July 2015 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Maggi Young]

 Isoplexis canariensis  - burnt apricot  and   Eriogonum grande var. rubescens - rosy red !!
VERY hard to define most colours - I guess that's why the RHS colour charts  have hundreds and hundreds of possibilities.  Artist's colours offer a huge range too  - and that's before we get into personal opinions of colour
perceptions, colour blindness etc! 


 Nearly mid-day and barely 12 degrees C - at least it is not YET raining here today 

[David Nicholson]

........................... - at least it is not YET raining here today 

It is here........again!

[johnw]

Brian  -  We got the seeds as a bonus from RarePlants when I ordered the Aeonium seed.  Ken started the seed under lights last November and by February they were 6"+.   In fact they grew like wildfire.  We had warnings that they would not tolerate temps over 25c so feared they would collapse in summer.  However yesterday was near 28c and they did not bat an eyelast, I think our cool nights are to their likening.  I must say I thought it would take several years to see a flower and so was shocked to see bud formation last month. No predeliction for snow & ice I'm afraid, a friend who tried it outdoors in Victoria lost it and doubt it went much below -2 or -3c there.  Would you like seed?

Someone has crossed it with Digitalis and that is in a few garden centres here as Digiplexis 'Illumination Falme'.

Hmm burnt apricot sounds like a splendid ice cream or chocolate.  They barbeque peaches so why not apricots. You may well be on to something Maggi.

john

[Jupiter]

25 degrees?! Pfffff.. I grow isoplexis canariensis here and it copes just fine with 40C in the shade. A tough plant and a favourite of mine.

[Brian Ellis]

No prediction for snow & ice I'm afraid, a friend who tried it outdoors in Victoria lost it and doubt it went much below -2 or -3c there.

I think the prediction would be extinction   We have grown Digitalis 'Illumination Pink' which lasted well for the last two years being overwintered in the glasshouse but has dwindled away this year sadly.

[K-D Keller]

Campanula and more 1

Campanula incurva, got as Campanula peshmenii, Campanula choruhensis, Byblis rorida and Cyclamen purpurascens.

[K-D Keller]

Campanula and more 2

Campanula morettiana, Campanula fragilis, Helichrysum frigidum, Roscoea scillifolia and Petrocosmea kerrii.

[Maggi Young]

I think the prediction would be extinction   We have grown Digitalis 'Illumination Pink' which lasted well for the last two years being overwintered in the glasshouse but has dwindled away this year sadly.

Isn't the colour lovely?  Wish I was hearing it was as tough as old boots.

[Maggi Young]

Your Petrocosmea is doing well, KD.  ( and so are the other plants!)

[meanie]

Isn't the colour lovely?  Wish I was hearing it was as tough as old boots.

Survived -8°c here. Two large firs to the north and a shed to the NE are the sum total of winter protection. The firs do keep it pretty dry all year and it is also too close to the Iochroma which is getting large and is mugging it now. The biggest problem is that with typical T&M guile it is completely sterile.

[Maggi Young]

Sterile?  It gets worse!

[Hoy]

Isoplexis canariensis  - burnt apricot  and   Eriogonum grande var. rubescens - rosy red !!
VERY hard to define most colours - I guess that's why the RHS colour charts  have hundreds and hundreds of possibilities. 

. . . .

Thanks. That's why I only have 6

. . . .

Hmm burnt apricot sounds like a splendid ice cream or chocolate.  They barbeque peaches so why not apricots. You may well be on to something Maggi.

john

Ice cream is not tempting now so let's have chocolate! I think I have a brand in mind though - with apricot

[meanie]

Sterile?  It gets worse!

On the plus side it is a shrubby plant that is largely evergreen so far.  So one plant goes a long way.....................


They are expensive unless you can get them out of the bargain bin as I did.

Here is Illumination Gold which I was sent last year..............


Continuing the Digitalis theme here is D.parviflora which is in bloom now...............

[johnw]

25 degrees?! Pfffff.. I grow isoplexis canariensis here and it copes just fine with 40C in the shade. A tough plant and a favourite of mine.

I witnessed 40c in Chicago once and care not to have a repeat. I never realized I could move so slowly.....

[Jupiter]

We've had temperatures of 43-44°C here in Adelaide on rare occasions, made worse by the fact that they usually occur in the middle of a heawave, 4 or 5 days above 40 in a row. It gets dangerous when it's that extreme. Every summer I really wonder why I live here, and then we have sunny days in the low 20's in June and July (winter) and I remember.