Flowers and Foliage September 2008

[Anthony Darby]

Here is a ginger (Hedichium sp.) flowering on the patio. I overwinter this in the greenhouse.

[SueG]

Like the ginger - is it scented at all?
Sue

[Anthony Darby]

Haven't noticed, but in Jamaica I noticed flowering gingers were patrolled by Doctor Birds (Streamer-tailed humming birds Trochilus polytmus). Stuck in the house at the moment due to minor surgery.

[SueG]

Several years ago I went to Rosemoor Gardens in Devon where they had wonderful gingers flowering with some really deep perfume, but Devon is a long way from Northumberland and I've never tried - also the plants were huge and I just wasn't certain that they'd do anything in a pot.
Hope you recovered soon and are up and about.
Sue

[Tony Willis]

Arthur

they are growing in two large plastic pots on either side of the front door(sound naff but is not).One has a red one and the other both a red and white one. They have been there several years and are the offspring several generations removed from my original plants.I have not succeeded with them in the open garden. Last year they fruited and I have produced masses of seedlings so will be trying some.

It is not the frozen North here just wet and dull. We have not had a really cold winter for years.

[Brian Ellis]

It is worth a try in the open garden Art, my Lapageria rosea is in a sheltered spot and flowers well.  Of course if we have a really hard winter...

[Maggi Young]

Anthony, hope you are soon fully recovered.  That Hedichium rather suggests that Dunblane does have SOME warm weather then ??   They look so exotic!


Tony, do you mean the Lapagerias overwinter outside in their pots, or do you give them  some cover ?I suppose close to the house they gain some shelter and warmth.
Lovely to see these "glam" plants doing so well ..... wonder if I could get brave and try these in Aberdeen??

[Tony Willis]

Anthony

I hope you are recovering well.

Maggi  yes outside with no protection - that is probably the kiss of death!

[Paul T]

Anthony,

Hope you're on the mend.  Best wishes from here in Aus.

[Anthony Darby]

Thanks for the good wishes. Ibuprofen is a wonderful thing. The gingers are in a big pot but need to be split as the pot is gradually changing shape!

Here is Narcissus serotinus, also taken at the weekend.

[Armin]

Anthony,
a very fine wee gem

[Oron Peri]

Finally we start to feel Autumn in the air down here...
Scilla hanburyi and Biarum angustatum are amongst the early bloomers.
Sorry for  quality of the photos, my camera is out of focus...new one soon.

[Tony Willis]

Oren that is a very fine biarum,a lovely colour.Iwould be interested to know its origin.

Here is one of mine from Spain flowering today which is not very exciting and has an awful smell. Also a Bessera elegans a very nice late flowering bulb for the alpine house. The inside of the flower is usually hidden but has very interesting colours.

[Oron Peri]

Tony,

My B. angustatum are grown from seeds from colonies found very close to the sea in north Israel
it has a very strong velvet color.
Your Biarum is fantastic, it is very similar to the tenuifolium that is widespread in the Mediterranean Islands.

[Hans J]

Tony ,

wow 
very nice Bessera - are they difficould ?