Flowers and Foliage July 2008

[Kristl Walek]

Lilium canadense is simply breathtaking. I saw one in bloom in North Sweden a few years ago. I ordered seeds the same year. But my plants are still not ready to flower. How long does that usually take from seeds?

This one is not a fast lilium from seed like L. pumilum, L. concolor strictum or L. formosanum pricei....which will bloom in 2-3 years. It's more like a martagon, or longer. I really can't remember, because it's been so long since I grew mine (but between 5-8 years???)

[David Nicholson]

Three years usually for me David. The stems should about 20 cms, elongating to maybe 30-35 as the seed pods mature. They are pure white, not the lemon colour of Mick's, and with some flushing of reddish on the backs.

Talking of lilies, you will find something exciting at this link, posted today on Trillium-L

http://farreachesfarm.squarespace.com/

Chucking it down, AGAIN, here today but popped out to the greenhouse to get a pic of one of my Lilium formosanum var. pricei seedlings. Now I see it is out of focus but far too wet to go out to get another one. I sowed a batch of ten on 12 June 2007, from seed Lesley sent me, and think I potted them when they were too small and lost four of them. The remaining six seem to be doing well. I have put your name on a couple of them Luc but not sure when it would be best to send them, maybe Lesley will let me know? I have another batch of ten, sown earlier this year, coming along nicely.

Loved the Cardiocrinum Lesley but far too tall for my windy garden, and probably taller than my greenhouse.

[Lesley Cox]

Luc/David, my L. formosanum v. pricei doesn't seem short-lived. Or at least those I have at present are still going strong after 4 flowerings. I have heaps of seed here from harvest in March-May. I can send some more if you'd like it.

David if you're planning to send a couple to Luc, I'd suggest doing it right now, in their pots though that will be heavier/more expensive of course. Is it OK to send like this to the EU? Then Luc could plant them out right away and they should come away well later in the year.

[Kristl Walek]

35C, with humidex today, pushing many of the July plants into bloom.

A drift of Illiamna remota next to the pond; I. rivularis is pretty too, but doesn't want to stick around here more than a year or two.

Gaura lindheimeri is a permanent fixture---and I look forward to it's long, long bloom each year.

Acanthus hungaricus is just barely hardy here, but now that it has it's deep root system in place, it returns every season.

I like the common Allium flavum---but especially like the multi-colour form A. flavum tauricum, originally grown from seed from Marc McDonough.

Yucca filamentosa is native to eastern North America--and always a joy. I grow Y. glauca as well (has never flowered in 15 years), and the small Y. harrimaniae is also hardy here. Y. baccata will not stay, though I have tried and tried.

Now that global warming has moved me up a full hardiness zone, Morina longifolia has decided it will stay.

And, one of my many wild areas where I do little to control what happens---this year it is a sea of Verbascum olympicum.

[johnw]

Is this normal size for Bergenia ciliata or is it the new Dutch fertilizer we tried on it last autumn?

johnw

[johnw]

A few shots of foliage today, very important these days.  We are in "the gap" here - when there is little in bloom aside from roses and peonies it seems, the very last of the evergreen azaleas are starting and it's still well before the last of the deciduous azalea species bloom. I know the southerners will cringe....but I love Phormiums (until those big clay pots have to be moved in). The last shot is the variegated daylily, better than usual this year, flowers are bloody awful.

johnw

[Anthony Darby]

I thought I would show you that I grow other things than alpines and orchids.

Derek

Your neighbours must just stand and admire Derek? What a beautiful display.

[Paul T]

Your neighbours must just stand and admire Derek? What a beautiful display.

So Anthony.... Derek is really good looking? Given the neighbours stand around and admire him and all?

Seriously though, the display was quite stunning.  I plant a few annuals each year, but nothing on teh scale of that (besides which, they'd take up space that could be dedicated to other things!  )

John,

Why would be southerners hate the Phormium?  They definitely have their place within gardens, no question.  That variegated daylily leaf is wonderful!!  What is the flower like that goes with it?

[johnw]

That variegated daylily leaf is wonderful!!  What is the flower like that goes with it?

Paul -  I recall it is a vile orange mustard shade.  I haven't seen the flower in years as I'm quick to snap the buds off, always good in a stir-fry.

As for the phormiums I would have they might be overdone down under and/or with so many new and improved ones these might seem rather commonplace.

johnw

[Paul T]

John,

Ah the poetry..... vile orange mustard shade!    Sounds positively disgusting!!    But I'd grow it for that foliage if I could find it.

They are a bit overdone here at the moment.  They're one of those "flavour of the month" type plants.....along with the red leaf Cordylines etc.  So many modern gardens are just combinations of the two, because they're "low maintenance and water requirements".  I still like them as part of a planting, just not the whole thing.  Some of the Cordylines and Flax now include shades of bright pink, although thankfully that is stripes, not the whole plant.  Some of them are spectacular, and they ARE brilliant for their low maintenance and low water usage.  it is just that whole gardens of them tend to look a bit sterile.    To me at least. 

[Lesley Cox]

No cringing here John. They are great plants with specific uses. Some of the modern forms are stunning as foliage plants. I especially like the newish series of red/black forms with cultivar names such as 'Shiraz,' 'Merlot,' 'Cabernet' etc. 

[Lesley Cox]

Is this normal size for Bergenia ciliata or is it the new Dutch fertilizer we tried on it last autumn?

johnw

Are you quite sure that this is Bergenia ciliata? Usually the leaf has a reddish tinge and is quite hairy. Ciliate, in fact. Manus ciliatum though, perhaps?

[rob krejzl]

They are a bit overdone here at the moment

Far too many stappy leaved 'things' being promoted at the moment IMO. If I see another Dianella tasmanica variety down here I'll climb the walls - a positive menace if it like's it's position. Even Astelia chatamica, which at least has the virtue of reflective leaves, palls a bit when you consider how tall it can grow.

[Gerdk]

Is this normal size for Bergenia ciliata or is it the new Dutch fertilizer we tried on it last autumn?
johnw

I suggest Dutch fertilizer can enlarge a lot of things    - have a look at one of my Bergenia ciliata leaves - see the 'ciliata'. Did you also find those hairs - especially at the stalk and the leaf margin?

Gerd

[Lvandelft]

Is this normal size for Bergenia ciliata or is it the new Dutch fertilizer we tried on it last autumn?

johnw

Would like to know what IS Dutch fertilizer John.

I thought the Dutch only export the good things