July 2013 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Knud]

Lovely campanulas Rudi and Cliff.  Campanula 'Molly Pinsent' is completely covered with flowers here now, and C. sarmatica will bloom later this week.

Four plants blooming in the garden now:
Hypericum olympicum flowers for the first time this year, from SRGC seeds 2011.
Primula florindae, plant bought a year ago at Tromsø Botanical Gardens.
Dianthus 'Pummelchen', surrounded by Iris lacustris.

The last one a little mystery, it looks like Aquelegia buergeriana but it is so small, only about 10 cm (4 in) tall. Any guesses? It is short lived, but seeds reliably, and they are all this size. We got a plant from a friend many years ago, and since then we have always had one or two plants going. This year I have found only one.

Knud

[Luc Gilgemyn]

What a gorgeous Primula florindae, Knud !   

Campanula cochlearifolia alba in the garden.

CAMPANULA COCHLEARIFOLIA ALBA

They don't come any more attractive than that, Cliff !

[fermi de Sousa]

Tim,
I love that Aloe aristata; I got it from a friend a couple of years ago and was convinced it was a haworthia till I saw it in flower!
The campanulas all look fabulous!
cheers
fermi

[Natalia]

Colleagues, thank you for the great photos of beautiful flowers!

[PaulM]

Here are two pictures of a Nicotiana 'Chocolate Smoke', which I am growing this season. The top of the flowers are a milk chocolate color while the face is like a 70% cocoa chocolate. Very sleek and does not grow much in width.

[PaulM]

Here are some other plants which have been/are blooming.

The Stachys was collected in Turkey in 2002, and it needs to be kept very dry and sunny  not to get long and straggly( which mine has become )

Senecio bigelovii is a bit odd with its rayless flowers, but albeit very charming.

Prometheum sempervivoides survives the winter when grown in a container which is easily protected from winter rains, or too much thawing and freezing.

[Tim Ingram]

All very fascinating plants Paul - the Prometheum is really striking; the flowers remind me of Tacitus bellus? Have you ever grown another succulent, Sedum caeruleum? I've never managed to get this going but think it would be good in a trough. These are a group of plants I really don't know but would be interesting to learn more about.

[PaulM]

No, Tim, I haven't tried S. caeruleum, but it would probably look stunning with Prometheum sempervivoides in a trough.

[PaulM]

Arisaema ciliatum var liubaense emerges really late for me ( early to mid June ) and them grows several cm per day, and flowers at the end of the month. This year it became taller than before ( about 1m)

Sphaeralcea fendleri is a very nice mallow from SW USA, which has proved hardy and flowers for a long period.

Silene elisabethae has flowers of a size that just seem too big for its diminutive stature.

The flowers of Geranium psilostemon just have an amazing color !, and put on such a nice display.

[Knud]

What a gorgeous Primula florindae, Knud !   

Thank you Luc. It is a very nice plant. It has five flower stalks, two about 60 cm (two feet) tall, and the colour inside the flower is a rich yellow, or ochre, as shown in picture below.

The Calceolaria lanceolata in the bottom three pictures I also bought at the Tromsø Botanical Garden last year. Single flowers on 20 cm (8 in) stalks. For a small plant it certainly shows up in its dark corner.

Knud

[Lesley Cox]

Tim and Kris, do you think it would be worth my sending a scrap of the Hypericum? It roots along as it goes so it should be possible to get a little bit with a root. It would be in the spring (not long now I hope) as it's a bit scruffy at present what with weeks of rain and now heavy frost every night. If you'd like to try it rather than wait for possible seed, send me your postal addresses.

[ruweiss]

Thanks to all for the fine pictures and the comments.
Sempervivum and Jovibarba flower profusely and the warm and
dry weather may result in a good amount of seeds.
The dwarf Hostas also seem to like the sun.

[Tim Ingram]

Lesley - that would be really kind of you if any material is available; I'll send a note of my address.

[Roma]

I like the way Campanula sartorii follows the contours of the rocks

[Maggi Young]

Great Campanula sartori Roma. Ours will only grow where it wants  to - usually in most inhospitable spots in troughs with old conifers, where it stays VERY dwarf in all parts.When we try to establish it in "better" spots it flatly refuses to grow. Frustrating as it is such a very lovely wee thing. I might know it would grow that well out with you!