On Wed, 3 Mar 2004 09:14:14 +0000 (UTC), "Franz Heymann"
wrote:


"David Hill" wrote in message
...
Found these growing in the University botanic gardens in Malta last week.
Pics at alt.binaries.pictures.gardens under "Mystery climber from Malta".
Turns out Chiltern sell the seeds.

Lest anyone rushes out to buy the seeds:

It is listed and illustrated in the RHS encyclopedia. It has a lovely
flower, but the catch is that it keels over at less that 7 deg C. (7
*Above* freezing, not below) {:-((

Franz

I grew the seed from Chiltern a couple of years ago. Flowers the shape
and size of large Canterbury bells; mine were brownish orange. Stems
soft and herbaceous. I was intending to put them in the conservatory,
but I then changed my mind and stuck the pot on the step outside
(facing SE), and have completely ignored it since. It's more of a
scrambler than a climber, which is why I lost interest. Couldn't be
bothered with all that tying up!

Admittedly it's looking pretty sorry but so far it's withstood several
overnight frosts (the lowest down to -2C) and a fall of snow! It's
barely alive and all the top growth has gone, but alive it is, and has
a few green shoots at the base. I suspect it's been protected to some
degree by being close to the house wall.

Despite it's apparent survivability, I'd echo Franz's caveat, although
it might cope with a bit lower than 7C if the roots are well
protected.




--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net