Top Ten Impatiens

A few years ago busy Lizzies were hit by downy mildew, but now mildew-resistant impatiens are on sale again

- Graham Rice

WE used to call them busy Lizzies (Impatiens walleriana), and grew rather straggly plants, rarely without an aphid or two, on the kitchen windowsill. If we had a conservatory, or the knack of growing flowering houseplants, then perhaps we also grew the exotic-looking cockatoo plant (Impatiens niamniamensis). Then the plant breeders got to work and busy Lizzies became the best-selling summer bedding plants in the world.

Best-selling bedding plants

A huge range of varieties was developed in an impressive range of colours and bicolours, combined with the development of short, bushy growth and astonishingly prolific flowering. Their adaptability, including tolerance of shade, enhanced their popularity.

Alongside these developments came improved New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) that needed warmer summers than we usually istant impatiens are on sale ag experience, plus an enhanced interest in the many other species – almost 1,000 of them – developed.

Disease and cure

Then, disaster. In 2003 a specific type of downy mildew that infects only varieties of busy Lizzie was discovered on British impatiens, and by 2016 it had spread across the world. It became impossible to grow impatiens and they all but disappeared from garden centres, and plant and seed catalogues.

Again, the plant breeders got to work and now there are two mildew-resistant types, and two that are partially resistant. Impatiens are now re-appearing on sale and in our gardens.