March 2015 in the Northern Hemisphere

[WimB]

Trond,

I've been growing the thing here for 7 years unprotected in a trough and it has survived everything our winters throw at it but it NEVER flowers and I've heard the same from other people who grow it in Belgium; maybe not enough light in summer,..... 

[WimB]

I think Hoy's plants are little babies. Nonetheless, it's a new plant that I fancy and I hope to get it soon
I am more and more attracted to succulents and hardy cacti.

I can send you a couple of cuttings if you want...you'd have to root them yourself, but that's quite easy.

[Hoy]

Trond,

I've been growing the thing here for 7 years unprotected in a trough and it has survived everything our winters throw at it but it NEVER flowers and I've heard the same from other people who grow it in Belgium; maybe not enough light in summer,..... 

Wim,

Interesting.

Maybe your plants still are too young? I did never see small plants (your's still small to those I saw) in flower.
Some also flowered quite good in the shade of shrubs.

[WimB]

Wim,

Interesting.

Maybe your plants still are too young? I did never see small plants (your's still small to those I saw) in flower.
Some also flowered quite good in the shade of shrubs.

Okay,

maybe in a couple of years....fingers crossed!

[GordonT]

It is always nice to see what is growing elsewhere in the world at this time of year. Here in southwestern Nova Scotia, it will be a while before we get to see anything green. Record breaking snowfall this past month. This is what we see now

Background: Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Ogon' to the left of buried sand piles (for our lavender field- also buried). A clump of Miscanthus giganteus is closer. There are other small trees planted there but they are buried.

The bed to the right of the greenhouse contains: Acer palmatum 'Glowing Embers' (visible), Acer palmatum 'Koto No Ito' (buried), Pulsatilla vulgaris Blaue and Weisse Glocke forms, Stewartia pseudocamellia (looking like a small shrub), Fothergilla major (buried), Picea omorika 'Bruns' (buried) Rhododendron hippophaeoides (also buried).  I won't mention any of the heaths and heathers that are also in here, or any of the other gardens..... Grrrrr!

[Hoy]

Gordon,

Look at the bright side. You have no problems with slugs and snails. Here the gastropods have damaged several plants alreay!

[Tim Ingram]

This is Maihuenia outside the alpine house at Wisley. Not sure if it has flowered there? We grew this quite a few years ago from John Watson seed on a raised bed covered in winter and it did begin to flower when it reached this size. Unfortunately one  winter when the bed was not covered was too wet and we lost the plant. Wonderfully striking flowers. There are several hardy cacti growing on the sand beds at Wisley along with eriogonums and other dryland alpines.

[johnw]

Gordon  - What a modest amount of snow.  The city plows took 2-3 hours to clear four storm drains at the corner of my street yesterday, it's slow going.  A few pictures:

#1 - a walk through the garden past the English box, a 14ft Pieris ahead. 4ft of which is under snow.

#2- a rooftop greenhouse I look after as a volunteer, the snow has drifted up to the eaves at about 10ft 
#3 &#4 - the greenhouse again

Seriously I think we are to rise from the abyss once tomorrow is past.  I fear for things like Shortia, Cyclamen (especially the coums that fiunally seem to have settle in here after many failed attempts) and evergreen perennials that have been entombed in ice or snow for the past 7 weeks.   The last time we had a large snowfall that stayed for a month it was the Callunas that got battered, the Ericas took the dark and ice in their stride but unfortuantely flowered out under the snow.  Haven't bothered with Callunas ever since which is a great pity as the foliar colours are spectacular, I've seen them rot and winter-kill just too many times.  And what of a big bed of snowdrops that were up 2" and have been in 5" of ice since early February!

See you in Annapolis Royal at the sale as we decided to go.

[Hoy]

Tim,

Seems I have to cover my seedlings during winter to protect against rain - if they survive slug attack!


Johnw

Looks like you have as much snow as they have 1 hour drive inland from here. We have had no snow this winter but lots of rain. Don't like that either . . . .

[YT]

Cherry blossom season has started yet here

Prunus x yedoensis ‘Somei-Yoshino’
Prunus pendula f. ascendens

[kindredspiritkevin]

[kindredspiritkevin]

[Maggi Young]

Tatsuo! Spring already??!! 

[Maggi Young]

k-s-kevin - Congratulations on how well the saxifragas are doing in your troughs.  These little plants can "punch well above their weight" in terms of flower power and early season display, can't they? 

[ichristie]

Just catching up with all the super pictures recently spring has arrived I guess but snow flurries here today a few pictures from our garden, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

    Erythronium sibiricum
    Saxifraga oppositifolia gdn_
    Saxifraga oppositifolia 'Corrie Fee'