beauty about this plant is that dense clusters of these sweetly smelling, four-petaled flowers usually cover a mound of foliage from spring through to early summer. They are both heat and drought hardy and perfect for my garden because they self-sow and have provided me with year-round colour in the garden. (Sorry to be bragging about the sub-tropical climate in which I live.)
Alyssum flowering is often so profuse that the masses of these tiny little flowers totally hide the foliage. I’ve had them create blankets of colour in my garden bed. A perfect reward for a $2 outlay.
Your photos of these are lovely. I don’t much like the smell of alyssum but I’d put up with it for the magenta colour… I suspect its just the large bedding displays that upset my nose.
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They can be overpowering. But I only have little patches and the smell stays outside 😁
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Which part of Australia are you in?
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The gorgeous Sunshine Coast (an hour north of Brisbane).
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Thanks, I wondered if you were somewhere near Brisbane! 🙂
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😁 we’ve been here for almost two years after 22 years in Brisbane – and we love it.
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Knowing all that will make it even more interesting for me seeing your posts. Its really great to see the plants that you enjoy in your area!
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Thank you Liz 🙂
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Beautiful square, and wow a very impressive bed. Quite fabulous for $2, you clearly have green fingers 😁
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And really good weather for growing anything.
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