I have an east facing corner at the junction of two tall hedges, which
run SE and NE respectively. The hedges are at present leylandii, but
are slowly being replaced by undergrowing with Olearia traversii. The
leylandii will be gone in a couple of years.

The corner is sheltered from our SW salt gales, but because it's in a
rain shadow and because of the leylandii, it gets dry in summer. When
the leylandii have gone, the soil may not be so dry as I don't think
the O. traversii are so thirsty. It gets sun in the mornings until
about 11am in the summer, but not much in the winter. The soil is acid
loam, well draining, and minimum temperatures are about -3C. Location:
west Cornwall.

I'm looking for suggestions for medium to tall flowering shrubs (say
in the range 1 - 3 metres high), preferably evergreen, preferably with
coloured flowers, preferably a bit exotic to take advantage of the
mild climate.

Any suggestions?


--
Chris

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

The message
from Chris Hogg contains these words:

I have an east facing corner at the junction of two tall hedges, which
run SE and NE respectively. The hedges are at present leylandii, but
are slowly being replaced by undergrowing with Olearia traversii. The
leylandii will be gone in a couple of years.

The corner is sheltered from our SW salt gales, but because it's in a
rain shadow and because of the leylandii, it gets dry in summer. When
the leylandii have gone, the soil may not be so dry as I don't think
the O. traversii are so thirsty. It gets sun in the mornings until
about 11am in the summer, but not much in the winter. The soil is acid
loam, well draining, and minimum temperatures are about -3C. Location:
west Cornwall.

I'm looking for suggestions for medium to tall flowering shrubs (say
in the range 1 - 3 metres high), preferably evergreen, preferably with
coloured flowers, preferably a bit exotic to take advantage of the
mild climate.

Any suggestions?

Many New Zealand , South African and Meditteranean plats will
tolerate a place where olearia grows and I've found them surprisingly
tolerant of lack of winter sun (in our back garden). I'm aiming at
plants of a similar height (partly because of coastal wind exposure, but
also because we have an unobstructed view to die for). Good survivors
include ceanothus, phormiums, (any) leucospermum (any) pittospermum
(any), fatsia japonica, hydrangea, miscanthus, ozothamnus
rosemarinifolia, corokia virgata, grevillia, sambucus "Black lace",
fennel, rosemary, euryops, bay, hebes, cordylines, euphorbia, fuchsia,
double-flowered gorse (I adore this longflowering scented non-seeding
clippable plant and can't recommend it highly enough) broom ,buddleia.
Then there's the fabulous tall clumping bulbs and rhizomes; crocosmia,
watsonia, nerines, schizostylis, irises.

Janet. (Isle of Arran west Scotland).

"Chris Hogg" wrote in message
...
I have an east facing corner at the junction of two tall hedges, which
run SE and NE respectively. The hedges are at present leylandii, but
are slowly being replaced by undergrowing with Olearia traversii. The
leylandii will be gone in a couple of years.

The corner is sheltered from our SW salt gales, but because it's in a
rain shadow and because of the leylandii, it gets dry in summer. When
the leylandii have gone, the soil may not be so dry as I don't think
the O. traversii are so thirsty. It gets sun in the mornings until
about 11am in the summer, but not much in the winter. The soil is acid
loam, well draining, and minimum temperatures are about -3C. Location:
west Cornwall.

I'm looking for suggestions for medium to tall flowering shrubs (say
in the range 1 - 3 metres high), preferably evergreen, preferably with
coloured flowers, preferably a bit exotic to take advantage of the
mild climate.

Any suggestions?


--
Chris

How about one of the Isoplexis, I. sceptrum would be my first choice as its
spectacular and won't mind the low light levels in winter, but I.
canariensis flowers for a very long time. A plant we have found very wind
tolerant this year has been Fuchsia boliviana (surprising really given the
leaf size) it has not enjoyed the sharp frosts of 27/28th dec and is
presently rather less than evergreen!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collection of Clematis viticella (cvs)

On 9/1/06 18:03, in article ,
"Chris Hogg" wrote:

I have an east facing corner at the junction of two tall hedges, which
run SE and NE respectively. The hedges are at present leylandii, but
are slowly being replaced by undergrowing with Olearia traversii. The
leylandii will be gone in a couple of years.

The corner is sheltered from our SW salt gales, but because it's in a
rain shadow and because of the leylandii, it gets dry in summer. When
the leylandii have gone, the soil may not be so dry as I don't think
the O. traversii are so thirsty. It gets sun in the mornings until
about 11am in the summer, but not much in the winter. The soil is acid
loam, well draining, and minimum temperatures are about -3C. Location:
west Cornwall.

I'm looking for suggestions for medium to tall flowering shrubs (say
in the range 1 - 3 metres high), preferably evergreen, preferably with
coloured flowers, preferably a bit exotic to take advantage of the
mild climate.

Any suggestions?

Janet has given you lots of idea and I recommend also that you take a day
trip to the Abbey gardens in Tresco, if you haven't done so already.

--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)

On Mon, 9 Jan 2006 19:40:32 GMT, Janet Baraclough
wrote:

Many New Zealand , South African and Meditteranean plats will
tolerate a place where olearia grows and I've found them surprisingly
tolerant of lack of winter sun (in our back garden). I'm aiming at
plants of a similar height (partly because of coastal wind exposure, but
also because we have an unobstructed view to die for).

A well sheltered garden and a good sea view aren't usually compatible,
sadly. Our garden is long, running SE, with the bungalow at one end,
facing SW and the sea. We have marvellous views from the bungalow (120
degrees of sea and coastline), but it also allows us to shelter the
lower part of the garden without obscuring that view.

Good survivors
include ceanothus, phormiums, (any) leucospermum (any) pittospermum
(any), fatsia japonica, hydrangea, miscanthus, ozothamnus
rosemarinifolia, corokia virgata, grevillia, sambucus "Black lace",
fennel, rosemary, euryops, bay, hebes, cordylines, euphorbia, fuchsia,
double-flowered gorse (I adore this longflowering scented non-seeding
clippable plant and can't recommend it highly enough) broom ,buddleia.
Then there's the fabulous tall clumping bulbs and rhizomes; crocosmia,
watsonia, nerines, schizostylis, irises.

I have many of these, as you might expect (Trevena Cross nurseries are
just up the road!). I'm very pleased to hear that many will cope
without winter sun. But you've given me a few that I hadn't thought
of, which was what I was hoping for. Many thanks.


--
Chris

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

Chris Hogg wrote:

I have many of these, as you might expect (Trevena Cross nurseries are
just up the road!). I'm very pleased to hear that many will cope
without winter sun. But you've given me a few that I hadn't thought
of, which was what I was hoping for. Many thanks.

I was on the Trevena Cross website yesterday!! I've been successful
with 3 Proteas seeds (outta 8) and they seem to know what they're
talking about. Which make me think about the possibility of growing
Proteas where you both are! Are you?! I'm just about to transplant mine
now but they will off course stay in my veranda as it is far too humid
and damp where I am. I'm so worried I get it wrong ... but it's very
exciting )

On 11 Jan 2006 02:52:47 -0800, "La Puce" wrote:


Chris Hogg wrote:

I have many of these, as you might expect (Trevena Cross nurseries are
just up the road!). I'm very pleased to hear that many will cope
without winter sun. But you've given me a few that I hadn't thought
of, which was what I was hoping for. Many thanks.

I was on the Trevena Cross website yesterday!! I've been successful
with 3 Proteas seeds (outta 8) and they seem to know what they're
talking about. Which make me think about the possibility of growing
Proteas where you both are! Are you?! I'm just about to transplant mine
now but they will off course stay in my veranda as it is far too humid
and damp where I am. I'm so worried I get it wrong ... but it's very
exciting )

Congratulations on getting them to germinate. I have a flower bed with
15 protacea (proteas, leucadendrons and leucospermums), about half of
them grown from seed. Planted it out last summer. Each plant had about
100kg of grit and the best part of a bale of peat dug into its
planting hole before they were planted, to ensure good drainage. Some
of the proteas are looking a little sad after the frosts over the
Christmas holiday (-2C), although surprisingly they're the ones
supposed to be more hardy. I hope they'll recover. If not, I'll try
others.

I prefer the proteas and leucospermums for their flowers, but the
leucadendrons seem to be a little hardier. TVX nurseries didn't have
any leucospermums until recently, and I had great difficulty
germinating them. Many complete failures. Do you know about smoke
treatment for assisting germination? I use it, but I find that often
it doesn't help. The pots remain stubbornly empty :-(

Where do you get your seed? I used to get mine from the South African
botanical society, but they've stopped sending free seed to overseas
members. In the UK, Chiltern do some, and there are several commercial
suppliers in SA that I might try e.g Silverhill Seeds.

When you pot them up, use a very free draining compost. I use a mix of
equal parts acid soil, peat, perlite, washed quartz grit-sand and well
rotted pine needles, with a generous helping of horticultural
charcoal. Avoid fertiliser, especially phosphates.

They do like plenty of fresh air, preferably a breeze most of the
time. Mine are prone to getting a black leaf fungus that starts at the
leaf tips and works back to the stem. It will kill the whole plant if
not treated. I found the hard way that the only effective remedy is
Mancozeb, available to gardeners as Dithane 945 in the UK and commonly
used for potato and tomato blight.


--
Chris

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

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:56:43 -0000, "Charlie Pridham"
wrote:



How about one of the Isoplexis, I. sceptrum would be my first choice as its
spectacular and won't mind the low light levels in winter, but I.
canariensis flowers for a very long time. A plant we have found very wind
tolerant this year has been Fuchsia boliviana (surprising really given the
leaf size) it has not enjoyed the sharp frosts of 27/28th dec and is
presently rather less than evergreen!

Thanks Charlie. I'd thought about Isoplexis, but wasn't sure it would
like the dryness in summer. I germinated some I. Isabelliana seeds
from Chiltern last year. Came up like M&C, and promptly all damped off
before I could save them :-( Rather smaller than the other two types.

I don't know F. boliviana; I'll look it up.


--
Chris

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

Chris Hogg wrote:
Congratulations on getting them to germinate.

Thank you. I took care of them as if they were my children.

I have a flower bed with
15 protacea (proteas, leucadendrons and leucospermums)

How truly wonderful.

(snip)

I prefer the proteas and leucospermums for their flowers, but the
leucadendrons seem to be a little hardier. T

(snip)

I haven't got a clue what they are but have long thin hairy leaves
which make me think I have maybe a leucadendron of some sort. I only
which it was the argenteum )

Do you know about smoke
treatment for assisting germination? I use it, but I find that often
it doesn't help. The pots remain stubbornly empty :-(

No. Never tried. I have a perfect veranda as a greehouse.

Where do you get your seed?

From the depth of my friend's pocket, fluff included. She returned from
South Africa and said 'here, look what I've got for you'. She simply
collected a few hairy seeds.

Come to think of it, perhaps you could help me finding out what I have.
The seeds were minute, round, brown and firm. They were surrounded in a
fine tangled white/grey hair to which the seed was attached. I planted
a bit of the hair with the seed.

When you pot them up, use a very free draining compost. I use a mix of
equal parts acid soil, peat, perlite, washed quartz grit-sand and well
rotted pine needles, with a generous helping of horticultural
charcoal. Avoid fertiliser, especially phosphates.

Yes. Will do. What pot do you use? Plastic or terracota?

They do like plenty of fresh air, preferably a breeze most of the
time. Mine are prone to getting a black leaf fungus that starts at the
leaf tips and works back to the stem. It will kill the whole plant if
not treated. I found the hard way that the only effective remedy is
Mancozeb, available to gardeners as Dithane 945 in the UK and commonly
used for potato and tomato blight.

Chris, thank you very much. I will however try not to use chemicals.
The black fungus, is it because of damp do you think?

On 12 Jan 2006 05:25:32 -0800, "La Puce" wrote:


Chris Hogg wrote:
Congratulations on getting them to germinate.

Thank you. I took care of them as if they were my children.

I have a flower bed with
15 protacea (proteas, leucadendrons and leucospermums)

How truly wonderful.

They've not come through their first winter yet. I may not have any by
April.

(snip)

I prefer the proteas and leucospermums for their flowers, but the
leucadendrons seem to be a little hardier. T

(snip)

I haven't got a clue what they are but have long thin hairy leaves
which make me think I have maybe a leucadendron of some sort. I only
which it was the argenteum )

Do you know about smoke
treatment for assisting germination? I use it, but I find that often
it doesn't help. The pots remain stubbornly empty :-(

No. Never tried. I have a perfect veranda as a greehouse.

Google with smoke germination seed in the search box if you're
interested. The germination of dozens of South African and Australian
plants can be enhanced by this treatment. I used to keep bees years
ago, and still have my smoker. Trays sown with seed are put into a
small makeshift tunnel made from a few concrete blocks and a couple of
pieces of slate, and smoke pumped in for about thirty minutes.

Where do you get your seed?

From the depth of my friend's pocket, fluff included. She returned from
South Africa and said 'here, look what I've got for you'. She simply
collected a few hairy seeds.

Come to think of it, perhaps you could help me finding out what I have.
The seeds were minute, round, brown and firm. They were surrounded in a
fine tangled white/grey hair to which the seed was attached. I planted
a bit of the hair with the seed.

I'm no expert on Protaceae seed, and a lot of them are very similar.
Many proteas have hairy seed, while for leucospermums, smooth hard
seeds like tiny nuts are more common. Leucodendrons can be either
hairy or smooth. Don't forget that there are some sixteen genera of
protaceae in SA, not just those three!

When you pot them up, use a very free draining compost. I use a mix of
equal parts acid soil, peat, perlite, washed quartz grit-sand and well
rotted pine needles, with a generous helping of horticultural
charcoal. Avoid fertiliser, especially phosphates.

Yes. Will do. What pot do you use? Plastic or terracota?

Plastic, but it's not critical IMO. Terracotta might allow the roots
to breathe a little more, I suppose.

They do like plenty of fresh air, preferably a breeze most of the
time. Mine are prone to getting a black leaf fungus that starts at the
leaf tips and works back to the stem. It will kill the whole plant if
not treated. I found the hard way that the only effective remedy is
Mancozeb, available to gardeners as Dithane 945 in the UK and commonly
used for potato and tomato blight.

Chris, thank you very much. I will however try not to use chemicals.
The black fungus, is it because of damp do you think?

I really don't know, but quite possibly. They get it whether in pots
in a greenhouse with windows, door and roof vents always open (a bit
like your veranda I guess), or planted out in the ground. But the
humidity in Cornwall is always fairly high.


--
Chris

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