Belles de nuit - the 4 o'clock flower

[Kitty]

I have just bought a house with a beautiful array of multi-coloured flowers.  I have searched the Internet and discovered that they are Mirabilis jalapa (Latin), Belles de Nuit (Fr) or the Four O'clock Flower (Brit).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabilis_jalapa

They are now over the flowering period and look messy so I need to do something to tidy them up.

If I cut them back to ground level, will they come back next year?  Some websites say that you have to dig out the tubers but this would not be possible with these flowers as they are on the front pavement in front of the house.

[Frank]

I have loads of Belle de Nuit flowers and all I have done over the last few years is pull up those that will pull up and those that don't I have cut off as close to the ground as possible. Each year they have grown back, a combination of old and new growth as they have loads of seeds which drop as the flowers die. I have also collected the seeds and just scattered them around in the early spring and they grow, so find them an easy plant to look after!! My idea of gardening is dig a hole and stcik in the plant and see what happens, so far, seems to work quite well lol!!!! I am sure a more knowledgable gardener will come along and give you the correct advice, but for me, this method has worked

[Kitty]

Thanks JL.  What is amazing about them is that they have different colours on the same flower stem.

[hakunamatata]

Have you also noticed the wonderful scent in the evenings? They do take over the garden but I can live with that, it saves me a lot of money on trying to fill up the borders!. Just chop of this years growth, they will be back|!!

[Kitty]

Yes, Haku, they do seem to come up everywhere.  I think that it's amazing that they are not more well known.

The stormy weather has prevented me going outside but I shall be cutting them back tomorrow if it is fine.