Flowering now in the garden March 2009

[Carlo]

Just a text line Cliff.

[Hristo]

The snow is a melting fast, see Crocus vernus vernus scepusiensis in the snow, then, one hour later! 

[Lampwick]

Three reliable old favourites, which return without fail year after year. 

Saxifraga x edithae ‘Bridget’

Primula ‘Peter Klein’

Primula ‘Lady Greer’
 

[ranunculus]

Super plant Ian ... surely that should have appeared at East Lancashire Show in a very large pot ... a certain prize winner?

As a Show Secretary I am normally encouraging folks to put as many plants on the show benches as possible, but I would never be tempted myself to lift a fabulous pulsatilla (Especially one as big as  Ian's) to pot it for a show. I have known some people to do this and it has always ended in tears with a dead plant.
Here we do find that, having got to the size of Ian's clump, Pulsatillas of most types are inclined to decline or even die off, but I still wouldn't risk lifting one, even for a winning swansong!

Please may I retract my original quote, Maggi?   I too would never have lifted such a plant simply to win a prize at a show. What I SHOULD have said was; "If that had been grown in a very large pot then it would have swept the board at many a show".

I have just spent two minutes on the naughty step!

[Lvandelft]

Some flowers from our garden.
This year Abeliophyllum flowers survived frosts of -2 C.

[Lvandelft]

and another one I forgot posting

Corydalis wendelboi

[Lampwick]

Corydalis 'Beth Evans'

This doesn’t appear to increase much from one year to the next with me!
I would love to see it in great drifts as has been shown by other members – what is the secret? The bed in which this grows is pure Cambark Fine and it could do with topping up with the same.
I understand Cambark is no longer available – are the alternatives as good?

 

[ichristie]

Hi, I use Melcourt bark as already mentioned on this forum, it is a super product and many plants grow very well in the mix we use for potting 2 parts John Inness no 3 one part grit and on part Melcourt bark, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[gote]

I have no Idea what Cambark is but it sounds as if you were overdoing it. I would suggest a more "normal" soil if you grow in a bed. I use sandy soil with hardly more than 25% of total humus mainly in te shape of leaf mould. I then add some bonemeal.
Göte

[ian mcenery]

Super plant Ian ... surely that should have appeared at East Lancashire Show in a very large pot ... a certain prize winner?

As a Show Secretary I am normally encouraging folks to put as many plants on the show benches as possible, but I would never be tempted myself to lift a fabulous pulsatilla (Especially one as big as  Ian's) to pot it for a show. I have known some people to do this and it has always ended in tears with a dead plant.
Here we do find that, having got to the size of Ian's clump, Pulsatillas of most types are inclined to decline or even die off, but I still wouldn't risk lifting one, even for a winning swansong!

Please may I retract my original quote, Maggi?   I too would never have lifted such a plant simply to win a prize at a show. What I SHOULD have said was; "If that had been grown in a very large pot then it would have swept the board at many a show".

I have just spent two minutes on the naughty step!

Cliff it's a good job I am not impressionable thats all I can say

[Lesley Cox]

I'd agree about Pulsatilla vulgaris forms coming GENERALLY true from seed. There are often variations especially if one has several colours in the garden. That's an advantage of having a small nursery, one can grow on whole batches not just a few. As far as possible I like to have my plants for sale flower first so I know I'm selling the right thing. With pulsatillas, this means I have the chance to save the specially pure pink or glistening white or near blue or deep red and so on.

Cuttings aren't an option and division is risky. Better to grow some fresh seed from your best forms. They germinate quickly and freely and once potted up or pricked out, grow quickly. Usually they flower at about 18 months from seed depending on the time of year the seed was sown.

You can make them flower a second time - good for a late show - by feeding with a high potash fertilizer about 2 months before the required date.

[Paul T]

To Paul T- what zone is Canberra in? If it is too hot for Pulsatilla, is it warm enough for some the plants we can only dream of in colder climes?
Flowering today in a trough- the Androsace I am growing as A.darwasica from AGS SeedEx. I have not been able to find out anything about this online ,and looks like other seedlots I have had in the past which were A.septentrionalis and A.fedtschenkoi, which I read somewhere are synonymous.

Simon,

My absolute range is from about -8 or -9'C in winter extreme (but lots and lots of frosts as well), up to plenty of mid to high 30'C and the occasional 40'C (3 in a row this year, but way better than some areas in Victoria which had 3 in a row days of 45'C or so).  We get a lot of days above 30'C, which I think starts to drag at a lot of the northern hemisphere cooler climate things, and once we get above the 35'C areas in the sun are rather warm.    We also have watering restrictions, and as an example we haven't had any significant rain in the last 2 months, so watering is also an issue along with the heat.

[maggiepie]

Cuttings aren't an option and division is risky. Better to grow some fresh seed from your best forms. They germinate quickly and freely and once potted up or pricked out, grow quickly. Usually they flower at about 18 months from seed depending on the time of year the seed was sown.

You can make them flower a second time - good for a late show - by feeding with a high potash fertilizer about 2 months before the required date.

Thanks Lesley, I'll tuck that away in a safe place 

[Armin]

The snow is a melting fast, see Crocus vernus vernus scepusiensis in the snow, then, one hour later! 

Hristo,
what a lovely crocus.
I got this species from a friend but it does not flower this year as bulbs were quite tiny.
But I'm happy what I can expect...

[Hristo]

Hi Armin,
Once your vernus vernus scepusiensis settles in it should also increase well as it has has done here!
It is one of my favourite crocus sp / ssp this year.