Flowering Now - April 2009

[Hans J]

Paddy ,

it seems that we are really earlier in this year 

Hans

[annew]

Wolfgang, that is a remarkable gentian! 

[Armin]

Wolfgang,
herzlichen Glückwunsch! Super Enziane!
Well done - superb gentians

[gote]

pics from today

Wolfgang,
Your Gentians make me speechless. 
The Anemone looks like A. prattii. Check wit flora of china.
Göte

[wolfgang vorig]

thank you all for the interest of our Gentians

Regards,      Wolfgang

[Paul T]

Wolfgang,

Thanks for the Gentian pics, and also for that first pic of your garden.  So luxurious!!  What a display!!    So very different from our cold and blustery autumn day outside, here. 

[johnw]

New growth on Cardiocrinum cordatum var. glehnii.

johnw

[tonyg]

Bluebell time here in Norfolk.
Also good for Clematis alpina seen here in a friends garden - what a beautiful way to hide a fallen pear tree!

[Lesley Cox]

Diapensia lapponica with a bit of its red winter foliage still showing. No Lesley the gravel is not white, granite in full sun showing as white.

johnw

Whewwwww!! I'm so pleased to hear that!!!

[Lesley Cox]

wonderful gentians Wolfgang, especially the Apricot. A new colour break? But for me, Hylomecon japonicum does it best of all, probably because I have not been successful in establishing this lovely poppy relative. A stunning plant Hans.

[Lori S.]

Of all the incredibly lovely plants and scenes shown here (SWOON!), I'm especially taken by the Shortia galacifolia... "tough as old boots" sounds like a great recommendation!  Johnw, is that fresh foliage in your photo, or does your snow cover keep the old foliage that pristine through the winter?  Does it need a lot of moisture or humidity or acid soil?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Wolfgang,
Your Gentian collection is outstanding !!! 

[Ragged Robin]

Bluebell time here in Norfolk.
Also good for Clematis alpina seen here in a friends garden - what a beautiful way to hide a fallen pear tree!

Now that's what I call a fix!     I love the feeling of walking through a sea of bluebells in the woods - not possible this year, so thanks Tony for posting a bit of eye candy...also the Clematis alpina looks magnificent in your friends garden tumbling over a fallen pear tree - is the colour true?

[johnw]

"tough as old boots" sounds like a great recommendation!  Johnw, is that fresh foliage in your photo, or does your snow cover keep the old foliage that pristine through the winter?  Does it need a lot of moisture or humidity or acid soil?

Lori      -  I can't say if the Shortia would be hardy in Alberta but a fellow in Fredericton, New Brunswick grows the all the species and it can get cold there - Zone 4/5.

The long autumn and sun causes the red flush to the leaves, the leaves of some soldanelloides go completely red. The foliage usually stays clean through the winter though snowless, very cold winters might cause a bit of damage.

Yes evenly moist, acid soil and I mix some old rotten pine stump wood into the soil. S. uniflora is out now and the S. soldanelloides are coming fast, the latter has delicious icing sugar pink flowers. All spp. seems to be from summer humid areas but I've seen great clumps in coastal BC.

You will need very fresh seed especially for S. galacifolia.  They are very slow but worth a try.

Shortia (Schizicodon) soldanelloides uniflora (flowers much darker than shown) and 2 paler uniflora attached from today.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

New growth on Cardiocrinum cordatum var. glehnii.

johnw

Are you sure that's not Ruby Chard, John?  Looks delicious