Easy Primulas

[Paul T]

Rob,

Yeah, you're probably right, but there would still be the matter or where to situate it.  The spot I have the bathtub set up is on a concrete slab in the back yard, with some shading already to it.  It'll be easier to cover it to keep the worst of the heat off.  Most of the backyard where the pots are is sunny, with the shde lovers in pots here and there around the place rather than in a big block that could be converted to a bog garden.

The Lysichiton is in a pot out in the full sun, with my potted water irises.  They're in a couple of large plastic "ponds" about 6 feet across and 25cm deep.  Now what would I do with all my Iris ensatas etc if I tried to convert one of those over to a bog garden?    I just collect too many darn things!! <sigh>  I know, a bit of restraint would help..... there I go swearing again!!

[rob krejzl]

Paul,

This might be one of thse 'with one bound our hero was free' moments.

[Paul T]

What, you're saying I should run away now? 

Right now, the couple of hundred dollars would be a problem, but if my job interview goes OK on Friday hopefully that will change.  Quite daunting going for a job interview after 17 years of either working for the Public Service, running your own business or being ill and unable to work.  QUITE daunting!!

Whatever I do work out bog-wise, I am hoping to try Primulas in the setup, the Lysichiton camschatcense rather than americanum (less expansive as far as I know.  My little plant barely grows, let alone expands! LOL) etc.  I hadn't thought of things like Liliums etc.  I guess I was thinking those would be getting too much moisture.  I realise it comes down to the depth of soil above the waterline in most cases.  That is why I thought tht the Primulas would be ideal, as they are surface, with their roots heading down to the water, rather than bulbous like the Liliums where they can migrate deeper and might get too wet.  Interesting thought.  Probably the Hepaticas etc would thrive in there too.  Hmmmmm..... lots of thought going on now!! 

[rob krejzl]

 "I hadn't thought of things like Liliums etc. "

That's a meaning I didn't realise my words could bear. I was referring to our earlier conversation about planting marties in the ground rather than keeping them in pots. Not sure that it would be easy to manage them like that.

[Paul T]

Ah, I thought you were talking about things to go into the bog, not generally planting things out of the pots into the garden.  I thought you were meaning martagons into the bog garden etc to give them extra moisture, which was why I was a bit confused.

The thing with the pots is that in a lot of cases I find them easier to look after and keep an eye on than in the ground.  I water the pots more often than the gardens, so I can tailor waterings to their needs much easier.  A shaded pot keeps its moisture in summer, whereas the ground is so dry here now that shaded ground doesn't.  We have very little subsurface moisture, at least until the rains in June..... it's bad enough here that massive old Eucalypts tree that predate the building of Canberra are dying of drought, plus street trees that have been around 30 or more years etc.  That's why in a lot of cases it is better to keep the woodlanders in pots instead of putting them into the ground, at least in my garden.

Sorry to others that this has got a little off target Primula-wise, but this discussion of the bog garden may end up helping me at least with my Primulas in the future, be they easy or hard varieties!! 

[TC]

Does anyone stilll grow the glorious Primula `Inverewe' which I think is PP. japonica x cockburniana or vice versa? I imported a plant of this many years ago and had it do well for a long time, dividing from time to time but then the vine weevils took a liking and it quickly dwindled and eventually was lost. Most of the things I lose I don't worry about too much - nice to have them for a while - but this super primula I truly regret. Although not `Inverewe' Tom, your Brodick picture put me in mind of it.

The short answer is yes, primula Inverewe is still commercially available.  I am sure I have seen it for sale at National Trust for Scotland plant centres and probably elsewhere.

[David Pilling]

Does anyone stilll grow the glorious Primula `Inverewe'

http://www.binnyplants.co.uk/plants.php?by=cat&expand=2&startat=781&show=3038
http://www.kevockgarden.co.uk/plantlist/primula_inverewe.htm
http://www.bucklandplants.co.uk/text_list.asp
http://www.chipchaseplants.co.uk/Plant%20Directory/P.html

[derekb]

Paul, Best of luck on friday,
                                  Derek

[David Nicholson]

What, you're saying I should run away now? 

Right now, the couple of hundred dollars would be a problem, but if my job interview goes OK on Friday hopefully that will change.  Quite daunting going for a job interview after 17 years of either working for the Public Service, running your own business or being ill and unable to work.  QUITE daunting!!/quote]

Sock it to 'em mate. Were are all rooting for you.

[Lesley Cox]

My best wishes for Friday too Paul. I hope the interview goes very well and you get your job.

Many thanks Tom and David, for the information and links. I'm delighted to see one of my favourite primulas is still well and truly in cultivation. I see it's pulverulenta x cockburniana, not japonica. Maybe I should try the cross myself. Otherwise I'm probably stuck since importing live plants is impossible now what with the bureaucracy and the costs.

[Paul T]

Thanks everyone.  I worked out it is more like 12 years since I last had a job interview.... I had a few while in the public service!!  Still long enough to be darn nervous!!    Thanks for the best wishes.  Now I'll stop hijacking this thread!! 

[David Pilling]

importing live plants is impossible now what with the bureaucracy and the costs.

Begs the question if the parent species are in NZ is import of the resulting hybrid allowed?

[Lesley Cox]

Yes, the hybrid would be allowed in. I think Australia assesses hybrids differenly but in NZ if both parents of a hybrid are listed in the Biosecurity Index, then the hybrid is permitted entry - following growing season inspection in the nursery of origin, phytosanitary cert with numerous endorsements to say the area doesn't have hundred of (listed) pests and diseases, bare-rooting, dipping, and freight, followed by post-entry inspection, 12 months quarantine in a registered facility, and so on. You see why we don't bother.