Agapanthus Peter Pan

Agapanthus 'Peter Pan' (Agapanthus hybrid) gives you the blue flowers without the metre high clump the common agapanthus turns into. It settles at about 50cm tall and 50cm across, stays evergreen, and carries rounded heads of soft blue through summer on stems short enough to stand up rather than flop. Set 40cm apart it closes into an even, continuous border that asks almost nothing of you.

Why you'll love it

• Small enough to edge a path properly. At roughly 50cm each way it stays behind the paving instead of sprawling across it, the usual complaint with full sized agapanthus.
• Flowers sit above the leaves. Short stems hold the blue heads clear of the foliage, so a planted row reads as a band of colour.
• A rare combination of toughness. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and comfortable with salt spray, in a plant this tidy.
• Evergreen, so the edge never goes bare. The strappy foliage holds the line through winter once flowering finishes.
• Bees and butterflies work the heads. A long summer flowering suits a garden planted for pollinators.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart in a single row for a continuous band. Wider spacing leaves visible gaps between the clumps for the first two seasons.

Mass planting and groundcover. On a bank or a difficult verge, use the same 40cm spacing on a staggered grid. The clumps knit together within two seasons and shade out most annual weeds.

Pots and coastal gardens. One plant fills a 300mm pot and three fill a trough. Salt tolerance means it also holds up in a front garden within sight of the water.

Growing Agapanthus 'Peter Pan' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the most flower heads, and part shade brings fewer, later blooms. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and being frost hardy it handles cold southern districts. The wet tropics are the exception, where humidity and rain sitting in the crown will rot it.

Soil. Drainage matters more than fertility. On heavy clay, mound the planting line and open the soil with compost and coarse sand. Waterlogging kills it faster than drought ever will.

Water and feed. Deep water once or twice a week through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring covers the year.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems at the base once the heads brown off, and pull away tired outer leaves in late winter. Divide every four or five years if flowering thins.

What to expect when it arrives

This one is sold as tube stock, so it arrives as a young plant with a small root ball and a handful of strappy leaves. Tube stock is still the sensible way to buy for a long border, where you are planting dozens at a time.

Expect the clump to fill its space within a season and to flower properly in its second summer. Stiff foliage and a compact crown mean it travels well. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare varieties in the full agapanthus range.
• Choosing edging plants for a clean garden line.
• Browse plants suited to mass planting.
• See other plants for coastal gardens.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a border?

Forty centimetres apart in a single row. At that spacing the clumps meet and read as a solid band within two seasons, without the patchy look wider spacing leaves behind.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Agapanthus is not considered pet safe, and the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when you divide or cut back a clump. Plant it where a dog that chews foliage cannot reach it.

Why has mine not flowered?

Usually too much shade, or a plant still too young. Give it full sun and feed in early spring. A clump that flowered for years and then stopped is normally overcrowded and wants dividing.