Botanical name: Knipofia, named after Johann Hieronymus Kniphof, a German physician and botanist.

Family: The red hot pokers come originally from South Africa where they grow in rough grassland on the slopes of damp mountains. The cool conditions of their native habitat makes them right at home in Irish gardens, thriving in any soil in a sunny position.

Very few garden flowers are as impressive as the red hot poker in full bloom. There are many different kinds, but the most familiar is the one with tall red and yellow flowers, the flower spike standing bolt upright over the mound of strappy foliage.

Garden value

Typically, a big established plant carries dozens, even scores, of flowers. The supporting stem is very robust. As it grows upwards, it hardens, laying down woody cellulose to support the increasing size and weight of the flower.

As the stem pushes up, the flower buds begin to colour and, when fully coloured, they begin to open from the bottom of the flower spike. Slowly, over a period of several weeks, the flowers open in succession, right to the top of the flower.

Though not all, most varieties develop from red buds and turn yellow when they open fully. At this stage, the flowers produce copious amounts of nectar and they are visited by bees, wasps and bumble bees.

Its ability to flower over a long period of weeks makes the red-hot poker a very useful plant in any border or big flower bed. It is a seasonal plant, largely, flowering in late summer and early autumn and giving a seasonal touch that is unmistakably lively.

Although most kinds flower in late summer and into autumn, there are varieties that flower in spring and individual plants can occasionally send up a stray flower outside of its usual season, especially after a warm sunny summer or mid-winter.

The most commonly grown red-hot poker is Kniphofia uvaria, a sturdy large grower with typical red flowers opening to orange-yellow. The very popular ‘Royal Standard’ is similar but with red flower buds opening to rich yellow.

Similar, but with deeper red flowers and flowering in late spring and early summer, is ‘Atlanta’, a superb variety, although the towering red and yellow flowers may look somewhat out of season.

‘Percy’s Pride’ is greenish yellow; ‘Bee’s Sunset’, clear orange, and ‘Prince Igor’ is a strong red. ‘Lye End’ is a large plant with elongated flowers.

‘Samuel’s Sensation’ is mostly a deep orange red, the flowers not changing colour hugely when they open as most others do. These are mostly large plants with heavy leaves which are rough edged. These make a mound of foliage through which few weeds can penetrate.

Not only does the leaves smother weeds that might germinate underneath, they blow in the wind lashing weeds with their sharp edges.

Apart from the large kinds that can produce flower stems to two metres tall, there are many varieties raised from the smaller species, Kniphofia triangularis.

This species has narrow, more grassy leaves and most of its offspring have lighter foliage. It is also a smaller plant and many of the hybrids are relatively small.

The lovely pale yellow ‘Little Maid’ is one of these, a tough little plant despite reaching only 50cm. ‘Goldelse’ and ‘Buttercup’ are light yellow.

‘Underway’ is bright orange-red. ‘Strawberries and Cream’ is a very pretty plant with red and pale cream flowers. Kniphofia hybridizes readily and it is possible to raise plants easily from seeds, which can be collected or purchased from seed suppliers.

Kniphofia rooperi is late to flower, into October, and it has typical shorter, more rounded flowers. Kniphofia caulescens has relatively broad blue-green leaves and squat red and yellow flowers.

Pruning raspberries

Autumn-fruiting raspberries have become more popular in recent years because they extend the fruiting season very significantly.

While the summer fruiting kinds have more or less finished cropping in late July, the autumn fruiting ones begin in August and can still be fruiting significantly in October.

The most popular and successful variety is ‘ Autumn Bliss’ which is pruned in springtime.

The ordinary raspberries are pruned when the fruit has been picked, and the new shoots to fruit next year are growing rapidly. Prune out the old shoots to make way for the new green-barked ones.

Lawn

Rainfall amounts have been enough to keep grass going in most areas, even if the soil is dry below the surface. Most lawns are growing well and are benefiting from the natural release of nitrogen that occurs during summer.

Trees, shrubs and roses

Shrubs planted from pots during recent months may still need watering. Make sure all existing grass and weeds are controlled before planting. Good results will be achieved by preparing now and reducing competition. Young shrubs and trees do not initially root deeply.

Flowers

Continue feeding baskets and other containers regularly, and watering too. Stay on top of weeding in flower beds and borders. Prevent weeds from going to seed now. Collect seeds of perennial flowers to raise some new plants, for instance hostas and aquilegias.

Greenhouse and house plants

Take the tops off tomatoes to encourage the green fruit that is already present. Tidy up all kinds of plant debris from the greenhouse and be careful not to overwater.

Fruit, vegetables and herbs

Sow winter lettuce and spring onions. Tie branches of young apple trees down to the horizontal so that they will produce greater number of flowering buds that will help earlier fruiting.