Watsonia marginata

Native to the Cape provinces of South Africa, where it grows in a winter-rainfall, summer-dry climate, Watsonia marginata, the fragrant bugle-lily, is a perennial cormous Iridaceae often reaching over a metre, sometimes two. Each corm produces three or four erect, blue-green leaves with thickened yellowish margins, up to 80 cm long. The dense spike carries 30 to 50 actinomorphic (radially symmetrical, an unusual trait in the genus) flowers, in shades of pink, sometimes dark red or white, and scented. It requires well-drained soil and a sunny position, and proves robust and easy in cultivation.