Ray has just brought me a large piece of mimosa. It's the little purple
leaf one, Acacia baileyana purpurea and admittedly it's from a greenhouse,
but it's a lovely promise of things to come.

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

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
Ray has just brought me a large piece of mimosa. It's the little purple
leaf one, Acacia baileyana purpurea and admittedly it's from a greenhouse,
but it's a lovely promise of things to come.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

Our neighbour has one that flowers outdoors in the summer. Orange flowers I
think or yellow. What sort would that be?

On 10/1/08 15:41, in article , "Robert
(Plymouth)" remove my other hobby to
reply wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
Ray has just brought me a large piece of mimosa. It's the little purple
leaf one, Acacia baileyana purpurea and admittedly it's from a greenhouse,
but it's a lovely promise of things to come.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

Our neighbour has one that flowers outdoors in the summer. Orange flowers I
think or yellow. What sort would that be?


The most usual one is Acacia dealbata but that flowers early. You'd need to
describe the leaves but it could be A.retinoides. A. verticillata is
possible but that's more tender and we keep ours in a cool greenhouse. It's
also extremely unfriendly and very prickly but as it's more of a spring
flowering plant, it's unlikely to be that one.
One thing to be aware of is that some people called Albizia julibrissin
'mimosa' but that's more in USA than here, I think. It has pink flowers in
a sort of fluffy fan shape.


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

"Sacha" wrote...

The most usual one is Acacia dealbata but that flowers early. You'd need
to
describe the leaves but it could be A.retinoides. A. verticillata is
possible but that's more tender and we keep ours in a cool greenhouse.
It's
also extremely unfriendly and very prickly but as it's more of a spring
flowering plant, it's unlikely to be that one.
One thing to be aware of is that some people called Albizia julibrissin
'mimosa' but that's more in USA than here, I think. It has pink flowers
in
a sort of fluffy fan shape.

I've noticed the few Acacia dealbata around here are showing signs of colour
so they should be fully in flower soon. I'll see if I can get a good shot of
the large one up on St.Anns Hill and post it somewhere.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 10/1/08 16:11, in article , "Bob
Hobden" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote...

The most usual one is Acacia dealbata but that flowers early. You'd need
to
describe the leaves but it could be A.retinoides. A. verticillata is
possible but that's more tender and we keep ours in a cool greenhouse.
It's
also extremely unfriendly and very prickly but as it's more of a spring
flowering plant, it's unlikely to be that one.
One thing to be aware of is that some people called Albizia julibrissin
'mimosa' but that's more in USA than here, I think. It has pink flowers
in
a sort of fluffy fan shape.

I've noticed the few Acacia dealbata around here are showing signs of colour
so they should be fully in flower soon. I'll see if I can get a good shot of
the large one up on St.Anns Hill and post it somewhere.

There's a huge one in a sheltered garden bordering the car park in
Ashburton. When I looked at it this morning I remember thinking "that's
going to break any day now". It's the most fabulous sight when it's in
bloom.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove weeds from address)
'We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our
children.'

A week or so ago, I noticed that the very large dealbata at Hollacombe
on the road to Paignton is colouring up very well with the first
flower clusters already open. It is probably the largest in Torbay
with a 20 - 30ft. spread and similar height. When that starts it's
truly magnificent. A very tall (well over 30ft.) tree in a car park
between Torquay and Babbacombe is also looking good, but it has to
compete with nearby trees so the spread isn't quite so impressive.

There's the plain green-leaved form of Acacia baileyana that has been
in full flower for a few weeks in Torwood gardens just above the
harbour side on the road to Babbacombe. Although it is relatively
small, it's a very welcome blaze of brilliant yellow on grey rainy
days. Acacia baileyana is possibly a tad less hardy than a. dealbata,
but makes up for that by being a neater, less massive grower and
providing a brilliant splash of colour in mid-winter in mid winter
irrespective of the weather. 'Purpurea' is especially good with its
new growth overlaid dusky purple and it is supposedly hardier.

Acacia retinodes makes a fine small to medium sized tree, which is not
accredited with a great deal of winter hardiness, but I grew it in my
Midlands garden in the 1970's when winters were 'proper' if you get my
meaning. It can flower on an off throughout much of the year, but
puts on its best show in summer. The foliage of the adult plant is
willowy creating a rather elegant outline and it responds well to a
degree of corrective pruning where space becomes limited.