Wisley Alpine Log Feedback

[tonyg]

What a fantastic display of Crocus nudiflorus - has anyone seen it in the wild?  I imagine that is as good a display as the wild plants make .... now I just need to find a bigger garden and ...   
The nototriche is verty crocus-like as you say.  How does it rate in terms of difficulty of cultivation?  Do you get seed from your plants?
Thanks for sharing the news and views from Wisley with us Paul.  Even some of us southerners rarely get there so it is much appreciated.

[Paul Cumbleton]

Thanks to everyone for the supportive and appreciative comments, I'm glad you are enjoying the log. Tony asked about cultivation for the Nototriche. As yet I have little experience as we have only had these plants less than a year. We got seed which we sowed as soon as it arrived in April. It germinated readily and has produced flowers in its first year, about 6 months from sowing. I potted half the plants in our standard alpine mix and half in pure Seramis to see what worked best. Both have grown equally well, though the ones in Seramis have been the first to flower. I have watered them "normally" i.e. like any average alpine and had them under glass with full light. The ones in Seramis were fed at every watering with a low nitrogen, high potash feed.

No seed yet but this is due to the fading flowers being removed - not what I had asked for! But these plants are out in the public dispaly house where fading flowers are removed regularly to keep plants looking good and its obvious my instructions not to remove these particular ones didn't filter down to everyone. These things unfortunately happen sometimes in a busy department! We also have Nototriche compacta and this has readily set seed, so I'm hopeful that N. macleanii will too.

[mark smyth]

all the Wisley logs have been great. Makes me want to visit even more now. I was at Wisley once for the Geranium trials but it left no time for anything else

[Casalima]

all the Wisley logs have been great. Makes me want to visit even more now. I was at Wisley once for the Geranium trials but it left no time for anything else

What Mark said!!

And my plans are to go there next Friday! I am very much looking forward to it!

Chloë

[gote]

Yes I have seen C nudiflorus in the wild. On horse pastures in the Pyrenees on the south side On the road that goes from Vic north to the mountains and then to Andorra. They were lighter in colour and definitely not so thick.

Did I say something on blanket weed? (in an earlier Wisley log someone was fishing) Lymnea stagnalis a fresh water snail will keep it down.

Göte

[Casalima]

I'm happy to say that the new Alpine House in Wisley was looking quite wonderful today. The Cyclamen in particular were perfectly splendid, but I also enjoyed the Polyxena and the Petrocosmea.

Chloë

[Maggi Young]

Glad to hear you are having a good rootle around, Chloë.... Wisley and Kew, eh? Enjoy your trip.. we'll enjoy learning where you've been!

[Darren]

Paul,
         I'm really enjoying the log. Great to see the Massonia and Daubenya. Time these, and polyxena, got some more publicity. Some years ago you kindly advised me on cleaning up my Pleione collection from a suspected Brevipalpus infestation and I'm delighted to report that your advice was spot on!

Darren.

[Maggi Young]

Another great Log from Paul online now. http://www.srgc.org.uk/wisley/2008/020208/log.html
 Wonderful Iris... and Hepatica nobilis var. japonica - yellow flowered form--- oh, covet, covet!!
And, last but not least, many congratulations to Lucie on her award. 

[mark smyth]

Two things I want - the yellow Hepatica and the Ranunculus ficaria

[mark smyth]

I believe Galanthus 'Kite' is wrong. 'Kite' is an elwesii that should have twin flowers

[David Nicholson]

Just caught up with the last two Wisley Logs both of the usual high standard. Sincere thanks to Paul for taking the time and the trouble to prepare them in what must be a very busy schedule for him. It's an absolute joy for me to see good plants, well grown in first class facilities. Makes my amateur ramblings and shamblings look what they very much are.

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the comment on G. 'Kite'. I am no Snowdrop expert and I just took the name on the label. Unfortunately in a public garden labels have a habit of being moved by the visitors and put back in the wrong place and I guess that is what hapeened here.

The Ranunculus should be available from some nurseries as Trevor supllied it for propagation and introduction to a few of them. As for the yellow Hepatica...a trip to Japan would be necessary!
Paul

[Maggi Young]

As for the yellow Hepatica...a trip to Japan would be necessary

It would be worth it, though... think of all the other plants we could get there...... OOOHH!!

[Diane Clement]

As for the yellow Hepatica...a trip to Japan would be necessary!

And a very large purse containing many many yen ...