The
agapanthus was first cultivated in the Royal Gardens
at Hampton in 1692 - by Victorian times it was an old
favourite.
It
was generally cultivated in pots or tubs in the garden
as most gardeners felt that it required some protection
during winters, although in the south of the country
it could grow well outdoors all year if protected from
severe frosts (although Victorian Manchester boasted
a large established clump in the botanical gardens that
had been in the border for several years).
The
agapanthus required rich loamy soil that needed much
watering in summer time.* If grown in pots then they
needed to be periodically potted on into larger pots
as they became rootbound.
*I
felt I had to add a note here: in Australia they are
renowned for their drought tolerance, and clumps survive
many years with little rain and no additional watering.
