Author Topic: July 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere (Read 18627 times)

Tim Ingram · « **Reply #120 on:** July 30, 2014, 06:30:50 AM »

That is so different to the plants I have grown which had much more silvered foliage but similar good flower spikes. So far I haven't succeeded with the very small low growing form collinus. If there is so much variation within a so called species one wonders why they are classed together like this? What about L. arboreus, which is very much more widely grown in gardens generally - how much does this vary? Wouldn't mind having that plant in the garden though!

Tim Ingram · « **Reply #121 on:** July 30, 2014, 06:35:51 AM »

Here is another Californian plant which has been giving a wonderfully long display this summer with us - Mimulus aurantiacus. This is relatively tender in our climate but the mild wet winter has suited it well.

Chris Johnson · « **Reply #122 on:** July 30, 2014, 06:49:50 AM »

Quote from: Tim Ingram on July 30, 2014, 06:35:51 AM

Here is another Californian plant which has been giving a wonderfully long display this summer with us - Mimulus aurantiacus. This is relatively tender in our climate but the mild wet winter has suited it well.

That's an attractive looking plant Tim.

Being wet and mild in most winters up here, it might suit us, but its lax growth might succumb to the wind.

Chris

Robert · « **Reply #123 on:** July 30, 2014, 02:13:05 PM »

Tim,

Re: Lupinus albifrons

Sometimes the new growth starts out somewhat green and turns silvery as it ages during the growing season. This can be especially true for plants that are growing in lush conditions. The photographs were taken over 10 years ago when we were getting more rainfall.

Learn something new every day! L. albifrons var. collinus? What can you tell me about this form? Where in California is it found?

Lupinus arboreus does not grow in our part of California and may be tender to the cold here. I know that Ginny Hunt (Seedhunt) offers seed. For me it would be interesting to try someday, but I have other plant priorities right now.

Re: Mimulus aurantiacus

The plants in the wild look like they are dead now! Once the winter rains return (if they even do

) they will be lush as can be. They bloom non-stop until it gets too dry. For us, they will bloom all summer and fall in the garden if irrigated. This can cause them to be short-lived unless the soil drainage is excellent. Here in California, there are a number of color variations and/or hybrids that are quite nice. They are well worth growing.

Roma · « **Reply #124 on:** July 30, 2014, 03:42:02 PM »

That second Deinanthe is a good blue, Rick.
I have seen it growing well in an Aberdeen garden in a damp, shady position
Tom Smith's garden
Deinanthe caerulea

meanie · « **Reply #125 on:** July 30, 2014, 07:10:02 PM »

The end of July nears, so one last post.

I cannot describe how pleased I am with the way that my Bomarea has grown into the Philadelphus. It's a different plant now that it is in the ground with more height and far larger clusters of flowers. Not a good photo of the flowers, but it gives a fair impression of how well it has grown into it.....................

It has been a good summer for some of the climbers/vines. Here is one of the first flower buds forming on my Caiophora hibiscifolia...........

My white and blue Sollya flanking the Rhodochiton.....................

Strangely, my Eccromocarpus scaber stopped blooming for a few weeks, but here it is back in bloom..................

last few flowers on my Aloe striatula catching the sun..............

And Nerium oleander in bloom at last....................

Robert · « **Reply #126 on:** July 31, 2014, 04:34:37 PM »

Here we are half way through the hot dry season. Most of the garden is holding up well considering the drought and water shortage. We were asked to cut our water use by 30% and so far we have cut our use by 50%. This sounds good, however it was part of the plan to plant row crops late to reduce evapo-transpiration. Now we will see if this all works out.

The Monsoon has been strong and early this year. The Sierra have received good rain, while we have been teased, most of the time, with a few drops. The monsoon also brings heat. We have already filled our average quota for days 38c or more for the whole season. So we could have a new record for hot weather this summer.