Flowers and foliage June 2008

[Hans A.]

Some years ago I tried to pollinate N. alba var. minor with N. caerula - pollen - but I never got any viable seed.

[Magnar]

From my garden this week:

Aquilegia atrovinosa


Paeonia mlokosewitchii


Primula ioessa


Aquilegia clematiflora


Arisaema amurense


Meconopsis Lingholm


Meconopsis betonicifolia just starting to open

[art600]

Magnar

That was a brilliant fix.

[arisaema]

What a stunning Primula!

Below;

Dictamnus angustifolius
D. albus var. purpureus
Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears'
Clematis fusca
Olsynium biflorum

[Anthony Darby]

Now there's a Hosta that would fit my garden. Where can I buy it?

[Paul T]

Gerd,

Nymphaea stellata (I think that is the species) grows quite happily here against a warm wall.  Dormant in winter, but rehoots in spring and I usually get some lovely blue flowers off it each year.  Also a purple one too, but I can't recall what species it is.  They're some of my "bucket plants", if you recall the discussion when I posted the pics of my new crocus garden..... they're in pots in the large white buckets, moved against the wall for protection in winter.  They go fully dormant, the water gets ice in the top, and they reshoot in late spring/early summer.

Magnar,

Oh those Mec pics, and the Paeonia.    Beautiful.

Arisaema,

Fantastic pics.  The Dictamnus look just as good in a larger shot as they do in the closeup of the flower.  Does anyone know if these are in Australia?  The Olsynium is rather striking too, must look out for those too.

Thanks everyone for the pics. 

[Kristl Walek]

The raised barrel cacti bed is continuing its show:
Echinocereus albispinus
E. reichenbachii v. baileyii

The Escobaria vivipara wanted to bloom weeks ago, and seem to have held their buds until they had a day of sunshine.
A different color clone.
And E. vivipara v. arizonica

Orostachys spinosa has an unusual flattered flower spike this year.
O. thyrsiflora unopened spikes.

Talinum calycinum is not to be seen until mid-June, when small succulent tufts suddenly appear from bare soil and then the airy fuscia flowers bloom and bloom and bloom. As soon as seed is produced the entirely plant again neatly disappears to reappear next summer.

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

I have a vague recollection of seeing Dictamnus at Sally's at some time.

[Kristl Walek]

The Opuntia are not happy this year after a winter of non-stop, heavy snow followed by non-stop rain since, 5 days out of 7. They have been begging for heat and sunshine and understand they have had a great season in parts of Europe suffering from heat and drought.

While the genus is so tough that it always blooms, no matter what; this year there are not the usual masses of flower. There was also much damage and losses in some populations from the snow load.

[Kristl Walek]

And the Opuntia fragilis and polyacantha. These are the two Opuntia species native to Canada. In BC there is O. columbiana, which is a cross between the two.

I have more O. fragilis clones than any other species---because I love the small pads---I am always seeking out smaller and smaller forms for my collection. In the European cities series, "Frankfort" bloomed this year for the first time. It's pads are no larger than my thumb nail and it was topped with a HUGE flower in comparison.

I have clones from all over the Canadian prairies---but the one I am most pleased with is the form from Peace River, Alberta---the northermost area for the occurence of the genus in Canada.

O. fragilis has a reputation for being shy of flowering---so I am also always seeking forms that do.

"Potato" is a wonderful spineless cultivar with fascinating grey bumpy pads that are wonderful even if they didn't bloom.

O. polyacantha has the greatest variety of color forms---every conceivable yellow combination, many pinks and even the near white of the beautiful 'Crystal Tide.'

[Magnar]

Kristl, I wish I could grow Opuntias like you do.. but winters are too wet here. They may survive but they don't get anywhere close to yours, and I have not seen a flower in any garden here in the north, not even in whole Norway.

[art600]

Kristl
I did not know that Opuntia could be so beautiful and have such a range of colours.

Thank you for another series of wonderful photographs

[arisaema]

Amazing pictures, Kristl!

Anthony; It's the Hosta of the year in the US, so you should probably be able to find it at a decent garden centre. If not, try Beeches, Binny Plants or Bali-Hai

[art600]

Amazing pictures, Kristl!

Arthur; It's the Hosta of the year in the US, so you should probably be able to find it at a decent garden centre. If not, try Beeches, Binny Plants or Bali-Hai

I think you meant Anthony.  I do like the Hosta, but so do my slugs and snails.

[arisaema]

Oops, sorry, fixed!