Flowering Now - August 2009

[cohan]

I'm also harvesting sour cherries this weekend and dry most of them - they are much sweeter (like most other fruit) but pleasantly sour when dried,  my favourite dry fruit which I can't get enough of. I netted as much of the trees as possible a couple of days ago as the birds were devouring them (mainly Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings).

stephen, how do you dry them? and how do you put the netting--directly over the bush? i was thinking about that too..

[gote]

10) Telekia speciosa... big and coarse, or a plant with presence, depending on one's viewpoint, LOL!

Indeed presence. In my garden it is more invasive by far than the dreaded Japanese knotweed.
Obviously I grow both 
One mans weed the other mans precious flower.
Göte

[Stephenb]

10) Telekia speciosa... big and coarse, or a plant with presence, depending on one's viewpoint, LOL!

Indeed presence. In my garden it is more invasive by far than the dreaded Japanese knotweed.
Obviously I grow both  
One mans weed the other mans precious flower.
Göte

Or in the case of Japanese Knotweed, dreaded by some, "wouldn't be with out it" to others.  Pictures show the preparation of the (in)famous Japanese Knotweed Crumble, not unlike rhubarb in appearance when cooked but with a taste of its own and healthy too apparently.. Can also be used in savory dishes.

I think I'm now going to get lots of offers of free food....

[Stephenb]

I'm also harvesting sour cherries this weekend and dry most of them - they are much sweeter (like most other fruit) but pleasantly sour when dried,  my favourite dry fruit which I can't get enough of. I netted as much of the trees as possible a couple of days ago as the birds were devouring them (mainly Fieldfares, Redwings and Starlings).

stephen, how do you dry them? and how do you put the netting--directly over the bush? i was thinking about that too..

Drying: Cut in half and discard the pip. I then just spread them out on an oven tray and dry overnight at about 40-50C with the oven door slightly open. They can then be stored like that for several years, although they rarely survive the winter in my household....

Netting: My tree is now too big to net completely, so I just drape the net around as much of the tree as I can. The birds get the berries higher up.

[Stephenb]

A few pictures from the garden now:
1-2.  Another purple Angelica – a garden form of our native Angelica sylvestris – ”Vicar’s Mead”
3.  Tradescantia occidentalis – I’ve had T. ohiensis for some time. This one is very similar and it did key out though – hairy sepals which ohiensis doesn’t have!
4-5. Acaena spp. – I collected seed of this one on a beach on Chiloe Island.  It’s proved hardy with me. Is it Acaena magellanica, perhaps?
6. Grindelia robusta – a curious genus, the flower buds and young flowers covered with this white sticky resinous sap, which has been used as chewing gum, but I’m not sure I like the flavor (prefer Norwegian Kvae – seeps out of old Spruce trees). Insects stick to it.
7. Papaver somniferum “Pink Paeoniflorum”
8. Houttuynia cordata “Plena”
9. Parthenium integrifolium, Wild Quinine
10. Lactuca sibirica, a relation of Cicerbita alpina which I showed pictures of  in the Malvik thread, with the same coloured flowers.

[wolfgang vorig]

some Gentian's today.... click the pictures to enlarge then....


Regards    Wolfgang

 G.asclepiadea bright blue.
 G. asclepiadea blue.
 G. asclepiadea rosea.
 G. asclepiadea white.
 G. depressa.
 G. gelisepta.

[Lori S.]

In my garden it is more invasive by far than the dreaded Japanese knotweed.
Obviously I grow both  
One mans weed the other mans precious flower.
Göte

By what means is Telekia speciosa invasive, Gote?  By roots, seed?  EDIT: Oh I see, rhizomatous - haven't noticed mine taking on new territory yet, but I will certainly keep an eye on them!

4-5. Acaena spp. – I collected seed of this one on a beach on Chiloe Island.  It’s proved hardy with me. Is it Acaena magellanica, perhaps?
6. Grindelia robusta – a curious genus, the flower buds and young flowers covered with this white sticky resinous sap, which has been used as chewing gum, but I’m not sure I like the flavor (prefer Norwegian Kvae – seeps out of old Spruce trees). Insects stick to it.

I haven't found Acaena to be hardy here.  Grindelia squarrosa occurs in the grasslands here - nice plant for late colour, with the same stickiness you mention.  (I collected some seeds last year, meaning to start them - now where did I put them?)
Ah, vicar's mead - a perennial (rather than biennial)?  One that I keep losing, unfortunately.  

[gote]

In my garden it is more invasive by far than the dreaded Japanese knotweed.
Obviously I grow both  
One mans weed the other mans precious flower.
Göte

By what means is Telekia speciosa invasive, Gote?  By roots, seed?  EDIT: Oh I see, rhizomatous - haven't noticed mine taking on new territory yet, but I will certainly keep an eye on them!

By seed. When they have reached a critical number they appear everywhere.
The knotweed is easy to keep confined as a clump in a lawn.
This is what happens in my place. Other places other problems
Göte

[Lori S.]

Thank you for the info, Gote.  Well, almost all of my weeding is of perennial seedlings, so I guess I will be adding that one to the chore someday. 

[cohan]

A few pictures from the garden now:
1-2.  Another purple Angelica – a garden form of our native Angelica sylvestris – ”Vicar’s Mead”

more interesting plants, i especially like the colour of that angelica...

[johanneshoeller]

A Semperivum (?) from Greece

[Ragged Robin]

some Gentian's today.... click the pictures to enlarge then....


Regards    Wolfgang

 G.asclepiadea bright blue.
 G. asclepiadea blue.
 G. asclepiadea rosea.
 G. asclepiadea white.
 G. depressa.
 G. gelisepta.

Lovely looking Gentiana, Wolfgang, they keep coming and coming - how long does your growing season go on for?

I really like G. asclepiadea rosea, its a gorgeous colour with speckles and G. gelisepta is very unusual 

[Lampwick]

Pictures taken today. 

[Giles]

 

[Maggi Young]

Aye , aye, Giles.... you've been busy!