Nerine bowdenii Vesta K

The Nerine bowdenii 'Vesta K' is a cultivar of Guernsey Lily or Jersey Lily, a bulbous plant native to South Africa, just like agapanthus. This one enchants with its delicate colour, in pale salmon pink flowers composed of narrow and undulate petals with curled tips. It develops 8 to 12 flowers per flower stem, gathered in loose spherical heads, measuring up to 20 cm in diameter, which bloom while the foliage is still absent. Its late flowering, in September-October, is remarkable for its beauty and light fragrance. After flowering, the ribbon-like foliage re-emerges in small evergreen tufts in winter. Adapted to mild climates, this species is ideal for container growing in cooler climates, where it must be sheltered during the winter, but thrives in a warmer, more Mediterranean climate.

The Bowden Nerine, named "Cape Flower" due to its origins, would have, according to legend, been brought to the Channel Islands during a sea transport and stranded there, following the shipwreck of a Dutch ship carrying its bulbs. This herbaceous plant has a large bulb (3 to 5 cm in diameter), protected by a tunic and long stem with a few fleshy roots. It multiplies vegetatively by producing bulblets on the periphery of the mother bulb. In late summer, for 2 to 3 weeks, the Vesta K variety produces flower stems about 50 cm high; bearing 7 to 15 wide lily flowers of 8 cm, with narrow petals, undulated at the edges, in a pale salmon pink shade. The flower's centre is adorned with long stamens in a soft pink. Following the end of flowering, ribbon-like leaves appear, about 20 cm long and 1 cm wide, arranged in two opposite ranks. The leaves die at the end of spring, and the bulb then goes into dormancy until late summer. During this summer dormancy period, the bulb must be protected from excessive moisture. Nerine bulbs do not bloom every year. It is therefore advisable to plant them in groups to ensure flowers every year.

Keep in mind: Nerines are sensitive to polluted urban atmospheres.