new bedding plants

[johnw]

Is it common for Osteospermum flowers to shrink in size in late July onwards?  We planted a few tubs with the Symphony series and they were glorious until ythe end of July. Suddenly they stretch and the flowers are tiny.  Dark days and too much rain in August, they did get liquid feed though.  Someone said when the cool weather returns (what ever that means after our record cool summer) the flowers would increase in size.

johnw 

[mark smyth]

  I havent seen Bicton Orange for sale in years. I'm sooo jealous

It's supposed to be very hardy

[meanie]

I havent seen Bicton Orange for sale in years. I'm sooo jealous

It's supposed to be very hardy

Really?
I could lift it in a month or so and fire it over to you if you want...........

[mark smyth]

Thanks but a cutting would do nicely

[meanie]

Thanks but a cutting would do nicely

Your call Mark - they're in a hanging basket so I would expect their prospects are limited........
The basket has to go in the shed for the winter to make way for the large "coldframe" that I've made for that wall for winter protection of the plants that are dear to me.

[Lesley Cox]

I really love black flowers. There are so few true blacks Meanie's pansy seems to be one as are the Viola 'Molly Sanderson' and the NZ raised 'All Black,' the same as MS but not fertile.

[mark smyth]

Last year I bought a packet of Suttons marigold seeds called Bo Jangle. The packet promised "a dazzling display of colour combinations". The packet shows doubles, very double and nicely striped flowers

What a disappointment. All the flowers were yellow with varying amounts of chocolate/red

This year I decided to give them another try. I simply broadcast the seeds where I wanted them to grow - among my Dactylorhiza and Colchicums.

They are just beginning to flower. They plants are tall, well branched but again the flowers are very  poor compared to what the packet shows. Only one plant, so far, looks like those on the packet.

[Ezeiza]

Does this EVER happen?

[mark smyth]

The rest look like this

[meanie]

Don't get me started on this!
One of my other pet hates is any seed packet that has the word "mixed" in it.........

[mark smyth]

A well known seed company asked me for all surplus Pelargonium seeds to make a mixed seed packet. I told them I had mostly two species and small numbers of others. They said that will do. I turned them down

[Maggi Young]

Don't get me started on this!
One of my other pet hates is any seed packet that has the word "mixed" in it.........

Funnily enough, Ian has written in this week's Bulb Log , page 8 of Log 35, online today, of his liking for packets of mixed crocus seed from the Seed Exchange!
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2011Aug311314793821BULB_LOG__3511.pdf

[meanie]

The word mixed is not for me...........

Mark, I'm not sure if you listened to Saving Species in radio 4 yesterday, but I've included the link below. Interesting piece about Swifts.............

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b013q20h/Saving_Species_Series_2_Episode_15/

[mark smyth]

Thanks but I had several emails about it already

[fermi de Sousa]

Hi Mark,
trying Googling: Marigold, by Fermi De Sousa
I didn't post the pic but I did distribute seed of this one many years ago!
cheers
fermi