Northern hemisphere June 2010

[Maggi Young]

Is your Dianthus myrtinervius really the caespitosus form?  

Lori, I am sorry I received it as caespitosus. I have no other idea.

Never mind, sorry, my mistake... it's been ruled to be "a rather fine and venerable plant of that type grown woody with age".

Hardly "ruled", Lori!    I did state that I thought the foliage was as I would expect it to be, showing the same disposition as that on your plant, and the longer woody stems to be a sign of the greater age of Zdenek's specimen as opposed to your younger chap!  That's a statement of the plant as I see it,so not a ruling, anymore than I imagine your query of its identification was a "ruling" in that direction.... surely a comment, meant to add to a discussion?

[cohan]

and some more good doing plants         
                                 
Stachys lavandulaefolia                             
Amsonia tabernaemontana                                   
Salvia officinalis Grete Stolze                             
Helianthemum                                     
and we let every year some of these poppies seed around for its color in unexpected spots 
Poppy               

a nice time of year at your place, luit i like them all, but esp the little geranium--i like geraniums, and there are several large patches here planted by my mother or aunt some years ago--unfortunately all himalayense with that bluey purply colour i don't like..
is your soil mostly sand? or are those sand beds you've created, or am i just seeing things?

[cohan]

i forget your exact winter lows, but i suspect we'd consider your winter very mild
worthy of a try anyway--i don't remember if lori is growing any--she's my only 'near' (2.5hrs driving and a somewhat different climate!) example to compare to....lol

Yes, Haberlea and Ramonda both survive here and do well if sited properly (which mine have not been, and hence, tend to burn badly).  I also know of a local alpine expert who is growing Jankaea successfully.

thanks, lori--i thought i'd seen you mention them, but wasn't positive..so what do you consider proper siting? some sort of sheltered spot? my lows will be worse than yours--and definitely lower (and prob for longer--30C is a given, -40C probable) than gote's but we do have reduced wind from the surrounding 'bush' and usually good snow in mid-winter--early and late winter can go either way, though...lol

[Giles]

Magnolia figo.
About 12" high; strong banana fragrance; almost hardy.

[Ragged Robin]

What a gorgeous Magnolia flower, Giles, the colour and shape is just lovely and it's an interesting fragrance you describe - how big will it grow eventually?

[Giles]

I'm glad you like it Robin.
It probably won't get much more than 4' tall with me, as it will be cut back by the frost each year.
I've a darker form, which is meant to be hardier, but its flower didn't open properly.
I should add, that the flower is small - about the size of a 10p piece (? 1-2cm ?)

[Lvandelft]

a nice time of year at your place, luit i like them all, but esp the little geranium--i like geraniums, and there are several large patches here planted by my mother or aunt some years ago--unfortunately all himalayense with that bluey purply colour i don't like..
is your soil mostly sand? or are those sand beds you've created, or am i just seeing things?

Only sandy soil Cohan, as deep as you might dig  i.e at least 30 m. or more.

[Lori S.]

Hardly "ruled", Lori!    I did state that I thought the foliage was as I would expect it to be, showing the same disposition as that on your plant, and the longer woody stems to be a sign of the greater age of Zdenek's specimen as opposed to your younger chap!  That's a statement of the plant as I see it,so not a ruling, anymore than I imagine your query of its identification was a "ruling" in that direction.... surely a comment, meant to add to a discussion?

Yes, indeed.  On the other hand, realizing that I've never seen an old specimen of this subspecies, and being unable to find any photos of one that seemed to be old, and considering the likely characteristics of old plants of this type, it seemed to be a very logical conclusion.   

[Maggi Young]

it seemed to be a very logical conclusion.    Huh

Oh, I see .... my reading of your comment was that you "sounded" very doubtful  and dismissive of the "ruling" 
 A misunderstanding, it seems .... who says we Brits are only divided from the Americans by a  common language?

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Very good Summer show Luit !!
Lots of colour !  Fabulous plants !
Thanks for showing !

[Lvandelft]

Very good Summer show Luit !!
Lots of colour !  Fabulous plants !
Thanks for showing !

Luc, these were made just before three days with rain. Today plants and garden were looking fine again!

[cohan]

a nice time of year at your place, luit i like them all, but esp the little geranium--i like geraniums, and there are several large patches here planted by my mother or aunt some years ago--unfortunately all himalayense with that bluey purply colour i don't like..
is your soil mostly sand? or are those sand beds you've created, or am i just seeing things?

Only sandy soil Cohan, as deep as you might dig  i.e at least 30 m. or more.

30m of sand! i remember you mentioning being near the dunes, nearer than i realised!

[Lesley Cox]

Luit, the Impatiens has very nice foliage. Is it a low plant, especially when in bloom?
I'm quite unreasonably prejudiced against the Stylophorum, just because each time I have applied for or ordered seed of Hylomecon japonicum, it has turned out to be the Stylophorum instead of what it should be

[Lvandelft]

Luit, the Impatiens has very nice foliage. Is it a low plant, especially when in bloom?

Lesley, I only received a big stock plant from a friend and he told me in his garden nearby it survived this (rather hard) winter.
Flowering yellow, about 50 cms. high. It is a suckering plant, so if hardy, I have to look out for not taking over the place
But the leaf pattern is very promising!

[Lvandelft]

Some more plants flowering here:
                     
Geranium Sirak                                 
Rodgersia pinnata Die Stolze                     
Sisymbrium luteum                                   
Inula rhizocephala                             
Cypripedium reginae                       
Aster farreri Berggarten         
Dianthus plumarius Whatfield Victoria               
Penstemon Red Riding Hood     
         -- surprisingly hardy this winter
Veronica austriaca Knallblau