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MabelJane
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« Reply #195 on: 00:06:05, 13-06-2008 » |
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The late great Graham Stuart-Thomas is very good on geraniums, as well as alost everything else in the ornamental garden and I'd recommend his 'Perennial Garden Plants' to anyone wanting a well informed and very discerning guide on these plants. He's first rate on roses too as well as much else.
This has reminded me of my collection of books by Margery Fish, one of my favourite gardening authors. I've just found an old R4 WH programme about her still available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/04/2007_37_mon.shtmlMentions how she made geraniums popular. I love them. |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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John W
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« Reply #196 on: 17:06:23, 16-06-2008 » |
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Flicking through my book on British Wild Flowers I have just identified the mystery yellow flower in my garden that I posted quite a few postings ago. It's Cypress Spurge. The flowers were yellow a couple of weeks ago, turning pink/red now  and at last the real Philadelphus has flowered, and yes it has a slight orangy fragrance,  |
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Morticia
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« Reply #197 on: 17:42:39, 16-06-2008 » |
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Enjoy that Philadelpus while you can John. No sooner are they up and smelling gorgeous, then they're gone till next year. Well, that's how it seems to me  Today I bought a couple of trailing Portulaca. I've never seen the trailing kind before so I grabbed them. When I got home I saw that a stem had broken off in transit  Would I stand a chance in trying to get it to root, or should it go in the compost bin? The stem is about 6 inches and there's some tiny new growth at the base of the leaves. |
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thompson1780
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« Reply #198 on: 17:49:29, 16-06-2008 » |
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Always worth giving it a go, mort. If it goes on the compost you have no plant for your money. If you try to get it to root, you have a chance of getting a plant.
Tommo
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Made by Thompson & son, at the Violin & c. the West end of St. Paul's Churchyard, LONDON
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Morticia
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« Reply #199 on: 17:52:22, 16-06-2008 » |
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Now why didn't I buy rooting powder today when I was buying the plants? Sigh  . I'll give it a whirl Tommo  |
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John W
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« Reply #200 on: 18:05:35, 16-06-2008 » |
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Mort, When I used to grow shrubs from cuttings I always got best results with slightly 'woody' cuttings rather than new ones, but gardening guides will say that new growth cuttings work. Cuttings should not have flowers on them. If your broken piece is slightly woody and has new growth it might be OK, and you might be able to make it into several cuttings which is a good idea as statistically about half the cuttings won't grow. This sort of size is best:  I use a rooting powder and small pots with little plastic bags held with rubber bands. This BBC page might be useful. Good luck! John W |
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Morticia
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« Reply #201 on: 18:13:38, 16-06-2008 » |
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Thanks John. It's not particularly woody but I have have good results in the past with the pot and plastic bag method with African Violet leaves. Fingers crossed  |
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John W
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« Reply #202 on: 18:22:46, 16-06-2008 » |
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Mort, Well maybe the term is 'semi-ripe', anyway I've scanned the section from Dr Hessayon's book here. Instead of poly bags you can do this under glass but I liked the polybags and little pots.  |
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MabelJane
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« Reply #203 on: 19:22:08, 16-06-2008 » |
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Now why didn't I buy rooting powder today when I was buying the plants? Sigh . I'll give it a whirl Tommo I seem to recall that some research into whether or not rooting powder gives better results concluded that it doesn't really make a difference. (Mentioned on GQT I think.) It's probably the TLC that does it. And crossed fingers. |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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Morticia
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« Reply #204 on: 19:30:24, 16-06-2008 » |
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It's going to have to be a stem-tip cutting and, if I can't get the rooting powder, lashings of TLC  Thanks JW and MJ. |
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thompson1780
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« Reply #205 on: 21:08:14, 17-06-2008 » |
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Please could I have some help? Does anyone know what these white flowers are? (taken about 5 weeks ago):  and these blue flowers? (photographed a few days ago):  And whilst we're here, here are some photos of my Yucca:    |
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Made by Thompson & son, at the Violin & c. the West end of St. Paul's Churchyard, LONDON
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John W
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« Reply #206 on: 22:43:02, 17-06-2008 » |
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Please could I have some help? Does anyone know what these white flowers are? (taken about 5 weeks ago): Those look like Hostas tommo |
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MabelJane
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« Reply #207 on: 20:31:25, 18-06-2008 » |
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They don't look much like tubular Hosta flowers to me, John... more like delphiniums, but they haven't got the right leaves, and anyway I''m sure Tommo would know if he had delphiniums growing in his garden.  These ones remind me of Canterbury Bells, in the Campanula family, but most have curlier bells. However, these:  are similar but the photographer just labels them Blue Bell Flowers! |
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Merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative.
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John W
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« Reply #208 on: 20:56:44, 18-06-2008 » |
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They don't look much like tubular Hosta flowers to me, John... more like delphiniums, but they haven't got the right leaves, and anyway I''m sure Tommo would know if he had delphiniums growing in his garden. Yes I agree MJ. It was the leaves that made me say Hostas. My Hostas are beginning to flower this week, they are certainly a bit stragglier than Delphinium which I don't think I've ever had in my garden. John W |
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thompson1780
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« Reply #209 on: 10:30:02, 19-06-2008 » |
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MJ (why do I always think I am Spiderman when I write that?)
Canterbury Bells - yes! Thank you. I don't know how they got there. Might have had some remnant of a plant hidden in someone's plant gift, or seeds, or ... anyone's guess.
The other thing isn't a hosta (I think). I have plenty of hostas and this one a) has leaves which are far too small and too overlapped, and b) has flower stems which are far too numerous in flower heads for a hosta. Also not the right shaped leaf for a delphi.
But, it could be a hosta if anyone knows of a variety with leaves which are only about 3 or 4 inches long, and with lots of flowers per stem.
I do have a sneaky thought. I found this plant hidden somewhere else in the garden last autumn and wondered what it was, so planted it in this more open spot. I cannot remember where I found it, but there is just a possibility I nabbed it from the dark area under the Fatsia which was overrun by the houtitynnias (sp?). At one stage, I did have a hosta there......
Thanks
Tommo
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