Flowering Now - September 2009

[WimB]

Stephen,

it comes from N.E.-Mexico. I got it a month ago from a friendly nursery-women who was growing it as a potplant (outside during the summer and inside during the winter). I don't think it's hardy enough for my zone 8 although I may be tempted to try it next year.
The leaves feel like felt.
Now it's still quite small but if you want a cutting next year just let me know, it's easy to take root.

[Sinchets]

The Tradescantia looks like the plants they had on the windowsills of my old school in the 1970s- the ubiquitous hanging basket plant. Whatever happened to macrame. 
Flowering here on the rockgarden
Aster coloradoensis
a self sown Linum rigidum

[Ragged Robin]

The Tradescantia looks like the plants they had on the windowsills of my old school in the 1970s- the ubiquitous hanging basket plant. Whatever happened to macrame. 
Flowering here on the rockgarden
Aster coloradoensis
a self sown Linum rigidum

And what about rag rugs with all colours of the rainbow twisted together!  Crafts still going strong in Switzerland....how about where you are Simon?

Lovely little Aster, I do like their late arrival looking as if they are all dressed for a party!

[Sinchets]

Traditional crafts are still going strong here- but never seen macrame 

[Stephenb]

Stephen,

it comes from N.E.-Mexico. I got it a month ago from a friendly nursery-women who was growing it as a potplant (outside during the summer and inside during the winter). I don't think it's hardy enough for my zone 8 although I may be tempted to try it next year.
The leaves feel like felt.
Now it's still quite small but if you want a cutting next year just let me know, it's easy to take root.

Thanks for the offer - was hoping it was a hardy species; trying to cut down on my pot plants (no, not that kind of pot, honest!).  I googled it and saw that they had it in the National Botanical Garden in Belgium, but perhaps it's in the glasshouses. Incidentally, I was just recently in Gent and visited the botanics there - interesting garden with lots of unusual species... I'll post some pictures later if I get time.

Stephen

[WimB]

Incidentally, I was just recently in Gent and visited the botanics there - interesting garden with lots of unusual species... I'll post some pictures later if I get time.

Stephen

The botanical garden of the university of Ghent is nice (it's my alma mater, so I can't say a bad word about it  ), not very big but they have got some interesting plants there.
The National botanical garden in Meise is a lot bigger and very nice too, if you ever get the opportunity to visit, be sure to go there. They had a real tough time since they didn't get any government grants for more than ten years because of the "normal squabbles" between the Flemish and the Belgian government.  Now that's over, they're renovating all of their greenhouses which was very necessary...

[mark smyth]

Simon it's good to see a large plant of Aster coloradoensis. I'm lucky if I get 6 flowers on mine

[Sinchets]

Mark, the flowering has been a bit hit and miss all summer as it has been too hot and dry. There are lots of buds to come, but I think it will only make a good show if we have our promised rain over the weekend. I had one in England, which only ever had 1 flower at a time- so well done with your 6!

[Geebo]

Hi Wim,

I believe Gent Botanical gardens is or was a great source to get some research on epimediums even tough I never had a chance to visit.must try to get there by my next visit to some of my friends.
Meise remind me of the time I had to bring my son there to boarding school,its hard to understand the squabbles are still going on in that small country Belgium is,its amazing here in Ireland the seem to have found a way to come to understand peace he after all.
Greetings from a Belgium.
Guy

[Stephenb]

The botanical garden of the university of Ghent is nice (it's my alma mater, so I can't say a bad word about it  ), not very big but they have got some interesting plants there.
The National botanical garden in Meise is a lot bigger and very nice too, if you ever get the opportunity to visit, be sure to go there. They had a real tough time since they didn't get any government grants for more than ten years because of the "normal squabbles" between the Flemish and the Belgian government.  Now that's over, they're renovating all of their greenhouses which was very necessary...

Yes, I was there last summer, but as you say the greenhouses were closed. Even though the greenhouses were closed there is much else of interest and I remember being surprised that there were hardly any visitors in the garden. 

[Stephenb]

Hi Wim,

I believe Gent Botanical gardens is or was a great source to get some research on epimediums even tough I never had a chance to visit.must try to get there by my next visit to some of my friends.
Meise remind me of the time I had to bring my son there to boarding school,its hard to understand the squabbles are still going on in that small country Belgium is,its amazing here in Ireland the seem to have found a way to come to understand peace he after all.
Greetings from a Belgium.
Guy

I understood that Gent has the largest Peperomia collection in the world...

[Maggi Young]

I understood that Gent has the largest Peperomia collection in the world...

 There's no answer to that! 

[WimB]

Yes, I was there last summer, but as you say the greenhouses were closed. Even though the greenhouses were closed there is much else of interest and I remember being surprised that there were hardly any visitors in the garden. 

I think people were forgetting we had a national botanical garden... since they had no money for the most fundamental things like scientific research and renovation of their infrastructure they certainly had no money for "merchandising". Now it's starting to look up for them...
for anyone interested; this is the link to their website: http://www.br.fgov.be/

[WimB]

I understood that Gent has the largest Peperomia collection in the world...

And they have the national collection of Sansevieria too... (I think they started collecting them because of their dutch name which is "women's tongue"  )

[WimB]

its hard to understand the squabbles are still going on in that small country Belgium is,its amazing here in Ireland the seem to have found a way to come to understand peace he after all.

Hello Guy,

sometimes I think our politicians are like little children who'll never learn *sigh*