Meconopsis Trial 2010-2013 Report

[Ian Y]

The RHS are hosting a trial of Meconopsis at Harlow Carr and Ian Christie has sent us a report of the first assessment which is attached below as a PDF.

Ian will be adding to this report with more details and pictures as his time allows.

 MecTrial2010-2013.pdf (96.18 kB - downloaded 460 times.)

[ichristie]

Dear Ian firstly thanks very much for setting everything up for this report and I look forward to much discussion. The area where the Meconopsis are planted at Harlow Carr is on an undulating mound which looks like an old rock garden a very open site near the stream with large trees on one side about 10 meters away the site is surrounded by established bushes and shrubs. A few of the visitors thought that the site is very exposed to strong wind well I like that as it will show the public that Meconopsis can survive ( I hope) on an open skies site. The ground had been reclaimed from an infestation of Mairs Tail it is a clay base improved with compost, once planted a mulch was added this is called Strulch which is made from miscanthus grass heat treated then nutrients added looks good to me. As the trail will last at least three years the visits for me will most likely be once or twice a year as the distance is just to far for several visits, I am however very grateful to the RHS for agreeing to hold these trials and to Andrew the Gardener and the new very nice young lady curator Elizabeth Balmforth for the first class hospitality. I also thank our friend Mary Randall for being chairperson she will most definately keep us all in order. I will post the pictures of the newly planted area soonest as I must do other things tonight, I look forward to your input, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[ichristie]

I will now post the Meconopsis pictures taken at Harlow Carr.  The first Picture is of Meconopsis 'Slieve Donard' which already has an A.G.M. and an (F.C.C.) this will be the standard plant for comparison and without doubt is a very fine example of what we should aim for.Three plants of each variety were plantd most are the old clones from history which can be divided up these do not set any seed. Four plants are fertile within the group but no seed will be collected, all flowering stems will be removed once the flowers are over. Hand watering when it is dry will be possible with further mulch added in spring.

    Meconopsis Slieve Donard AGM..JPG
    Meconopsis Bobby Masterton.JPG
    Meconopsis Brian Conmay.JPG
    Meconopsis P.C. Abilgaard.JPG
    Meconopsis Stewart Annand.JPG
    Meconopsis Mrs Jebb.JPG
    Meconopsis Crewdson Hybrid.JPG
    Meconopsis Crarae.JPG
    Meconopsis Willie Duncan.jpg
    Meconopsis Keillour.JPG

[ichristie]

Next set of pictures

    Meconopsis Inverewe.JPG
    Meconopsis Marit (white).JPG
    Meconopsis Huntfield.JPG
    Meconopsis Jimmy Bayne..JPG
    Meconopsis Dalemain.JPG
    Meconopsis Susans Reward.JPG
    Meconopsis Barney's Blue.JPG
    Meconopsis Ascreavie.JPG
    Meconopsis Lingholm.JPG
    Meconopsis Mophead.JPG

[ichristie]

Last set.
    Meconopsis Louise.JPG
    Meconopsis grandis (ES104).JPG
    Meconopsis ex PSW.JPG

[Ian Y]

Great for those of us unable to get down to see the trials for ourself to see these pictures Ian.

It will be fascinating to see them in year two and three to see how they perform and which one(s) bulk up the best in the conditions at Harlow.

[Maggi Young]

Here is the 2011 report from the Harlow Carr Meconopsis Trial, supplied by Ian Christie, followed by  his photos

 Mec.Trial 2011 2.pdf (35.69 kB - downloaded 216 times.)

[Maggi Young]

First  photos.....


Meconopsis Ascreavie 1
M. Barney,s Blue 1
M. Bobby Masterton 1
M. Bryan Conway 1
M. Crarae
M. Crewdson Hyb 2
M. Dalemain 1
M. ex PSW 1

[Maggi Young]

and now....

M. grandis ES104
M. Huntfield 1
M. Inverewe 1
M. Jimmy Bayne 1
M. Keillour 1
M. Lingholm 1
M. Louise 1

[Maggi Young]

and the last.....

M. Marit 1
M. Mop Head 1
M. Mrs Jebb 1
M. P.C. Abildgaard 1
M. Slieve Donard 1
M. Stewart Annand 1
M. Susans Reward 1
M. Willie Duncan 1

[ichristie]

Meconopsis pages.  at last I intend to post text and pictures of what I am doing here at the nursery with the Meconopsis throught the year. I will do this when time permits with not only pictures of plants in the Meconopsis trials at Harlow Carr but other which were not included, I will also post information about other Meconopsis which we grow here.   

 First and important is we have had twice our annual rainfall up to now which is usually 25 to 30 inches plus we had the most severe gales at the end of May just when plants were almost fully out. About one third of our plants were smashed to bits hardly a leaf left so I have spent the last 6 weeks preparing new beds and moving the plants to an area which is sheltered by a tall hedge. I also have a large tunnell which is covered by a net from April onwards. (pictures below)
   
The plants which have been split up were planted in raised beds where I added some compost leaf mould and a little blood fish and bone. The pictures below show these beds and the plants which have been split I even put in the flower stems which was all that was left after the gales you will some have produced healthy side shoots others are dead.  When I divide the plants I chop 50% of the leaves down this helps to prevent scorch by the sun damage by Botrytis and downy mildew. We do have to water these young plants this can also case problems when very hot so we cover the young plants with netting.

Mec planting_resize.jpg
    Mec plants 3_resize.jpg
    M. Evelyn 1_resize.JPG
    M. Evelyn 2_resize.JPG
    M. flower spike runners work_resize.JPG
    M. plant remove leaves work_resize.JPG
    M. pots 2 work_resize.JPG
    M. pots work 1_resize.JPG
    M stock 1 work_resize.JPG
    M stock work_resize.JPG

[ichristie]

We have quite a bit of damage caused by Botrytis and Mildew this year probably due to the very wet season. I am posting some pictures showing both established plant and young divisions most of the young plants had the leaves chopped down other did not all are showing young side shoots will probably spray around them as the fungus will stay in the soil and cause problems next year. I'm also watching seed pods just now so post two pictures of an odd M. integrifolia hybrid watch this space to see if we get any viable seed, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

    Mec bot 1
    Mec bot 2
    Mec bot 3
    Mec bot 4
    Mec bot 6_
    Mec hybrid at Rons 2
    Mec hybrid at Rons 1

[ichristie]

Meconopsis seed pods, I am posting pictures of some different seed pods which are still green will post more to show seed once they are ready. I get asked the most questions about seed and it is probably the most difficult subject here I will show first the fertile seed pods from M. baileyi (betonicifolia) M. grandis  M. Lingholm, then I will show pods from M. Jimmy Bayne ( George Sherriff Group) and M. Slieve Donard. ( a hybrid between M. grandis and M. baileyi) the last two may look as if we will get seed but it is very unlikely that what is inside the pods will be viable. We reckon that M. Slieve Donard was where M. Lingholm arose and the plants go back to the 1960s at least maybe longer for some reason this  usually sterile plant set some seed even today it will occasionally set few seeds.  I find that the seed pods are very interesting as you will see most are hairy except the M. grandis which is smooth M.grandis can also have hairy seed pods.  I will also post a few pictures on the next page of a very unusual M. baileyi which was growing this year in a friends garden it has one or two side shoots so maybe will come up again next year?.  I forgot to say that all the details and facts about Meconopsis on these pages are my views only and I have no scientific evidence to support any of these views just half a lifetime growing plants.,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.

    M. baileyi pods 5
    M. grandis pods 1
    M. grandis pods 2
    M. Lingholm pods 1
    M. Lingholm pods 2
    M.J.B. pods 1
    M. Slieve pods 1_
    M. 'Evelyn' seed pod 1
    Mec seed 11

[jandals]

Hi Ian . Thanks for all the info . The seed pod pictures are very handy for me .
My sympathies re the weather damage . It's very demoralizing when the damage is done and even more demoralizing when you do the cleanup and remedial work . Here in Balcutha, Meconopsis betonicifoila are the most susceptible to wind damage . The flower stems snap two thirds of the way up but still continue to flower lying on the ground . Seed set is not good . This year I am going to place 50mm (2")plastic netting over the plants at 500mm (18") and see what happens . I will also leave plenty of offerings to Huey the Weather God and perhaps he will not repeat last years weather at flowering . It was hot , sunny , dry and windy . Perfect for visiting Scots and almost all Kiwis . There was a  party pooper in Balclutha who wanted the normal spring weather eg rain , snow etc .
Meconopsis grandis handled the weather very well and no flower stems were damaged . The seed pods all bald as in your pics
M.Lingholm had a few stems that developed a lean but again no damage .
Just finished weeding the mec beds and will add compost next week before they show their faces next month
Thanks again for taking the time to do pics and posts

[ichristie]

Hi Steve, great to hear from you and I hope you will add more pictures and information about your mecs across the pond.  I am posting today another picture of seed showing the good well formed seed and some poor seed at the edge of the picture this will not germinate. I will show more seed later of different mecs.  The seed I showed was from a Perennial form of M. punicea which has flowered here since 2005 it is very beautiful maybe not such a striking red as the other form and plants grow quite differently. The flower spike is between 60 to 70 cm high a bit gangly as the flowers are bigger than normal with some having up to 8 petals ( pictures below) I never hand pollinate the flowers, get good seed in most pods. All the seedlings I have raised and flowered are a similar colour, not all are perennial but once you have a plant or two it can be divided up. I will also post today pictures taken in a friends garden of a very unusual M. baileyi which has 2or 3 side shoots I live in hope it will come up the same next year.  cheers Ian the Christie kind

    M. punicea per 1
    Mec baileyi odd 1
    Mec baileyi odd 2
    Mec baileyi odd 4
    M. pun per 1
    M pun per 2