Azalea Flowered 'Salmon Princess'
A friendly guide to sowing, growing and enjoying satin-soft summer flowers in Hungary.
Come Into the Garden With Me…
Today we're growing Godetia - one of those flowers that looks far more delicate than it really is. The petals have a silky, almost satin finish, and 'Salmon Princess' brings them in a warm salmon-pink that feels wonderfully soft in a summer border.
Godetia is an annual. We sow it, watch it grow, enjoy its flowers for one glorious season, and then collect seed or begin again next spring. That simple rhythm makes it an excellent flower for a beginner.
There is one little secret, though: Godetia likes the cooler side of summer. It is happiest when we sow it early enough to establish before the strongest Hungarian heat arrives. Give it sunshine, decent drainage, moderate soil and sensible water, and it will do the rest with surprisingly little fuss.
By the end of this book, you'll know when to sow, how thinly to sow, why rich soil is not necessarily a kindness, how to keep the plants flowering, what can go wrong, and when to cut those salmon flowers for a vase.
1. Meet Godetia
The name Godetia is still widely used on seed packets, although botanists now place the plant in the genus Clarkia. The species is commonly known as Clarkia amoena, satin flower or farewell-to-spring. So if you see Godetia and Clarkia on different labels, don't worry - we are talking about the same lovely group of annual flowers.
The Holland Kertészet variety in our hands is Godetia Azalea Flowered 'Salmon Princess'. Its flowers are salmon-pink and azalea-like, and the plant is intended for borders, flower beds and pots.
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GOOD TO KNOW Godetia is a hardy annual, not a perennial. Its job is to grow, flower and make seed in one season. That is not a weakness - it is why a packet of seed can give us so much colour so quickly. |
2. Finding the Right Place
Think bright, open and not too pampered. Godetia likes full sun, although a little light afternoon shade can be helpful where Hungarian summers become fiercely hot.
Soil
Choose moist but well-drained soil. Average garden soil is usually enough. Godetia does not need a heavily enriched bed, and too much fertility can encourage lush leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
If your soil is heavy clay, improve the drainage and avoid a low spot where water stands after rain. In a pot, use fresh, free-draining potting compost and make sure the container has drainage holes.
Cool roots, fresh air
Godetia is not a lover of hot, humid, stagnant conditions. In Győr, Budapest or the warmer parts of southern Hungary, an open position with good air movement is better than a baking corner surrounded by hot walls.
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A COMMON MISTAKE Giving Godetia the richest bed in the garden because we want enormous flowers. This is one of those plants that often performs better when we are a little less generous. |
3. Meet 'Salmon Princess'
'Salmon Princess' is all about colour and texture. The flowers open in elegant salmon-pink shades, with the soft, crinkled look that gives azalea-flowered Godetia its name. Against the narrow green leaves, the colour seems almost luminous.
The Holland Kertészet listing recommends sowing from March to May and gives a flowering period from June to September. That broad window is useful, but in Hungary I would still favour the earlier part of the sowing season so plants can establish before prolonged summer heat.
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GROW WITH US Try Salmon Princess beside white alyssum, blue cornflowers or soft ornamental grasses. The salmon colour becomes even prettier when it has something simple beside it. |
4. Let's Sow
Godetia is one of the flowers I would happily sow directly where I want it to bloom. The roots dislike unnecessary disturbance, and direct sowing also saves us a windowsill full of pots.
When to sow in Hungary
Sow outdoors from March into May as conditions allow. Early spring sowing is particularly useful because seedlings prefer cool growing weather. If March is very wet or the soil is still unworkable, wait until the seedbed is crumbly rather than forcing the calendar.
How to sow
Prepare a fine, level seedbed. Sow the small seeds thinly, cover only lightly with soil, and water gently. Keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings emerge, but never turn the seedbed into mud.
When the seedlings have their first true leaves, thin them. A final spacing of roughly 15-20 cm gives each plant enough light and air while still creating a generous drift of flowers.
Can we start indoors?
Yes, especially if you want an early start, but use individual modules or small pots and transplant young plants carefully with the root ball intact. Godetia is much happier when its roots are disturbed as little as possible.
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DON'T PANIC Tiny seedlings close together can look reassuring, but a crowded row becomes weak and humid later. Thinning feels cruel for five minutes and sensible for the rest of the season. |
5. From Seedling to Flowering Plant
Once the seedlings are established, Godetia grows quite quickly. Our job is mostly to keep conditions steady rather than constantly interfering.
Watering young plants
Keep young plants evenly moist while their roots are developing. Later, water when the soil begins to dry. During a dry Hungarian spring, a proper deep watering is better than repeatedly wetting only the top centimetre of soil.
Do we feed?
Usually very little. In ordinary garden soil, Godetia rarely needs heavy feeding. In containers, an occasional dilute balanced feed can help, but do not push soft leafy growth with lots of nitrogen.
Pinching and support
If plants become tall and narrow, a light pinch while young can encourage branching, although it is not essential. In an exposed garden, groups of plants support one another better than isolated stems. A few discreet twigs or a low support can help if wind is a problem.
Succession sowing
A second small sowing a few weeks after the first can extend the season, but do not leave the last sowing too late. Plants trying to establish in intense July heat are much less comfortable than those that grew through spring.
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WHAT I WOULD DO Sow one generous patch in early spring and a smaller second patch a few weeks later. It gives us insurance against weather and a longer run of flowers without turning the garden into a production line. |
6. Summer: Keeping the Flowers Coming
By June, Salmon Princess should begin showing us why we bothered with those tiny seeds. The silky flowers open above slim green foliage and make a lovely bridge between spring flowers and the bolder plants of high summer.
Water with the weather
In normal weather, established plants are not demanding. In a long hot spell, check them regularly and water deeply when needed. Containers dry much faster than open ground and may need daily attention during heatwaves.
Deadheading
Remove faded flowers if you want the neatest display and more energy directed into new buds. If you want seed, leave some of the best flowers to mature later in the season.
When the heat arrives
Godetia's old common name, farewell-to-spring, gives us a clue. This is not a plant that adores relentless heat and humidity. In a very hot Hungarian summer, flowering may slow or finish earlier than the packet's theoretical September endpoint. That is normal, not failure.
Growing in pots
A container can work beautifully, especially with the compact azalea-flowered type. Keep it in bright light, never let it sit in water, and move it out of the harshest reflected afternoon heat if the pot itself becomes scorching hot.
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A COMMON MISTAKE Seeing a plant wilt at 3 p.m. and immediately soaking it again, even though the compost is already wet. Check the soil first. Heat stress and thirst can look surprisingly similar. |
7. When Something Doesn't Look Right
Godetia is generally uncomplicated, but a few problems tell us very clearly that the growing conditions need adjusting.
Seedlings fall over at the base
Young plants kept too wet and crowded can suffer damping-off or stem problems. Sow thinly, use clean compost for indoor sowing, give good air movement and avoid permanently saturated soil.
Brown or rotting stems
Godetia can be susceptible to foot and stem rots, especially in wet, poorly drained conditions. Remove badly affected plants and correct the drainage rather than trying to rescue a stem whose base has already rotted.
Lots of leaves, few flowers
Too much rich soil or nitrogen is a likely suspect. Sunshine also matters. Move containers to more light if possible and ease off high-nitrogen feeding.
Plants are tall and floppy
Crowding, low light, too much fertility or excessive warmth while young can all create soft growth. Thin early and grow in bright, open conditions.
Flowers stop in midsummer
If the plants were healthy and flowered well first, prolonged heat may simply have brought their natural season to a close. Collect seed, make a note, and sow earlier next year.
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DON'T PANIC A short-lived annual does not have to flower until frost to be successful. If it gave us weeks of beautiful salmon flowers and a vase or two for the house, it did its job very well. |
8. Cutting Godetia for the House
Godetia is a lovely cut flower. The stems are slender and the petals have that unmistakable satin texture that looks especially good in loose, garden-style arrangements.
When to cut
Cut when the first flower on a stem has opened and other buds are still waiting. Those buds can continue opening in the vase, giving the stem a longer useful life than if we wait until every flower is fully open.
Cut in the cool of the day
Morning is ideal. Use clean scissors, place the stems into water quickly, and remove leaves that would sit below the waterline. Keep the vase away from strong direct sun and refresh the water regularly.
Colour combinations
Salmon Princess is easy to arrange because salmon sits beautifully between pink and orange. Pair it with white baby's breath for softness, blue cornflower for contrast, or airy grasses for a simple country-garden look.
And what about pollinators?
The Holland Kertészet listing notes that the flowers attract bees and butterflies. A patch of Godetia therefore does more than decorate the border - it can become part of a mixed summer planting that offers insects a sequence of flowers through the season.
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TRY THIS Cut only a few stems the first time. Put them in a small jug on the kitchen table. Godetia has the kind of flower you appreciate differently when you can see those satin petals close up. |
9. Seed Saving and the End of the Season
If you stop deadheading a few healthy flowers, seed capsules will develop. Let them mature and dry on the plant as far as the weather allows, then collect them before they split and scatter everything.
Dry the collected seed thoroughly, label it with the variety and year, and store it somewhere cool and dry. Seed saved from a named variety may show some variation in later generations, but that can be part of the pleasure of a home garden.
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GOOD TO KNOW Leave only the strongest, healthiest plants for seed. We are not just saving seed; we are choosing which plants get invited back next year. |
10. Your Godetia Cheat Sheet
1. Godetia is now botanically placed in Clarkia.
2. Salmon Princess is a salmon-pink, azalea-flowered annual.
3. Sow from March to May, preferably toward the cooler part of spring.
4. Direct sowing is easy and avoids unnecessary root disturbance.
5. Cover seed only lightly and keep the surface moist during germination.
6. Thin seedlings to roughly 15-20 cm apart.
7. Grow in sun or light partial shade and moist but well-drained soil.
8. Do not overfeed; moderately fertile soil is enough.
9. Water deeply when needed, especially in dry spring weather.
10. Deadhead for continued bloom, but leave some flowers for seed.
11. Cut stems when the first flower opens for the vase.
12. Expect very hot weather to shorten the flowering season.
If You Remember Only Five Things…
1. Sow early enough to enjoy the cool season. Godetia likes spring better than a baking midsummer start.
2. Don't spoil it with rich soil. Average, well-drained ground is usually perfect.
3. Give every seedling room. Thin plants make stronger stems and healthier flowers.
4. Water according to the soil, not the calendar. Moist is good; waterlogged is not.
5. Enjoy the moment. Godetia is an annual, and its beauty is meant to be seasonal.
One Last Look at the Border
We started with a small packet of seed and a patch of spring soil. A few months later, we have salmon-pink flowers that look almost too silky to be real.
That is what I like about Godetia. It doesn't ask us to wait three years or master complicated pruning. It asks us to sow at the right time, give it a sensible place, and then pay attention to the weather.
Next spring, you'll already know where Salmon Princess belongs.
When you're ready for the next plant…
