Flowers and foliage June 2008

[Kristl Walek]

Foliage of Centaurea pulcherrima and Tradescantia ohioensis (both very grey---but it doesn't seem to translate).

Two years ago it was bears.

Last year rodents.

This year the snakes have moved in. I knew they were here before I saw my first one (snake skins lying here and there on the limestone in the rock garden)...today one cooperated for photos.

[Kristl Walek]

Paeonia obovata always so nice in bud; finished before I noticed.

My seedling Magnolia tripetala, which no one can believe is hardy here (7 years to flowering).

Gentiana lutea which took longer to grow up from seed than many trees and shrubs (8-10 years).

Echinacea simulata is the second to bloom of about 7 or 8 coneflower species I grow.

Penstemon whippleanus is tough and predictable--grows well in wet summer areas; it is one of only a few species I grow in ordinary garden conditions. The remainder are all in the sand bed.

Penstemon pinifolius (Yellow); seed grown from Mersea Yellow.

Penstemon cobaea.

And one of my many wild areas...whatever happens in these spots I allow...and it's fascinating to watch what will compete will all the country grass and weeds!!!

[WimB]

Hi Paul,

I was going to turn the trough around but they might die from embarrassment 
in my garden it's the same, they are almost all faced away from the paths; that's something I hadn't noticed before, strange...

[Lvandelft]

Foliage of Centaurea pulcherrima and Tradescantia ohioensis (both very grey---but it doesn't seem to translate).

I understand what you mean Kristl. Often the pictures don't show what your eyes did see.

Here some more flowering plants of the last days:

Campanula poscharskyana Silberregen       
Euphorbia sarawschanica 1     
Euphorbia sarawschanica 2   
Erigeron Sommerneuschnee [Snowwhite]
Rodgersia pinnata Die Schöne           
Rodgersia pinnata Die Stolze   

[Anthony Darby]

Your garter snakes won't solve the bear or rodent problem Kristl as they feed mainly on worms, fish and amphibians. I see the one in the pic is not far off shedding its skin.

[Paul T]

Kristl,

Love that snake.  Very cute!! (well as snakes go anyway!  )  If I'd seen that Gentiana without a label I'd have been thinking Phlomis from the pictures.  Didn't realise that there were gentians that flowered like that. 

Luit,

That Rodgersia is rather nice.  Didn't realise that they had such nice flowers.  I've always thought of them as having fairly non-descript flowers, but yours certainly doesn't.  Never grown the genus myself.  Great to see it.

[Maggi Young]

I see that the eye of the snake looks rather opaque, that shows that it about to shed its skin...is that correct?  I quite like snakes.... no legs!

[Anthony Darby]

Spot on Maggi. I'm up to 6 snakes now. Garter snakes used to be imported into the UK by the hundred. Surprised they are not feral! Like most northern species of snake, they are live-bearers so regulate the temperature of their developing eggs by their behaviour. Scotland's three native reptiles are all livebearers. The only egg-layer is the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) introduced to the island of Coll 30 or so years ago.

[Blue-bellied Frog]

Still wet today.

[Blue-bellied Frog]

Maggy,
Some years ago, I saw a Snake with legs.

[Tony Willis]

a bomarea species possibly hirta planted in the sand plunge on the floor of the greenhouse

[Gerdk]

Glamorous plant, I love Bomareas.
Tony, how tall is it?

Gerd

[Maggi Young]

Bernard, your snake is cheating!


Tony, lovely marking on the Bomarea........ but might it not get a bit large for that home?

[Paul T]

Interesting "legged" snake! 

The Bomarea is lovely isn't it?  Bought them once or twice but for some reason they have never shot for me.  Guess I am watering them too much while dormant, or something like that.  With flowers like that I might just have to have another go. 

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

If you want I could send you some of the Bomarea, but as Maggi says they can be quite vigorous. When I first saw one down here, at Essie H's, it was up over 4 metres and probably would have been more vigorous if it hadn't been shaded. I remember being warned when I subsequently bought one, about their ability to smother the plant supporting them; certainly something to bear in mind.