Freesias

The good, old-fashioned perfumed Freesias are robust flowers found originally on the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, which probably explains why they do so well in the Illawarra. At the end of the 19th century, several European countries began to breed them into the varieties we know today. They are named in honour of Dr. Friedrich Heinrich Theodor Freese, a German physicist.

The fragrant tubular flowers can be found in both single and double flowering varieties, and vary in colour from white to yellow, orange, pink and lavender. The old-fashioned variety of Freesia Alba will naturalise in the garden and make really good cut flowers. Their perfume can fill the house.

Freesias grow from a corm, or thickened underground stem. Freesias are members of the Iris family, Iridaceae, and they make a fragrant border in the garden. They also do well in containers and hanging baskets. Freesias can grow to 30-40cm if in ideal conditions. Their seed pods will generate more seed that flower 2 years later.

In the spring, long, thin stalks appear above the leaves and bear clusters of dainty, trumpet shaped flowers up to 4cms long. The colours include white, gold, orange, pink, red, purple, blue and combinations of these. Some species have flowers veined or feathered with two colours. Some have double petalled flowers.

Buy your corms/bulbs and plant in Winter. Plant them under trees and in places that they can be left alone. After they flower, feed with a soluble or slow-release fertiliser and allow leaves to die back to brown before digging up. Freesias can be left in the ground without digging up each year. They are an excellent plant for the Spring garden.

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