Flowering now- July 2009

[PaulM]

The order of the previous batch was not quite correct, but I've written the names in the pictures. Here are some more:

1) Dracocephalum imberbe
2) Dregea sinensis- I was quite doubtful to this species survival here in Sweden, but it has done fine against a southern wall with just minor freeze backs of the twining stems, and this year it flowered
3) Close up of the flowers which smell nice.
4) Eremalche parryi- I would like to grow E. rotundifolia, but I have yet to find a seed source for it.
5) Gentiana lutea, took about six years for me to reach flowering, but survives for a century, so it will surely outlive me unless someone digs it up to use the roots.
6) Geranium refractum
7) Geranium sp ( Tajikistan )
Geranium pratense 'Striatum'
9) Geranium viscosissimum has been with me for a long time, and this year it has flowered a lot. The stems are sticky.
10) Geranium viscosissimum flower close up

[Lori S.]

Terrific plants, Paul!  Geranium viscosissimum is in bloom in the grasslands and forest edge here - yours looks very nice!

[cohan]

nice plants indeed, paul
unfortunately G viscosissimum doesnt quite reach my area, i will have to remedy that...; your G tajikistan, however, is very similar to G richardsonii which grows here, and ranges from white to nearly/as pink as yours..

[Ragged Robin]

1) Clematis viorna
2) Delphinium glaucum
3) Delphinium glaucum
4) Delphinium speciosum
5) Delphinium speciosum
6) Dianthus crinitus
7) Dianthus crinitus
Dianthus giganteus
9) Dianthus micranthus
10) Digitalis parviflora

Paul,
Really lovely plants and clear,clear colours and forms - the Clematis viorna and Digitalis parviflora are my favourites  

2) Dregea sinensis- I was quite doubtful to this species survival here in Sweden, but it has done fine against a southern wall with just minor freeze backs of the twining stems, and this year it flowered
3) Close up of the flowers which smell nice.

Congratulations on your first flowering - is it a tropical smell 

Thanks for sharing your successes

[Maggi Young]

Paul, the words on the actual photos is great to back up the text of the post.....I'm not clever enough to do such things so I appreciate your efforts! It also means there is no prblem if the photos are in a different order, eh!! 

 Dregea sinensis looks lovely.... another plant I don't know.... my ignorance is frightening... thank goodness for the daily classroom which this Forum provides.

[Paul T]

Paul,

Excellent pics.  The Dregea is something I have never heard of before (but love the look of), so can you tell us anything more about it?  Love the Geraniums and that Gentiana lutea as well.  Thanks so much. 

[gote]

Paul, the words on the actual photos is great to back up the text of the post.....I'm not clever enough to do such things so I appreciate your efforts! It also means there is no prblem if the photos are in a different order, eh!! 

Maggie,
There is a simple quickie. Use the name of the plant in the name of the picture file. Many of us do that and it is helpful in storing the pictures too. Personally I have a folder for each genus. Pictures that deserve it are edited and copied to that folder and given the species name plus date. It is really helpful.
Göte

[Ragged Robin]

What organisation - I'm really impressed Gote you're a genius......especially as I have spent the afternoon entering keywords into my photo-file system and trying to simplify the process but it's really hard 

[Brian Ellis]

In flower today the 'Vesper Iris' - Pardanthopsis dichotoma.

[Ragged Robin]

Wow, Brian, that's a really stunning iris, so tall, and the pattern from the centre is like blue rivulets flowing down each petal...gorgeous combination 

[David Nicholson]

Very nice Iris dichotoma Brian. I have a couple in the garden grown from Seed Ex seed sown 21 February 2008 which I hope I might get a flower from next year. If they are as nice as yours I shall be well pleased.

[Rodger Whitlock]

In flower: Cichorium spinosum

[PaulM]

Dear Paul,
              here is some information about Dregea ( also known as Wattakaka ) which I've been able to compile from my books. " A scrambling or climbing plant of gentle beauty for sheltered walls in our warmer counties, in any fertile soil. One of its nearest genera is the greenhouse climber, Hoya" Ornamental Shrubs Climbers and Bamboos- Graham Stuart Thomas.

"Dregea sinensis is supposedly rather tender, performing well in beds or tubs of a medium fertility, loam-based mix in a cool glasshouse or conservatory; it will however, tolerate sharp but not prolonged frosts. Outdoors it favors a very sheltered situation in full sun to semi-shade...."  " Climbing shrub to 3m, leaves to 10cm, broadly ovate, cordate, grey felted beneath. Flowers 1,5cm in diameter, 10-25 in axillary, long stalked, downy umbels to 9cm diam.,pink or white. ....China"   Manual of Climbers and Wall Plants - J.K. Burras, Mark Griffiths

"A decidious climber with heart shaped leaves and hanging umbels of scented pink or white flowers, native of W China in W Hubei, Sichuan and Yunnan, growing in scrub in rocky places at 40-2400m, flowering in May-July. Climber to 2,5m; leaves softly greyish hairy beneath, to 10cm long. Flowers 1,5cm across, in umbels to 8cm across. For any good soil in sun or partial shade. Min. 15C, perhaps with protection for the root. A nearly hardy Hoya like climber. "   Conservatory and Indoor Plants Vol 2 - Phillips & Rix.

I'm sure Rix and Phillips mean -15C in the above description.

[PaulM]

Nice little cushiony Cichorium spinosum plant. They can get quite big with stiff stalks in every direction. I saw a lot of it growing in Turkey when I was there. You should plant it out in a well drained gravelly site.

[Roma]

Not really flowers or foliage but looking good in the sun about 10 yesterday morning.  Larch cones.