On 2009-11-29 16:47:57 +0000, "Spider" said:

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
Days and days of it with a few clear spells in between, are making it hard
to get planting a newly dug out and turned over flower bed. It's becoming
very boring to see this dire weather all the time and last night, we had
yet another horrible gale that went on for hours. However, I've been
told that the choice of what goes into this bed is mine entirely (I'll
believe that when I see it!) and so I'm able to enjoy a bit of
dream-gardening, at least. So far, I'm thinking of Dahlia Engelhardt's
Matador, Thalicturm delavayi Hewitt's Double (lots), Nepeta, Phlox White
Admiral, Iris chrysographes, Nerines,
Dianthus Old Mother Hubbard, Diascia personata, Salvia involucrata and as
Ray says when I list that lot to him - a rather bigger border altogether!
;-) As an experiment - because it might not live - I'd like to try
Thunbergia gregorii up the wall. It goes mad at Coleton Fishacre but
they're so close to the sea that it suffers little in winter. And because
it will be outside bedroom windows and the office window, I'd also like to
try a couple of Lonicera for height and scent. As I say - one can but
dream!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon


Mmm .. it's chucking down gallons of 'stair rod' rain here, too. I'm glad I
live on the uphill side of our road :~).

Congratulations on getting an entire border to yourself! Your planting
recipe sounds very pretty, except I can't find an image for Dianthus 'Old
Mother Hubbard' - not even on your website! You couldn't very well leave it
out of a personal planting though, could you?!

It's one Ray bred here and you've reminded me to put it on the site!
Dianthus seem to have fallen out of favour but I love them. We also
have one that never went into commercial production, called Green
Lanes, bred by Cecil Wyatt who gave it to Ray. It wasn't successful
commercially because it has rather short stems but it's pure white and
with a scent that knocks your head off - wonderful plant. It's the
ideal buttonhole but I don't think anyone else sells it because it
wasn't considered a commercial plant.

The Thunbergia is, well, bright! :~). I've often fancied growing one in my
hot border, but didn't want the trouble of growing it from seed every year.
Is 'yours' perennial, or do you intend growing from seed each year? Oh, and
while I'm asking, how does it climb/cling? Will it grip your wall, or will
you need to tie it in, or just point it in the right direction?

Spider

It's very bright indeed, though there's also the T. alata Lemon Queen
which might be a bit gentler on the eye! I like to get something
that's a bit of a shock in if possible and it should nicely 'catch' the
colour of the Crocosmia Krakatoa. It twines itself up and around
things and at Coleton has reached the chimney. If we do put it in, it
will be to try it as a perennial, though I'm not over-confident but all
these things are worth a try and we have to experiment here, so as to
be able to tell customers what we find things do in a fairly average SW
garden!

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon