On 2010-01-02 09:37:20 +0000, Stewart Robert Hinsley
said:

In message , Sacha writes
On 2010-01-01 17:39:25 +0000, Stewart Robert Hinsley
said:

In message , David WE Roberts
writes
"David WE Roberts" wrote in message
...

The last few days have all but wiped out any lingering flowers on the
geranuims. However there is one small one hanging on under some foliage
so I'm goint to count it :-)
http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...D%202010%20Flo
wer%20Count/DSC00339.jpg
Three different Hebes, all bluish flowers.
One of them
http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...D%202010%20Flo
wer%20Count/DSC00341.jpg
A yellow rose which is looking sorry for itself.
http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...D%202010%20Flo
wer%20Count/DSC00340.jpg
A 'weed' (flower in the wrong place) with yellow dandelion-style flowers.
http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...D%202010%20Flo
wer%20Count/DSC00338.jpg
Going down below freezing again.
I may take pity on the geraniums.
Malva 'Bicolor' and Malva 'Princesse de Lignes' (I'm not sure that
they are different); Abutilon megapotamicum and Abutilon 'Kentish
Belle'. Possibly a Hebe (I neglected to check).
I didn't see anything else while out walking this afternoon, except
for a single flower on a ragwort of some description (most likely
Senecio jacobaea).

Abutilon megapotanicum outdoors? Sorry, Stewart, I forget your
location. What kind of night time temps have you been getting?

-5C.

Abutilon megaopotamicum may be the hardiest of the Abutilons*, or at
least of those commonly grown. I'm not confident that the species will
survive this winter out of doors, even if there are still some flowers
on it - last winter they survived, but didn't grow away the following
summer. I keep Abutilons going from cuttings.

The stately home 3 miles away has Abutilon megapotamicum 'Variegatum'
growing against a south facing wall; it came through last winter
successfully. Microclimate seems to be important - a milder winter
would still see them off on the allotment site, but the amount of
shelter around the house is sufficient to make a difference. The
problem I find with growing them outdoors is that they are slow in
getting into growth in the spring.

I'm sure microclimate is important - certainly we find that here but we
wouldn't sell A.megapotanicum for outdoor cultivation, though of
course, anyone is welcome to try pushing the boundaries and some people
do so, with great success.

* I don't count Corynabutilon vitifolium, Corynabutilon x suntense and
the other Chilean species as Abutilons. For that matter, it's possible
that botanists will decide that Abutilon megapotamicum, Abutilon
darwinii, Abutilon striatum, Abutilon x hybridum, Abutilon x miilleri,
etc, aren't Abutilons either.

Abutilon suntense grows on the corner of our house and flowers
remarkably well and prolifically. It's always hugely admired and its
colour is gorgeous.

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