http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

"Sacha" wrote
http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]


Very impressive. Remind me, where did you say that was?

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

On 1/8/07 11:41, in article , "Bob Hobden"
wrote:


"Sacha" wrote
http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]


Very impressive. Remind me, where did you say that was?

Jersey, in a sheltered and sunny angle of the house. What I find
interesting about it is that most of the pelargoniums I've seen 'climbing'
have been the single flowered ones I associate with French gardens. This
one was just one that came into a planted basket given to my ex-mil about 15
years ago. She must have liked it enough to get the gardener to grow it on
and chance it outside!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Very nice Sacha - looks very much like 'La France'. It is vigorous
enough to do that and was very widely grown 15 - 20 years ago,
appearing in almost every hanging basket. 'Mexicana' (red and white
semi-double) and 'La Roulette' (crimson semi-double) are as vigorous
and I've grown both as 8ft. pillars in big planters outside.

On 1/8/07 22:30, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

Very nice Sacha - looks very much like 'La France'. It is vigorous
enough to do that and was very widely grown 15 - 20 years ago,
appearing in almost every hanging basket. 'Mexicana' (red and white
semi-double) and 'La Roulette' (crimson semi-double) are as vigorous
and I've grown both as 8ft. pillars in big planters outside.

David, that's wonderful and thank you so much. I can't find P. La France on
Google imaging so do you have a suggestion of a source for a photograph?
Would Fibrex have this, perhaps? The 'at least 15 years' comes from one of
the gardeners who started working there 15 years ago and found that
Pelargonium already established. It is *just* possible that if it's P La
France that is a sort of present-giving reference just a few years earlier
from my sil's French family to the Jersey based family.
Acquaintance of yours was in yesterday, Peter from way up north, with his
sister. Very nice people.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Sacha wrote:

... I can't find P. La France on
Google imaging so do you have a suggestion of a source for a photograph?

Unfortunately I don't have a pic and having just looked, there's one
on Fibrex's website though the colour is a bit 'off'. 'La France' is
an old variety that did the rounds for many years. I seem to remember
Hazel Key being quite fond of it, although it was rather too 'leggy'
as a young plant. If you could see a split cane sticking out of the
side of one of Fibrex's hanging baskets, you could guarantee 'La
France' or the bizarre 'Crocodile' was tied to it.

There was a fabulous old dear called Monica Bennett who raised
Pelargoniums near Cradley Heath in the Midlands. She had an
incredible nursery brimming with all manner of species and hybrids and
her passion for them was always inspiring. Her main interest was with
the 'zonals' and she raised some very fine, large flowered singles as
well as some notable dwarfs. I used to pop over for a chat and a
cuppa whenever I could and was often tempted to stock some of her
'specials' at my nursery. For reasons that escape me now, that never
happened. She once told me that if she were starting all over again
she might work with the ivy-leafs and use 'La France' as her starting
point. I couldn't disagree with her logic. Back in the 60's and early
70's it was one of the best and is still worth growing today.

Acquaintance of yours was in yesterday, Peter from way up north, with his
sister. Very nice people.

Peter of Salvia-collecting fame? I think his sister lives in
Ashburton or somewhere on that side of the A38 and I understand he
comes down several times a year. .

On 2/8/07 07:08, in article
, "Dave Poole"
wrote:

Sacha wrote:

... I can't find P. La France on
Google imaging so do you have a suggestion of a source for a photograph?

Unfortunately I don't have a pic and having just looked, there's one
on Fibrex's website though the colour is a bit 'off'. 'La France' is
an old variety that did the rounds for many years. I seem to remember
Hazel Key being quite fond of it, although it was rather too 'leggy'
as a young plant. If you could see a split cane sticking out of the
side of one of Fibrex's hanging baskets, you could guarantee 'La
France' or the bizarre 'Crocodile' was tied to it.

I don't know if it will produce results but I've sent the pics to Fibrex to
see if they can help ID it. It is indeed very like that but I'm not sure if
the streaking on 'La France' is quite the same. I had a look at Crocodile
and don't like that leave at all. It looks unhealthy!

There was a fabulous old dear called Monica Bennett who raised
Pelargoniums near Cradley Heath in the Midlands. She had an
incredible nursery brimming with all manner of species and hybrids and
her passion for them was always inspiring. Her main interest was with
the 'zonals' and she raised some very fine, large flowered singles as
well as some notable dwarfs. I used to pop over for a chat and a
cuppa whenever I could and was often tempted to stock some of her
'specials' at my nursery. For reasons that escape me now, that never
happened. She once told me that if she were starting all over again
she might work with the ivy-leafs and use 'La France' as her starting
point. I couldn't disagree with her logic. Back in the 60's and early
70's it was one of the best and is still worth growing today.

What a shame she isn't around now! Who has the National Collection, do you
know?

Acquaintance of yours was in yesterday, Peter from way up north, with his
sister. Very nice people.

Peter of Salvia-collecting fame? I think his sister lives in
Ashburton or somewhere on that side of the A38 and I understand he
comes down several times a year. .


That's right. I do admire his dedication - putting them all out in summer
and bringing them all back in for the winter!
BTW, don't remember if I asked you but are you growing Petrea volubilis in
your garden?
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Hi..

http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks, I really enjoyed the pics..!
--
cu
Marco, dreaming of a tiny cutting for the unheated
conservatory..

On 2/8/07 17:41, in article , "Marco
Schwarz" wrote:

Hi..

http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks, I really enjoyed the pics..!

Glad you liked them. We'll take some more cuttings next week when we're
over there, so you never know your luck...!
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:28:05 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 2/8/07 17:41, in article , "Marco
Schwarz" wrote:

Hi..

http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks, I really enjoyed the pics..!

Glad you liked them. We'll take some more cuttings next week when we're
over there, so you never know your luck...!

If you're going into productionto sell them for next year Sacha,
please put me on the list.

Pam in Bristol

On 2/8/07 21:55, in article , "Pam
Moore" wrote:

On Thu, 02 Aug 2007 20:28:05 +0100, Sacha
wrote:

On 2/8/07 17:41, in article , "Marco
Schwarz" wrote:

Hi..

http://i17.tinypic.com/66woz9l.jpg[/IMG]
http://i13.tinypic.com/67imc7m.jpg[/IMG]

Thanks, I really enjoyed the pics..!

Glad you liked them. We'll take some more cuttings next week when we're
over there, so you never know your luck...!

If you're going into productionto sell them for next year Sacha,
please put me on the list.

Pam in Bristol

I'll certainly let you know about them, Pam. But you do realise it's not
some kind of 'miracle' climber! It might 'do' and it might not. It's in
optimum conditions there but I must say that it's a lovely sight.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Sacha wrote:

On 2/8/07 21:55, in article , "Pam
Moore" wrote:

If you're going into productionto sell them for next year Sacha,
please put me on the list.

I'll certainly let you know about them, Pam. But you do realise it's not
some kind of 'miracle' climber! It might 'do' and it might not.

Pelargoniums have a reputation for not being too difficult to grow from
cuts. Some people say even the pruned bits regularly start growing
again. I guess you would know.


Greg

--

No ficus = no spam

On 2/8/07 23:54, in article ,
"Gregoire Kretz" wrote:

Sacha wrote:

On 2/8/07 21:55, in article , "Pam
Moore" wrote:

If you're going into productionto sell them for next year Sacha,
please put me on the list.

I'll certainly let you know about them, Pam. But you do realise it's not
some kind of 'miracle' climber! It might 'do' and it might not.

Pelargoniums have a reputation for not being too difficult to grow from
cuts. Some people say even the pruned bits regularly start growing
again. I guess you would know.

They're very easy to propagate, so I don't think this one will give much
trouble. Whether or not it will do its reaching for the skies thing under
all circumstances, is another matter!


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

Sacha wrote:

I don't know if it will produce results but I've sent the pics to Fibrex to
see if they can help ID it. It is indeed very like that but I'm not sure if
the streaking on 'La France' is quite the same. I had a look at Crocodile
and don't like that leave at all. It looks unhealthy!

Well, streaking always tends to be variable and can be almost none
existent to very pronounced. Of course you can occasionally find a
shoot that produces some very fine, well streaked flowers and cry
"Whoopee! Where's Peter from Genesis' number? I've got a winner!"
You take cuttings and next year ,,,, the flowers are back to normal :
(
If Hazel Key can id it differently, that's fine, but I'm almost
certain it must be 'la France' in view of overall habit etc. If the
others say different, I think I might stick to my guns

'Crocodile' takes some getting used to. It was a half-sensation when
it first became widely available well over 30 years ago, although it
had been quietly doing the rounds for a while before. A well-grown
plant in full sun with its golden veined leaves red-tinted by the
exposure can look quite special. But grow it indifferently and it
looks very ill indeed. It's a leggy plant and the single flowers are
of a shade of pink that doesn't go with the variegation at all well.

There was a fabulous old dear called Monica Bennett ,,,,,

What a shame she isn't around now! Who has the National Collection, do you
know?

Monica must have been in her 80's when I first met her during the
1970's, but although I got to know her well she was one of those
people that you would never asked of their age. She was tiny thing
with a dowager's stoop and great beehive of silvery hair that did
nothing to increase her overall height. She became a dear friend and
was one of the kindest, well-natured people you could hope to meet. I
could never get away without spending half a day at her nursery.
Which was fine, because it was such a refreshing change to spend a few
hours away from my place. I turned up unannounced one day to find
Central TV filming there. Now I was doing stuff for the Beeb at the
time, but what the heck we'd finished that year's series several
months before so I got 'roped in' as well.

I'll never forget that day. One of Central's presenters John Swallow
was doing the directing and links while regular TV garden guru Bob
Price was there to do the talking. I'd done a few bits for Central
and often popped into the studios so I knew John and Bob pretty well.
We were discussing the merits of one of Monica's new varieties and
about Pelargoniums in general, but Monica got a fit of the giggles and
in no time we were all in bits.

Apparently the peals of laughter, cackles and general hilarity
rattling through the greenhouses and around the nursery caused much
bemusement amongst the customers. We finished bleary eyed and with
aching sides. I remember watching the broadcast and anyone could see
that it was barely controlled, each one of us on the verge of a
complete giggle-breakdown. Nevertheless, it was a good piece about a
fine dark-leaved miniature - I think it was called 'Gemma Craven', but
that detail escapes me.

Monica always had a twinkle in her eye and could see a funny situation
arising well before it popped over the horizon. She was very well
known in the 'Black Country' writing prolifically in local newspapers
and was the original 'geranium' guru. Many of us beat a path to her
door on Christmas morning for a sip of sherry before buying flowers to
take to our families. Happy days.

BTW, don't remember if I asked you but are you growing Petrea volubilis in
your garden?

No you haven't, but funny you should mention it. There were huge
bushes of a rather odd form growing everywhere around Pafos when I was
there earlier. The flowers were a bit dull and small, but the fruits
were extremely showy - great clusters of golden 'berries' dripping
from the branches.

I bought quite a few back with the silly notion of introducing it
under the varietal name of 'David Beckham' (because of its 'golden
balls'!), but have not managed to persuade them to germinate. I'm
sure Petrea (or Petraea) is a goer for my garden and must give it a
try when I've finished ripping the place to bits and decided how to
put it all back together. Dare I admit that it incorporates a decked
pier (already built) with twinkling blue LED lights sunk into the
treads? ... Ooh dear and how passe!

Hi..

If you're going into productionto sell them
for next year Sacha, please put me on the list.

Please me, too.
--
cu
Marco