Let me introduce myself ...

[Maggi Young]

Will do, Christine.
Just a thought, should it be Astrantia minor ?

[Michael]

Hehe ups... I think I introduced myself on the wong place. I just found this place for introductions today.
Well here we go again:

Hi
My name is Michael, I'm 21 and I am at the 3rd year of Biology course. I live at Madeira Island (Portugal) and since i was an embryo I got freak'd by the plant kingdom!!! Recently I got really obsessed with bulbs (mainly hardy ones) and I want to try and grow some in the next few years, a real challenge!! This forum was the best thing I ever found! 

[ChrisB]

Yes, Maggi, you are quite correct.  A quick check in the Plantfinder confirms it is Astrantia minor

[SueG]

Bob Brown (Cotswold Garden Flowers http://www.cgf.net/) does have astrantia minor sometimes but does not rate it highly at all, and says that it is variable in height so not all plants are quite as minor as others.
Sue
PS he's got a new web site and the featured plant on the front page is a 'ABROMEITIELLA RCB RA-P-27 ' well worth a look!!

[Maggi Young]

Thanks, Sue.  We've had Bob Brown visit here, actually, some years ago... brought me a Stokesia laevis !
The Astrantia minor, as we grew it, was a delightful little thing. Kept neat and short and flowered well..... must have been a ggod clone, so now I am even more annoyed to have allowed it to die out.


By the way, Sue, I have got a super ID for you, if you'd like it:

[Casalima]

Although I won't be able to get to Hythe in October (see other thread), I will be driving to Chipping Campden, which is pretty near Cotswold Garden Flowers  And Hidcote (Kiftsgate closed in October )!

Chloë

[SueG]

By the way, Sue, I have got a super ID for you, if you'd like it:
(Attachment Link)

Thanks Maggie will take this up - twinkling jewels - perfect!

Although I won't be able to get to Hythe in October (see other thread), I will be driving to Chipping Campden, which is pretty near Cotswold Garden Flowers  And Hidcote (Kiftsgate closed in October )!

Chloë

Hi Chloë
I'd make sure you have PLENTY of money and space with you as he sells some superb plants. I'm hoping to arrange a visit to the nursery next autumn for my local NCCPG group as part of a weekend trip just because I want to go again.  I used to live close enough to get to the nursery once or twice a year (I couldn't afford to go more often) and went with another gardening friend who had a volvo estate so we could fit lots of plants in!

Sue

[Lesley Cox]

I think Mr Brown is the ultimate optimist. He lists irises (an an example) which he has ordered but hasn't actually aquired yet. His pic of Iris cuniculiformis is wrong. Probably his plant is wrong. The original ACE collection as cuniculiformis was actually I. bulleyana.

[Martin Baxendale]

Let me introduce myself. I'm what's been keeping Martin so busy that he couldn't find time to post any photos (or get out in the garden!) all spring and summer...well, me and two other books he was working on at the same time.

But he's especially pleased with me, as I'm his first book for children and I've just arrived from the printers, so he thought he'd show me off. The others are a book that he still hasn't finished (so he's not too pleased about that one!) and a jokey gift-book about stress (which he says he got the idea for after working so hard on me and the one he hasn't finished yet!) He's a bit of a show-off, so I expect he'll be showing you the Stress book next (it doesn't arrive from the printers 'till next week).

Ow! He didn't like that bit about being a show-off! He's bending the corners of my pages!! Ow! Get off! That hurts!!!

 

[Maggi Young]

Oh, my word! Her brain is wobbling .... (there are a few of us here, rather older, who feel the same thing!).....like her baby teeth wobble before they come out ! I love it! Not much wonder her Mum looks worried. What's her name, Martin?

[Martin Baxendale]

Maggi, the little girl's called Millie and she's to be the main character (with her brother, mum, dad, grandad and gran) in a series of books (if this first one sells!) There's a brief synopsis of the storyline if you click the cover picture on the amazon website, but basically Millie's got the idea that she has a little baby brain, which is why she struggles with her maths homework; so she's expecting it to fall out like a wobbly baby tooth, then her big-girl brain can grow in and she'll manage her homework easy-peasy, plus the brain fairy will come and take her baby brain away and leave a load of dosh under her pillow ('cos after all, she has lots of baby teeth but only one baby brain, so it must be worth more!)

[mark smyth]

Lesley, Bob lectures are, well the one I saw/heard, very gloomy and negative. "Too Many Plants ..." was dont buy this dont buy that. Some of the oldies didnt like his jokes

[Anthony Darby]

Bob was a teacher Mark.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Mark. I knew my own opinion was always the best one

[Casalima]

"When will my baby brain fall out" - love it!! My children have ordered me to get it when I am in England!!

Chloë