Flowers and foliage April 2008

[tboland]

I've never had any luck with rivale...maybe I should try it in a pot.  That pink one is certainly a corker!

Beautiful Kabs....mine are just starting to show a little colour in the buds...maybe in a couple of weeks I'll have some open.

[Michael J Campbell]

Todd, Trillium rivale grows very well in pots, I have several hundred tubers in pots for years and some of them have not even been re -potted. You may have to shelter them for the winter in your climate.

[henkw]

Dear Johannes Hoeller,

Gentiana verna alba?
Where do you put in in you garden? It seems they do it better in pots. When I put them in my garden they die very quickly, any tips for me?

Henk

[Lesley Cox]

All the above pics are beautiful but I specially like Olga's lovely butterfly. What kind is it Olga?

[johanneshoeller]

Hi Henk,

I think we all have the same problems with Gentiana verna. But there are some clones which grow well and will stay alive for some years. I repot them very often (every year) and do not put them in the garden. They like acid soils although they grow in the Calceolus Alps. I only advice to grow seedlings or divide plants very often.

Yes, one Gentiana is a seedling from ang. Iceberg. But the true form does not jet flower and its colour is much more light blue.

[Anthony Darby]

All the above pics are beautiful but I specially like Olga's lovely butterfly. What kind is it Olga?

The butterfly is a small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), which is declining in the UK, although still fairly common. It's larvae are nettle (Urtica spp.) feeders and the adults hibernate in sheds, garages and behind curtains (or perhaps in the wardrobe) in the spare room.

[Paul T]

Michael,

It looks like you've done a pretty good job with the pink breeding.  How dark a flower did you start out with?  The ones I have here are pale pink at the very most..... I think it would take a lot of generations to get as dark a pink as that from them.  I have what has flowered for the last couple of years as a pure white rivale.  I'll keep an eye on it again this year and if it remains pure white I'm more than happy to send you a piece if there is enough?  It isn't a lovely round form like so many of yours, but up until now at least it has exhibited no spots.

[Olga Bondareva]

Lesley

I am not good in butterflies. Think Anthony is right it’s Aglais urticae. It’s Russian common name is “nettler”.

[ChrisB]

In Ron McBeath's garden today:  Primula maximowiczii; Trillium chloropetalum and Erythronium 'Johanna'  All looking beautiful.  He also had a double red Pulsatilla to die for, but I didn't like to keep taking pictures, so you can't view that one.  The colour of the primula is indescribable and the photo doesn't do it justice, but it will give you an idea of it.  Of course, he had none for sale...

[olegKon]

Dima - thanks for the anser about Gymnospermums
Here are some plants blooming now

caltha silvestris
 Jeffersonia dubia
 phisochlena
 Scilla bifolia alba

[henkw]

Thank you for the tips Johannes Hoeller.

Henk

[Lesley Cox]

All the above pics are beautiful but I specially like Olga's lovely butterfly. What kind is it Olga?

The butterfly is a small tortoiseshell (Aglais urticae), which is declining in the UK, although still fairly common. It's larvae are nettle (Urtica spp.) feeders and the adults hibernate in sheds, garages and behind curtains (or perhaps in the wardrobe) in the spare room.

I wish it lived here. It would be very welcome in my spare room or anywhere else.

[Lesley Cox]

What a magnificent clump of Jeffersonia! and the plant underneath it is special too. A lovely combo of flowers and foliage colour.

[tboland]

That Primula maximowiczii is bizarre!  What an excellent colour!

My bulb season is just getting started (despite the fact its currently snowing!)..Puschkinia, Scilla bifolia 'Rosea' and Iris reticulata 'Harmony'

[Katherine J]

What a magnificent clump of Jeffersonia! and the plant underneath it is special too. A lovely combo of flowers and foliage colour.

Exactly what I wanted to tell.
I've never heard of that Phisochlena, but I like it.