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Freesia Grandma Favourite

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Embrace the pure, traditional beauty of Freesia Grandma’s Favourite (Freesia refracta), a highly perfumed freesia cherished for its elegant white blooms and soft yellow throat that bring a gentle touch of grace to any garden. With its captivating, classic fragrance, Grandma’s Favourite is surrounded by lush green foliage, making it a timeless addition to garden beds, borders, containers, or naturalised under trees and across lawns. This hardy perennial, well-suited to cool through subtropical climates, thrives in well-drained soil with full sun but tolerates light shade for part of the day. Grandma’s Favourite adds refreshing brightness outdoors and makes a charming, nostalgic indoor display with long-lasting blooms that stay fresh in vases. Add this soft, fragrant treasure to your garden for an unforgettable spring show that truly feels like home.

Description

Introduction to Freesia Grandma Favourite
Freesia Grandma Favourite (Freesia refracta) is a graceful, highly perfumed variety, perfect for adding elegance and fragrance to the garden. Known for its pure white blooms with a soft yellow throat, Grandma Favourite brings timeless charm to beds, borders, and containers. Native to South Africa and part of the Iridaceae family, this hardy freesia offers effortless beauty with minimal care, ideal for gardeners of all levels. Planted in large swathes or smaller clusters, Grandma Favourite transforms garden spaces with its delicate yet striking presence.

Key Characteristics
Grandma Favourite freesias feature long, narrow green leaves that provide a lush backdrop for clusters of highly fragrant white blooms. With their strong scent and classic appearance, these freesias add elegance and a delightful fragrance to outdoor settings.

Best Uses
Ideal for mass planting, Grandma Favourite fills beds, borders, and naturalised areas with soft, unified beauty. Planted under trees or across open lawns, it lends a meadow-like charm to spring gardens. These freesias also make excellent cut flowers, bringing their captivating fragrance indoors.

Climate Suitability

Freesias are highly adaptable, flourishing across a range of climates from cool to subtropical. They thrive best in temperate and Mediterranean regions, where they can naturalise and rebloom each year. While mild conditions are ideal, freesias are resilient enough for cooler, drier, or moderately humid environments, and with care, they can perform well in diverse settings.

How to Plant Freesias

Follow these steps for planting success:

  • Timing: Plant from March onwards, ideally in autumn before winter, or early spring after frost has passed.
  • Location: Choose a spot with full sun to light shade and shelter from strong winds.
  • Soil Preparation: Use well-draining soil; amend poor soils with compost and add sand or perlite for drainage.
  • Depth and Spacing: Plant corms 7 cm deep, with the pointed end up, and space 5-10 cm apart.
  • Watering: Water thoroughly after planting. Once shoots appear, keep the soil moist but not soggy for the rest of the growing season.
  • Fertiliser: Add slow-release granule fertiliser at planting. Top dress with a liquid, bulb, or complete fertiliser six weeks after shoots appear, with optional light feeds to support growth and blooms.
  • Mulching: Add mulch around the base to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature.

Aftercare and Dormancy

Once blooming ends, allow the foliage to die back naturally, helping store energy for the next season. Gradually reduce watering as the leaves yellow, watering sparingly during dormancy only if the soil becomes very dry. Corms can be left in the ground or lifted, cleaned, and stored in a cool, dry place until the next planting season.

Blooming and Vase Life

Freesias bloom in spring, typically lasting 2 to 4 weeks in the garden and up to three weeks indoors when cut fresh. For optimal vase life, cut stems at an angle, remove submerged leaves, refresh the water regularly, and keep arrangements in a cool spot.

Pests and Diseases

Though hardy, they may encounter pests such as aphids or thrips, manageable with insecticidal soap. Snails and slugs are best controlled through organic barriers or by hand-picking. Ensuring good soil drainage helps prevent fungal issues and bulb rot.

Safety and Allergy-Friendly

Freesia Grandma Favourite is a family-friendly choice, as it is non-toxic and safe for pets and children. Unlike many bulbs, these freesias pose no risk if touched, making them ideal for homes where safety is a priority, even for those with sensitive skin. With its captivating fragrance, these freesias are a beautiful addition to most environments. However, individuals with strong fragrance sensitivities may prefer to enjoy these blooms outdoors or select varieties with a milder or no fragrance.

Supplied as dormant corms.

Additional information

Price Code

A – Pink Pack

Botanical Name

Freesia refracta

Quantity in Pack

10 Bulbs

Flowering Time

Spring

Planting Time

Plant from March onwards

Growing Height

15-25 cm

Planting Depth

7 cm

Soil

Use well-draining soil; before planting, enrich poor soils with compost or well-rotted manure, adding sand or perlite if extra drainage is needed. For sandy soils, mix in organic matter to improve moisture retention. Incorporate a granular slow-release fertiliser for steady nutrition. For pots, choose a high-quality, well-draining potting mix and consider adding a balanced, slow-release fertiliser to support healthy growth.

How to Plant

Plant freesias in full sun, though they can tolerate light shade for part of the day, especially in warmer climates to shield them from the afternoon sun. Protect from strong winds. Set corms 7 cm deep with the pointed end up, spacing them 5–10 cm apart to allow room for growth. Water thoroughly after planting and apply mulch around the base to retain moisture and moderate soil temperature, encouraging vibrant blooms in spring.

Watering

After planting, water thoroughly to help settle the soil. During the growing season, check the top inch of soil; water when it feels dry, aiming to keep the soil consistently moist without waterlogging. If growing in pots, they will require more frequent watering due to quicker drying of the soil in containers. Gradually reduce watering as the leaves turn yellow and begin to wither, signalling the bulbs to enter dormancy. Once the leaves have completely died back, the soil should remain mostly dry but not fully parched. Water sparingly during dormancy, only when the soil is completely dry, to avoid excess moisture, while ensuring the soil doesn't become too dry for extended periods.

Fertilise

Enrich the soil with a granular slow-release fertiliser before planting. Six weeks after shoots appear, top-dress with a liquid, bulb, or complete fertiliser. If blooms or foliage appear nutrient-deficient, an optional feed can be applied, but avoid over-fertilising as this may cause blooms and foliage to deteriorate or lead to excessive, weak growth.

Pruning

Freesias generally do not require pruning, but you can enhance their appearance by removing spent flowers to maintain a tidy look and prevent the plant from directing energy into fading blooms. Freesias can even be cut for display, but it’s best to cut the stems when the first flower blooms to ensure the longest vase life. Once flowering ends, allow the foliage to naturally die back, helping the corms store energy for the next growing season. Do not cut the foliage until it has completely yellowed, as this ensures the corms receive the necessary nutrients for healthy growth in the following season.

Freesias generally do not require frequent division but can benefit from it every 3-4 years or when overcrowding occurs. Dividing freesias helps rejuvenate the plants, promoting healthier growth and better blooms. After the foliage has died back, gently lift the corms, separate them, and discard any damaged or rotten bulbs. Replant the healthy corms or store them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, such as a mesh bag or cardboard box, until it's time to replant them. Dividing Freesias also helps prevent overcrowding, ensuring that the plants continue to thrive and bloom beautifully.
Please note: those who experience heavy frosts, humidity, and wet summers should lift and store these each year.

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