July 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Steve Garvie]

A change from the hot dry borders; an intimate view of a couple of plants from cool, leafy shade.

Anemonopsis macrophylla


Deinanthe caerulea


I must admit to being slightly disappointed by the Deinanthe flower colour -I had hoped for a true blue.
Being related to Hydrangeas I wonder whether reducing soil pH and adding some Aluminium sulphate might work??? 

[David Nicholson]

Cracking images as usual Steve.

[Cyril L]

A few plants in flower now.  Here are three with orange flowers:

Hedeoma ciliolata
Sphaeralcea ambigua ssp. monticola
Lilium sp. (lost label)

[meanie]

Datura wrightii has come back from last years tuber...................


It is so very fragrant....................

[Robert]

meanie,

Your Salvias start blooming so early compared to our situation.  We generally do not see flowers on S. confertiflora until September. All very nice!



Rudbeckia 'Autumn Sun' - Blooms now until frost (October 31).



One of David Austin's - 'Heritage' It will start looking good when the weather cools this fall.



One of my own hybrid Dahlias - for me more of a learning experience.



Lupinus lepidus (may no longer be a valid name?) This is how we grow them to keep the slugs off them during the winter and spring.



The first fire near the farm this season. Very close!  All sorts of borate planes.

[meanie]

meanie,

Your Salvias start blooming so early compared to our situation.  We generally do not see flowers on S. confertiflora until September. All very nice!

S.confertiflora is early here too. Last winter was so mild though that it remained in the green all winter (in a pot in a sheltered spot).
I cannot kid the winter bloomers to do their stuff early though. S.elegans is adamant about growing through the summer as are a few others.

The first fire near the farm this season. Very close!  All sorts of borate planes.

Not great news.

Anyway, here is Hippeastrum cybister "Chico"..................

[John85]

Hello Cyril,
How hardy is your hedeoma ciliolata?Do you grow it also in the rock garden or only in a pot?
There isn't much information on the web.
On the NARGS site there is a picture from Kelaidis.It looks like they keep it outside at the Denver BG.
Any other member with practical information about this plant?

[Tim Ingram]

I was just going to ask a similar question having seen Hedeoma referred to on Panayoti's Prairie Break blog. It looks just the plant for our dry garden, but obviously does OK in Scotland too!

The Anemonopsis and Dienanthe (especially the latter) are exquisite pictured so close up. We've tried both of these but haven't found spots where they really thrive. Daniel Hinckley quotes Reginald Farrer on Dienanthe - 'sad, pale violet' - so I don't think there's much chance of the blues of hydrangeas!

[Growild]

Hello

Here are some plants flowering at the moment at the nursery that I wanted to share. Sorry that I have to spoil the images by putting a copyright through them, but if I don't they are sometimes used without my permission (guess where?).

This is my first time posting images so hope they appear ok ...

1:  Geranium sinense
2:  Codonopsis gracilis
3:  Persicaria runcinata 'Needham's Form'
4:  Lindelofia longiflora
5:  Polemonium caeruleum subsp. himalayanum CC7325

Kind regards
Lisa

www.growildnursery.co.uk
www.facebook.com/growildnurseryuk

[Robert]

Penstemon newberryi with some late season blossoms.



Epilobium canum - their season is now starting.

I cannot kid the winter bloomers to do their stuff early though. S.elegans is adamant about growing through the summer as are a few others.

I believe that Salvia elegans is day length sensitive. Ours always starts blooming in November.

The fire is under control! Good news.

Off to the farmers' market. 

[Matt T]

A pairing not often seen in flower together, perhaps?

Acis autumnalis and Primula marginata 'Kesselring's Variety'.

[David Nicholson]

Hello Cyril,
How hardy is your hedeoma ciliolata?Do you grow it also in the rock garden or only in a pot?
There isn't much information on the web.
On the NARGS site there is a picture from Kelaidis.It looks like they keep it outside at the Denver BG.
Any other member with practical information about this plant?

Little bit more information on Google (but not much) if you search on H. ciliolatum

[Cyril L]

John and Tim

I only got the Hedeoma last autumn and have not tried it in the open garden yet but it should be quite hardy.  Ron Beeston offered this plant in the 1990s when he was running his nursery and reported that it survived four winters in an unplunged plastic pot in a nursery frame.  It should be ideal for a sunny rock garden.

It comes from Mexico at an altitude around 2000m.

So far the plant seems to be unfussy and a couple of cuttings taken last autumn (to tidy the plant) have rooted well by early Spring and are growing away well.  Spring cuttings should be successful but I have not tried it.  Another bonus is the plant flowers over a long period of time.

[John85]

Thank you Cyril
Did it set seed last autumn?

[Cyril L]

John, it is the first time flowering.  I somehow doubt whether it will set seeds in cultivation but will watch.