East facing, north facing, south facing, west facing
Position in border:
Middle
Soil
Well Drained / Light / Sandy
Sweet rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is a pretty biennial, bearing white or purple flowers similar to honesty. A packet of sweet rocket seeds is likely to produce flowers varying in colour from deep rich purple, through all the paler lilac shades to white – leave them to seed themselves and they will maintain this diversity indefinitely, gradually naturalising over a large area.
The flowers' fragrance is as sweet as a violet's, and most pronounced in the evening. It looks good when allowed to drift, naturally through an informal sunny or partially shaded border, especially in a cottage garden or wildlife garden scheme.
Sow Hesperis matronalis seed in late-spring where you want it to flower. Deadhead spent blooms to prolong flowering, but allow some flowers to develop seeds so plants can self-seed around the garden.
Plant calendar
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Hesperis and wildlife
Hesperis is known for attracting bees, beneficial insects, butterflies/moths and other pollinators. It is a caterpillar food plant and has nectar/pollen rich flowers.
