Flowering Now - May 2009

[Lesley Cox]

I haven't ever eaten a fresh mulberry   

Well look for them and try them when you can. Red, white and black vars are all wonderful (the white isn't white of course, but a soft, pinky red). They're sweet but with a sharp tang as well and are very good. I buy them at my market but if you have a tree you are liable to have birds drop them, or their own droppings, leaving red splashes on the washing.

Paul, there's a perception among some people that because Iris chrysographes, and all in the Sibirica group, like moisture, they also like shade. Not so. Ideally they want sun in a moist spot. Not always easy to provide, but if one has a nice, open bed stream..... or failing that, good, humus-rich soil and watering through the growing period.

[Lesley Cox]

I can understand your eating mulberries with great relish Paddy. I prefer cream or ice-cream myself even though relish IS great, especially tomato or cucumber.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

You relish comment is disturbing.... I had the same thought myself, although I wasn't quite as flattering regarding the qualities of relish.   Surprisingly for me the thought didn't communicate itself to the keyboard. 

Thanks for the insight into the Iris.  Any info like that is very useful.  Mine probably suffered from not enough water I would guess.

[olegKon]

1.aquilegia 15 cm of an unnown variety
2.arisaema serratum
3.anemone urdensis
4.anemone multifida var.saxicola
5.triostemum pinnatifidum (flowers are not that conspicuous, but generally a nice thing)

[Lesley Cox]

Paul, all my more lurid thoughts translate to the keyboard. I'm still working on a reply to Cliff's Wimbledon comment.

[Paul T]

Oleg,

That triostemum pinnatifidum IS unusual, isn't it.

Lesley,

I see.  I'll await your response to Cliff with interest. 

[arisaema]

Oleg;

Is A. urdensis close to A. trifolia? Looks very nice!

ETA: The Aquilegia looks like A. flabellata 'Nana', it fairly common and tends to reseed in the most unlikely places.

[gote]

Some years ago I asked if someone could identify an unknown Anemone for me. Nobody did. I later found out that it was udensis. Unfortunately I seem to have lost it.
There are more photos on http://www.srgc.org.uk/discus/messages/139/22720.html?1144603450
Can you comment on how to grow it Oleg? If I can replace it I would like to do better.
Göte

[Paddy Tobin]

I am moving, with my relish, to the June thread.

Paddy

[olegKon]

Oleg;

Is A. urdensis close to A. trifolia? Looks very nice!

ETA: The Aquilegia looks like A. flabellata 'Nana', it fairly common and tends to reseed in the most unlikely places.

They are both from the group of A.nemorosa, but you can't mix them up. I find A. udensis (thank you Gote for correction) an easier plant in my garden. It comes from the Russian Far East, has a very thin far-reaching rhizome and is very attractive with a flower reaching 3.5 cm across. The plant in your picture, Gote, is really A. udensis. No special care is needed, everything which is suitable for A.nemorosa will do. It is not too agressive, but each soring I try to remove all the stems without flowers as still it spreads quicker than I'd like it to, though it doesn't create so dense a clump as A. nemorosa. I have never tried to grow it from seed (no need). If you are interested, let me know by PM, hope I'll collect some.
Paul, I cannot agree more about Triosteum pinnatifidum. Some funny things about the plant: this Chinese creature produces white berries and belongs to the honeysuckle family which I find difficult to believe.
Thanks for the Aquilegia identification, Gote.

[olegKon]

Sorry, I should thank Arisaema.

[gote]

Thank you Oleg,
The funny thing is that in my garden the local type of nemorosa is a weed in some places (because it mixes up the named varieties) but udensis was always very weak. Maybe I moved it in the wrong time?? Trifolia is no problem at all. The various nemorosa and ranuncloides varieties also grow well as does altaica. Only udensis is a bad doer.
Göte
 

[gote]

PS
Anemone udensis IS very charming it has a kind of fleeting grace.
Japanese 'aware' perhaps. 
Göte

[cohan]

a couple of late entries--
i'm still catching up on going through photos..these are from may..
a cherry in the yard--i forget which--nanking? they give nice sour berries that make great jellies etc, if you can beat the birds to them! we have several of these, planted by my mother and aunt some years ago...
Veronica repens
from a big (general) retailer's garden centre this spring, so too soon to know if/how it will do for me, but it has been making some nice flowers for quite a while...i had expected blue flowers, but white with blue lines is ok, i guess...lol
developing buds on, i think! thats what happens when you dont edit photos right away...
Sorbus sp

[Sinchets]

Hi Cohan.
About the Veronica repens- it's a lovely little thing. I ahd some a long time ago in my mother's garden and she adored it- but it wasnever reliably hardy there-or maybe needed more care- so she lost it. Maybe you will need to collect seeds for next year in case you lose it.