If you’ve ever seen a field of tobacco plants topped with their white flowers, you’ll be reminded of the familiar nicotianas we grow as summer annuals in our gardens. Both are closely related, bearing similar star-shaped flowers and slightly sticky foliage. My ancestors grew hundreds of acres of tobacco, and I suppose that might have influenced my affection for the ornamental … [Read more...] about Favourite nicotiana species
Nicotiana sylvestris
Sweet scents of Nicotiana species
In a perfect world — or at least, in a perfect garden — the smell of jasmine flowers would perfume the air as dusk fills the corners with shadows. That’s just the scent I expect from a few plants of annual Nicotiana alata (syn. N. affinis) carefully placed for maximum effect in the summer garden. Tall N. alata grows best in partial shade to full sun, although it does well in … [Read more...] about Sweet scents of Nicotiana species