Flowering Now - April 2009

[Lesley Cox]

No Michael, the rosulate violas are NOT easy. Sometimes we see a wonderful plant on the Forum at one of the shows but I doubt if anyone has them seeding around.



Helen, this is what I have as V. chaerophylloides. If not, it is quite close I think. I bought it just as Viola Japanese. This and V. koreana below, are both martyrs to the tiniest slug, let alone the big ones. I have very few slugs but if ever I find one, it is on either of these two plants which both get chewed right down to the ground or pot surface, time after time.

[Gerry Webster]

Gerry, your Sanguinaria canadensis ‘Multiplex’ is beautiful, in what sort of conditions are they growing?

Helen - in my small garden the only real shade is under a north wall which is where the Sanguinaria grows (along with Erythroniums). I have another clump further along the wall. I acquired the original plant at least 15 years ago. My soil is heavy clay, but these beds have had lots of grit & humus added.  When it gets really hot in mid-summer the Sanguinaria foliage doesn't look too good but it survives & the plants always flower the following year regardless. A tough & adaptable plant it seems. I love the way the flower emerges enclosed in the leaf.

[Armin]

Hoping I'll not bore a lot of people I want to show a violet concentrated post
- all pics are from today -

I start with the 'usual' violet colour

1. Viola alba ssp. dehnhardtii originally from Segovia (thanks to Rafa)
2. Viola alba x chelmea - a naturally occuring hybrid from Greece
3. + 4.  Viola jaubertiana originally from Mallorca - one of my favorites
     with shining glabrous ivy-leaves
5. Viola uliginosa - originally from Sweden - a plant for the bog garden

The next one usually is also violet - here a white form

6. Viola chelmea ssp. vratnicensis - originally from Mt. Orjen, Montenegro

Now the yellow ones - all in a special section (Chamaemelanium) - in Europe represented only by a single species (Viola biflora)
7. Viola xanthopetala from the Vladyvostok region
8. Viola brevistipulata from Japan

The last one is a very strange shrubby species from Chile (height more than 1m)

9. + 10. Viola rubella

Gerd

Gerd,
super tinies.
I like the Viola alba x chelmea.
It looks like having a face.

[maggiepie]

I do adore violets.... as does my very good friend who has no computer, or camera but she grows lots of the cultivars..... I will be showing her these photos from you Gerd when she next visits... ...so lovely to see them.

Maggi, perhaps you could take your camera next time you go calling on your friend and take some pics of her violas, I would love to see them.

[Maggi Young]

Helen, it'll be ages till they're out and she visits me , I seldom visit her, I'm afraid 
Anyone who knows me will tell you how little I go visiting!  Perhaps I must make a special effort to be sociable .... then, I expect, they'll all be eaten by slugs. 

[maggiepie]

Helen, this is what I have as V. chaerophylloides. If not, it is quite close I think. I bought it just as Viola Japanese. This and V. koreana below, are both martyrs to the tiniest slug, let alone the big ones. I have very few slugs but if ever I find one, it is on either of these two plants which both get chewed right down to the ground or pot surface, time after time.

Lesley, thanks for the pics, I think the leaves on your Japanese one are wider than mine, but my memory plays tricks on me these days and it hasn't shown up yet, not sure if it has croaked or is still under snow.
I don't think I have seen any slugs on my violas, think they are too busy munching on the hostas, although I don't think the slugs show up until after the violas I have in the garden have finished flowering.

Helen - in my small garden the only real shade is under a north wall which is where the Sanguinaria grows (along with Erythroniums). I have another clump further along the wall. I acquired the original plant at least 15 years ago. My soil is heavy clay, but these beds have had lots of grit & humus added.  When it gets really hot in mid-summer the Sanguinaria foliage doesn't look too good but it survives & the plants always flower the following year regardless. A tough & adaptable plant it seems. I love the way the flower emerges enclosed in the leaf.

Gerry, I am really pleased to see what you say about the toughness of the Sanguinaria, I have some seeds germinating at the moment, but I don't have lots of shade as yet in my garden, so you have given me hope.

[maggiepie]

Helen, it'll be ages till they're out and she visits me , I seldom visit her, I'm afraid 
Anyone who knows me will tell you how little I go visiting!  Perhaps I must make a special effort to be sociable .... then, I expect, they'll all be eaten by slugs. 

Geezzzz Maggi, you sound like me!!!
I like the idea of you making a special effort, am sure she would appreciate it, perhaps you could also convince her she needs a computer and a digi and she can post pics herself.

[Maggi Young]

Helen, it'll be ages till they're out and she visits me , I seldom visit her, I'm afraid 
Anyone who knows me will tell you how little I go visiting!  Perhaps I must make a special effort to be sociable .... then, I expect, they'll all be eaten by slugs. 

Geezzzz Maggi, you sound like me!!!
I like the idea of you making a special effort, am sure she would appreciate it, perhaps you could also convince her she needs a computer and a digi and she can post pics herself.

 Helen I have as much chance of convincing my little pal ( also Helen, by the way  ) that she needs a pc and a camera.... ANY camera, as I have of getting her to sign up for glider lessons.... which is to say, no chance at all, not in a month of Sundays.
She's been complaining that her garden is sorely neglected and  getting very weedy, and I think she feels that is giving the slugs more scope to eat her plants.....she should stay home more, that's what I say! 

[maggiepie]

She's been complaining that her garden is sorely neglected and  getting very weedy, and I think she feels that is giving the slugs more scope to eat her plants.....she should stay home more, that's what I say! 

Sigh!!!

[Armin]

Even if most of the snowdrops are over now there is still enough to flower during next days and weeks. Many of them are more or less ordinary spring flowers but they make each spring better.

Anemone nemorosa 'Pleuger's Plena'
 A. ranunculoides 'Avon'
 Camellia 'Jury's Yellow'
 Corydalis angustifolia 'Alba'.
 Narcissus 'Mount Hood'
 Primula
 Primula elatior
 Pulmonaria officinalis
 Pulsatilla vernalis 'Papageno'
 Viola odorata 'Albiflora'

Hallo Arne,
nice pictures from your "ordinaries". Like your yellows Primula elatior and A. ranunculoides 'Avon'
and the whites Viola odorata and N. "Mount Hood".
They realy make spring in Germany!

[tonyg]

A few more pics from Eric Jarretts garden after my trip last week.
Veronica sp ... "the one John Watson collected"  looking fantastic in tufa
Saxifraga 'Golden Prague', in raised bed with tufa
Hyacinthoides reverchonii, I like the habit and the flowers bear close inspection

[Lori S.]

Helen, Sanguinaria canadensis should be hardy for you - not that you need any more encouragement!  (Well done with the seed!) It's native to Nova Scotia, apparently, and eastern N. A.  They are quite popular here, both the single and double ones, despite the shortage of woodland-ish conditions. (I kind of prefer the simplicity of the single flowers but finally broke down last year and got a double).  Possibly in contrast to Gerry's observation (??), the leaves die down shortly after flowering here - are they longer lasting elsewhere?   Gorgeous plants!

And another melt is on!  Hopefully it's the last one...     More Bulbocodium vernum, and I'm very excited to see Colchicum kesselringii emerging!

[Gerdk]

Thanks for the nice comments!

To Michael:  Regarding Viola cryana I don't have any other informations as you probably googled - extinct because of limestone quarrying and overexploitation by plant collectors ! (Wikipedia)

The rosulate Andean violets are awfully difficult. They need a lot of light and ventilation to stay in character, the roots are sensitive to fungus attacs and they dislike our summer heat. Nevertheless there are some experienced growers like Cyril Lafong which are able to cultivate them.
I guess if you have the opportunity to fence a small area at Pico Ruivo they will do fine there - Snow in winter is no problem.

Gerd

[Gerry Webster]

Helen, Sanguinaria canadensis should be hardy for you - not that you need any more encouragement!  (Well done with the seed!) It's native to Nova Scotia, apparently, and eastern N. A.  They are quite popular here, both the single and double ones, despite the shortage of woodland-ish conditions. (I kind of prefer the simplicity of the single flowers but finally broke down last year and got a double).  Possibly in contrast to Gerry's observation (??), the leaves die down shortly after flowering here - are they longer lasting elsewhere?   Gorgeous plants

Lori & Helen - I can't remember exactly when the leaves die down in my garden but it's certainly not shortly after flowering. Late summer I think. Generally speaking, I also prefer the simplicity of single flowers; 'Multiplex' (formerly 'Flore Pleno') is one of the few exceptions.

[maggiepie]

Helen, Sanguinaria canadensis should be hardy for you - not that you need any more encouragement!  (Well done with the seed!) It's native to Nova Scotia, apparently, and eastern N. A.  They are quite popular here, both the single and double ones, despite the shortage of woodland-ish conditions. (I kind of prefer the simplicity of the single flowers but finally broke down last year and got a double).  Possibly in contrast to Gerry's observation (??), the leaves die down shortly after flowering here - are they longer lasting elsewhere?   Gorgeous plants!

Lori, I didn't realize I had said the Sanguinaria canadensis were germinating, ( I wish!!)   I have them in the fridge at the moment, I suppose they'll take a LONG time if ever.
I was more concerned about lack of shade in my garden for them.
Btw, your Bulbocodium vernum are lovely, did you grow them from seed?