Like many people, I have always thought of begonias as being tender house and bedding plants. But about three years ago, I came across a variety of begonia called ‘Beni Tochiba’ whose leaves have the most startling pink metallic foliage with dark divisions running through the veins.
Reading the literature supplied with it, I was interested to see it might have some hardiness provenance which made it a must-have for me! I acquired several plants and one sacrificial one was duly planted in the garden.
A lot of begonias prefer shade semi shade conditions, so to give it a better chance of surviving winter, I planted it near a conifer hedge so that it would not suffer from too much winter wet. Winter came and went, and I eagerly watched the area to see if it was going to emerge.
That summer was a very dry one and we had no rain to speak of until August, when to my joy and surprise, up popped the begonia! Realising that it needed a moister spot, I replanted it in an area that is well mulched with bark every year which provides a moist but well drained soil structure so often described on plant labels.
The winter of 09/11 proved to be a bit harsher but sure enough the begonia popped back up as it did from the 10/11 winter. The plant does produce a small pink flower but its main feature is definitely its foliage ideal for putting a splash of colour in a shady spot. Another bonus of this plant is its ability to survive as a houseplant; it did three months in our house in a cold room without water and still looked good. I now also have its cousin, ‘Metallic Mist’, which does as well if not better.
Colin Ward runs Swines Meadow Farm Nursery.
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Malc Mollart
We grow begonias outside in pots but bring them into a cool greenhouse once frosts start in autumn. We keep them almost dry until they go back out in spring.