Good plant #28 - Osteospermum 'Lady Leitrim'

I love osteospermums but they often die in winter.  This osteospermum is 'officially' a full hardy perennial type.   In my opinion, in really cold winters 'ere up north, it is not hardy.  There's no choice but to buy it again or take cuttings in late summer and overwinter it indoors.

This plant is great for containers and the front of borders in full sun.  It does best in a light/ sandy well-drained soil - just add a bit of sand (horticultural grade) to a soil based compost.  They can tolerate a bit of drought but I keep the young plants in moist soil.

Osteospermum Jucundum Compactum seems to cope well up here in Manchester and looks similar to Lady Leitrim.

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