Harvesting History

Hesperis, Dames Rocket 
A Little History and Some Growing Instructions

Hesperis, also known as Dames Rocket, Sweet Rocket and Dames Violet, belong to a family of plants which are native from Europe to China and Siberia. Hesperis are members of the Mustard family. The plants were introduced into North America during colonial times and were a popular cottage garden flower because of their beauty and their heavy, sweet fragrance which was most notable at sunset.
Joseph Breck in his 1851 book, The Flower Garden, said of the plant, “The single varieties of this fragrant flower are common in most gardens. It is a biennial or imperfect perennial, easily raised from seeds, producing flowers the second year…in May and June, of various shades, from pure white to purple…The double varieties of this flower are superb, and highly esteemed for their fragrance and beauty…It was known in Gerarde’s (John Gerard, 1545-1612, author of the definitive horticultural text of the period, The Grete Herball, 1597,) time, and cultivated by him in 1597…”
Hesperis can be grown easily from seed. The plants should be sown when the danger of frost has passed and covered with 1/2 inch of soil. Germination will occur in less than 14 days. The seedlings should be thinned to 8-12 inches. Most plants will not flower the first year. Flowering will start in the second year during the month of May and continue into June. The plants like a moist, well drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Flowers come in purple, white and pink.