Northern hemisphere June 2010

[johnw]

Ah the promise!

johnw

[Maggi Young]

A slight cheat this, since the pix are from May, but I've just received them from my friend who was on holiday in Cumbria..... beautiful real English Bluebell woods near Conniston......

[Olga Bondareva]

First summer day meconopsis. 

[cohan]

A slight cheat this, since the pix are from May, but I've just received them from my friend who was on holiday in Cumbria..... beautiful real English Bluebell woods near Conniston......

classic! now would these be native, or originally planted?

[Maggi Young]

My friend tells me they are unsullied natives, Cohan and would, I believe,be natural populations.
Lovely arent' they?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Mmm wonderful Meconopsis Olga...  I have some competition though :

1-2-3 : Meconopsis "Huntfield" - obtained from Ian Christie (It's gorgeous Ian !!  ) during our visit a couple of weeks ago - and flowering in Belgium now, where the weather  is quite Scottish at the moment so it feels at home.  Now I need to get it through our Summer... 

There have been more eyecatchers over the last few days/weeks :

4-5 : Arenaria purpurascens - hugging the rocks it grows inbetween
6-7 : Aquilegia Bertolinii - I love it !
8 Allium karataviense 'Ivery Queen'
9) Campanula aucheri in full bloom
10) Campanula chamissonis 'Major' - reliably flowering each year !

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Some more :

1 Campanula biebersteiniana
2 Dactylorhiza sp... - they don't like my garden normally - but this one sowed itself in a very shallow pan 4 or 5 years ago and it keeps going 
3) Dianthus haematocalyx v. pindicola
4) Dianthus "Inschriah Dazzler" (what a well chosen name !!)
5) Dianthus "La Bourboule" in full swing
6) Dianthus monspessulanus - slightly over the top and starting to turn pinkish
7) Dianthus 'Pudsey Prize' - a new one for me
Dicentra "King of Hearts" - will not stop flowering before the first frost !
9) Erigeron chrysopsidis "Grand Ridge" - they don't come much more floriferous than this one !
10) Geranium farreri - brave and beautiful  little thing !

[David Nicholson]

Some lovely stuff there Luc. Well done with the Meconopsis, I've never managed to grow one here. What are you feeding your Allium karataviense with, I've had the normal pinkish form for about three years and it still has only one flower? Loved the Campanulas too, I loose all mine (except portenschlagiana!!) to slugs and snails.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks David !
Can't take much credit for the Meconopsis yet David - I only brought it home two weeks ago...  - keeping my fingers crossed though.

The Allium gets it's portion of potash David, according to BD's instructions !!    I started with two bulbs, three years ago and have now 5 flowers in it's third flowering season !

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Some more, just for the fun of it ! 

1) Globularia sp. - was brought home from the French Alps - no name I'm afraid, maybe somebody can help ??
2) Pentstemon 'Six Hills'
3) Phlox chattahoochee
4) Ptilotrichum spinosum
5) Ramonda myconi "Jim's Shadow" - has suffered somewhat from the rain
6) Ramonda nathaliae
7) Veronica austriaca
8  Veronica 'Blue Sheen'

[Kimjy]

Some lovely stuff there Luc. Well done with the Meconopsis, I've never managed to grow one here. What are you feeding your Allium karataviense with, I've had the normal pinkish form for about three years and it still has only one flower? Loved the Campanulas too, I loose all mine (except portenschlagiana!!) to slugs and snails.

David - I thought it was impossible to grow Meconopsis in Devon too - but 3rd time lucky this year I've overwintered 'Slieve Donard' obtained from Rosemoor in good large pots [ex-Hugh Nunn, I think] into 2nd year. Flowers started opening a few days ago on a stately fower spike. Secret for me seems to be wind shelter from the SW gales (planted behind a deciduous Azaelia between evergreen shrubs) as much as dappled light (not sense shade), and an acid open soil with very old composted Leylandii shreddings mixed in with abandon. Let's hope I can keep it going   - may never live up to the show these put on in more Northerly climes but I'll gladly keep them anyway !

[Maggi Young]

What a wonderful display, Luc  So many good plants doing so well... I must pick out the little Penstemon as a real sweetie.
What a delight it mut be to sit in your garden at this time.  It's no surprise to me that you are able to take prizewinning photos in that garden!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

You're too flattering Maggi.. but thanks anyway 

Actually it wouldn't be all that nice sitting in the garden right now    It's drizzling and the thermometer says 9°C....  but we should have 25°C by the end of the week.. the Mec won't like that..

[Graham Catlow]

Luc,
Exploding with colour into June. What a fabulous selection.
I have to agree with Maggi; that Penstemon is just perfect.

Graham

[Paddy Tobin]

Luc, great, great selection of flowers and great display in the garden at the moment.

Paddy