August 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Lori S.]

Note the stem bulbils.  (And I agree, it is unquestionably not Lilium martagon.)

[Robert]

Back from the Farmers' Market. A few plants from our Sacramento Valley Home.



Rhododendron arborescens var. georgiana - A late bloomer, a bit fragrant, and tough, as this plant is growing in more or less full sun under drought conditions.



Nothing special about this Abutilon except it is very cold hardy. I grows up at the farm, too, without protection from the cold. It has survived for years when almost all other clones have died from the cold during the winter.

[rob krejzl]

Note the stem bulbils.  (And I agree, it is unquestionably not Lilium martagon.)

And if it isn't lancifolium, I can't think what else it would be.

[meanie]

Thanks for having a shot at the Lily id everyone. I'll not be "getting my knickers in a twist" over it as it was a freebie and Lilies are not my main focus at the moment, although it's nice to find one that doesn't die on me!

Robert - I like those Rhodies, especially the white one. I wonder if it would be hardy here................
The same goes for the Abutilon.

I've grown from seed what was sent to me as A. x hybridum for a few years and always thought of it as tender. A willing plant if ever there was one and here is one of its offspring from the seed that it produced.....................


As you can see, its children are equally as willing!

[Giles]

Japanese:
Dianthus x isensis
Hydrangea serrata cv.

[Lesley Cox]

Perhaps I should withdraw my "not lancifolium" comment about the lily. It was the tiger lily epithet that threw me. It looks nothing like the tiger lily as we have it - that name I mean - which are rather course and solid-looking compared with the one in Meanie's picture. If others think it is, OK by me.

I sowed seed of LL. pyrenaicum and mackliniae in April, autumn here, and they are germinating like mad today, still very cold and not out of winter yet. I didn't expect them so soon.

[Robert]

Robert - I like those Rhodies, especially the white one. I wonder if it would be hardy here................
The same goes for the Abutilon.

I've grown from seed what was sent to me as A. x hybridum for a few years and always thought of it as tender. A willing plant if ever there was one and here is one of its offspring from the seed that it produced.....................

As you can see, its children are equally as willing!

meanie,

The Azaleas: From the plants I've seen from your garden, I think that cold would not be a problem. The late blooming azaleas like a long warm growing season to bloom well. If you want to give them a try, you might need to experiment with a few to see if they might like your garden conditions.

The Abutilons: I've used A. megapotamicum in the parentage. It is hardy here at the farm. It gets -7c or colder every winter (or at least it did in the past). Some of the Abutilon x hybridum types will die to the ground every year but will come back from the roots for a few years before they give up. 'Nabob', 'Apollo', etc. fit into this group.

The ones that I have been growing on stay evergreen and try to bloom 12 months out of the year. From what I've seen, I'm sure that the Abutilons in the UK are much better than anything I'll ever have. I feel sure that there are many good named forms already available that will grow in your garden. For me they are fun to grow and there is a good range colors to choose from.

[meanie]

Perhaps I should withdraw my "not lancifolium" comment about the lily. It was the tiger lily epithet that threw me. It looks nothing like the tiger lily as we have it - that name I mean - which are rather course and solid-looking compared with the one in Meanie's picture. If others think it is, OK by me.

I'll try to get some photos of the whole plant. As far as a possible id goes I'll leave that to those who know far more than me!

I sowed seed of LL. pyrenaicum and mackliniae in April, autumn here, and they are germinating like mad today, still very cold and not out of winter yet. I didn't expect them so soon.

I can germinate L.regale, but that's about it for me. And Cardiocrinum, but I can never get those to keep going.

[meanie]

meanie,

The Azaleas: From the plants I've seen from your garden, I think that cold would not be a problem. The late blooming azaleas like a long warm growing season to bloom well. If you want to give them a try, you might need to experiment with a few to see if they might like your garden conditions.

Don't kid yourself! We had a mild winter last year which was good as it meant that Iochroma australis and Solanum rantonetii had it easy for their first winter outdoors. But a lot of things in my garden are grown in pots for two or three years first.
Next year I'll plant out my large Nicotiana glauca, Vestia foetida, Sesbania punicea, Fuchsia excortica, the mother Abutilon and Desfontiania soinosa. But the thing is that I have back-ups for all of these. I have a couple of ideal spots if they're to stand a chance. Many things are experimental, but as I tend to grow mostly from seed I can afford to take a punt - very different if you have spent lots of money buying the plants though.

The Abutilons: I've used A. megapotamicum in the parentage. It is hardy here at the farm. It gets -7c or colder every winter (or at least it did in the past). Some of the Abutilon x hybridum types will die to the ground every year but will come back from the roots for a few years before they give up. 'Nabob', 'Apollo', etc. fit into this group.

The ones that I have been growing on stay evergreen and try to bloom 12 months out of the year. From what I've seen, I'm sure that the Abutilons in the UK are much better than anything I'll ever have. I feel sure that there are many good named forms already available that will grow in your garden. For me they are fun to grow and there is a good range colors to choose from.

My other half has this in her garden (A.megapoticum?) and it seems bombproof in the shelter of a wall......................


The other one that she has is this magnificent spring blooming A.suntense (?)............................




As you say, they are fun to grow and add a touch of the exotic to UK gardens.

[Robert]

Many things are experimental, but as I tend to grow mostly from seed I can afford to take a punt - very different if you have spent lots of money buying the plants though.

meanie,

Very interesting!

Solanum rantonetii is not hardy here at the farm. It is easy in the Sacramento Valley and in the "banana belt" here in the Sierra foothills. It gets big but I still like to use it.

Same with most of the Nicotiana - definitely annuals here at the farm, perennial in the Sacramento Valley and some are weedy - seedy.

Some of the Fuchsia species are tender even in the Sacramento Valley. I have a few that I've kept in our Valley garden - cover them with row cover each winter.

I know what you mean about spending money on a bunch of plants. I think that is how I stopped growing many Salvias - many were too big and too tender to the cold. A few I can over winter here at the farm with row cover: S. cacaleafolia, S. sinaloensis, S. melissodora, S. patens, etc.
Salvia discolor has been tender even with row cover. I like it, so when I get one again I'll dig it and put it in a pot every fall.

My other half has this in her garden (A.megapoticum?) To me it looks like it could be a megapotamicum hybrid.

Thanks for sharing your photos! Off to town for supplies.

[Robert]

Plants blooming out of season. 



Primula japonica



Aquilegia scopulorum

I always see some of this - much more than usual this year.

[Tony Willis]

An unusual honeysuckle relative grown for its berries. About 30cms tall and completely herbaceous.

Triosteum himalayanum

[meanie]

Solanum rantonetii is not hardy here at the farm. It is easy in the Sacramento Valley and in the "banana belt" here in the Sierra foothills. It gets big but I still like to use it.

It has done its first (mild) winter outdoors so it has a bit of an advantage already. Sited in front of the greenhouse to protect it from the north east I have it growing next to/through an evergreen Hebe. Time will tell, but so easy from cuttings it was worth a punt.

Same with most of the Nicotiana - definitely annuals here at the farm, perennial in the Sacramento Valley and some are weedy - seedy.

Positively invasive in some parts of the States I'm led to believe along with Sesbania punicea which I also grow!.

I know what you mean about spending money on a bunch of plants. I think that is how I stopped growing many Salvias - many were too big and too tender to the cold. A few I can over winter here at the farm with row cover: S. cacaleafolia, S. sinaloensis, S. melissodora, S. patens, etc.
Salvia discolor has been tender even with row cover. I like it, so when I get one again I'll dig it and put it in a pot every fall.

Discolor is an absolute enigma! It appears to want to bloom from the last frost of spring up to the first frost of autumn, yet if it is actually exposed to a hint of frost it is toast in my experience!

My other half has this in her garden (A.megapoticum?) To me it looks like it could be a megapotamicum hybrid.

Agree - just don't know which one. Amazing thing as it looks far too fragile to be hardy yet against a sunny wall it has proven to be unkillable.

Here's a Salvia that is looking good now and has froven to be fully hardy in all three gardens tghat I've had it in - "Black and Blue"...............


Also surviving the winter Commelina coelestis and C.tuberosa are really strong this year.....................


My large Lobelia tupa survives easily enough with a simple mulch of conifer needles (which drop all around it from the large Taxodium that I have here)...................


Galtonia candicans also survived the winter deluge and has multiplied freely this summer................


Eucomis autumnalis in bloom......................


We're well into Toadie season now. Here's T.formosana which has grown very tall this year...................


And finally, my largest cutting of Clerodendrm ugandense is blooming.....................

[Lesley Cox]

My other half has this in her garden (A.megapoticum?) and it seems bombproof in the shelter of a wall......................

There's a lovely hybrid of megapotamicum called x Milleri which I (hope I) still have somewhere, as a rooted cutting from the plant I left behind when we moved in Feb 2013. The other parent is A. pictum, according to Hillier. Yours looks very like it with larger flowers, quite orangey and bright red calyces and here at least, it flowers just about all year. I like it a lot

[Maggi Young]

Japanese:
Dianthus x isensis
Hydrangea serrata cv.

Three goodies, Giles.  Is there D. suberbus in the parentage of D. x isensis?   All I found was this : http://www.britishnationalcarnationsociety.co.uk/#/international/4574163265 - which I found interesting but not terribly clear to me