On 23/10/08 16:19, in article ,
" wrote:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:

Ours seem to do okay, though of course, they're in very large greenhouses
and well-ventilated. The Thunbergia (which is planted) is out through the
roof and the Araujia, which is in a large pot flowers its socks off.

Yes. The point here is that the airflow in large greenhouses is
vastly better than that in small, pro rata.

Our conservatory does better, but we put a LOT of effort into its
ventilation (blowing the minds of the conservatory people and
builders). I looked at both Cambridge botanic garden and Kew to
see what the Victorians did about the problem :-)

And what did you come up with? Here, in very hot weather, Matthew sometimes
removes whole panes from the glasshouses but that's more for the benefit of
the staff than the plants!

Ah. 5 automatically opening top lights (c. 11% of the floor area)
and 5 large vents in the dwarf wall. It was the latter that raised
eyebrows - everyone said "but you can open the windows" - but the
air flow is proportional to the height difference. That was the
reason for the lantern at the top of many old ones.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Very clever. Our smallest conservatory type greenhouse here has opening
side windows but also has the lantern at the top. Hyams designed it
originally and Ray had it restored after a 1990 storm flattened it!

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

On 23/10/08 16:40, in article , "Bob
Hobden" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote after "Bob
Hobden" wrote:
Nick wrote
after danny wrote:

Tahiti lime or one of the lemon varieties would do well. Even kept in
the conservatory all year they would thrive, as long as the root temp
didnt go above 96 fahrenheit or below 60 degrees F

Er, even in the UK, a south facing conservatory is likely to get
to 50 Celsius (120 Fahrenheit) on a hot, sunny, still day - we had
one just a year or so back :-)

Also, no citrus is worried too much by temperatures that approach
freezing (but don't reach it), provided that they are fairly dry at
the root and semi-dormant. Or at least, none that I have heard of
(including "key lime", which is one of the most tender). A minimum
of 40 Fahrenheit is fine for them, and most can take less, often
quite a lot less.

That's one of the problems, very high summer temperatures in the
conservatory which is why I've already said unless they have cacti they
will
need to move the plants out for the summer.

My Mum had a small S. facing one near the south coast and it got to over
100°F at 8.00 am on a sunny summers day.

I suppose they could always spray it with whitewash, though it's hardly
very
pretty.

Err, no, knowing this lady as I do I can't see her allowing her new
conservatory to be
sprayed with sunshade paint. :-)
But, she does understand that anything she plants will need to be moved
outside in the summer and is prepared for that. I hope her husband is too.
:-)

I advise a trolley borrowed from British Rail. ;-))
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

Nick wrote after Bob Hobden asked:

Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South facing, and
gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in winter, only heat
from
the house. Not gardeners but will follow instructions.

How much space, and will they move the plants out in summer?

She asked me for a recommendation for one plant/tree and is prepoared to
place it outside in summer.

If they won't, then I recommend Strelitzia regina, as one of the best
plants for a conservatory that might bake in summer. But even that
benefits from being moved outside.

I suggested that and she said she didn't like them!

I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off limits.
Suggestions welcome please.

Damn the children! It's a complete delusion that they rush up to
plants and gnaw on the leaves - it's enough trouble to get them
to eat green vegetables!

True, but I have to mention it just in case she didn't know and swallowed
some like my sis-in-law did.(Don't ask)

Other worthwhile plants include chillis (yes, annual, but attractive
and edible, and useful to teach children not to chew every pretty
berry/fruit - not that most do), other citrus, Tibouchina semidecandra
(which MUST go out in summer) and others I don't grow.

Thanks for that, her husband comes from the West Indies so Chillies may well
prove a popular choice but she could have them and an ornamental tree/shrub.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 23/10/08 16:53, in article , "Bob
Hobden" wrote:


Nick wrote after Bob Hobden asked:

Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South facing, and
gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in winter, only heat
from
the house. Not gardeners but will follow instructions.

How much space, and will they move the plants out in summer?

She asked me for a recommendation for one plant/tree and is prepoared to
place it outside in summer.

If they won't, then I recommend Strelitzia regina, as one of the best
plants for a conservatory that might bake in summer. But even that
benefits from being moved outside.

I suggested that and she said she didn't like them!

Try her on Solanum rantonettii, or the variegated version. We have one in a
large pot which spent summer on the lawn but is now tucked up for the
winter.

I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off limits.
Suggestions welcome please.

Damn the children! It's a complete delusion that they rush up to
plants and gnaw on the leaves - it's enough trouble to get them
to eat green vegetables!

True, but I have to mention it just in case she didn't know and swallowed
some like my sis-in-law did.(Don't ask)

I did stop a child here as it was about to take a bite out of a leaf. First
and last time I've ever seen that, though.

Other worthwhile plants include chillis (yes, annual, but attractive
and edible, and useful to teach children not to chew every pretty
berry/fruit - not that most do), other citrus, Tibouchina semidecandra
(which MUST go out in summer) and others I don't grow.

Thanks for that, her husband comes from the West Indies so Chillies may well
prove a popular choice but she could have them and an ornamental tree/shrub.

How about Colocasia?


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

"Charlie Pridham" wrote after Bob Hobden asked...
Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South facing,
and
gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in winter, only heat
from
the house. Not gardeners but will follow instructions.
I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off limits.
Suggestions welcome please.


Bob unless its going to be shaded from the outside it will always be to
hot for plants, putting something deciduous and late into leaf on a frame
in front of it will make the space much more usable, Wisteria is ideal as
are grapes. Once you can reduce the summer peak temperatures then
Bougainvillea and Mandevilla are both faily fool proof, and I am rather
fond of Pandorea jasminoides Rosea superba, all climbers I am afraid!

Thanks for those, however I should have said this lady wants a tree/shrub
not a climber and is prepared to move it outside in the summer to avoid the
excess heat. That said I will mention what you said and see the response.
Thanks again.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

On 23/10/08 16:40, in article
, "Rusty Hinge 2"
wrote:

The message
from Sacha contains these words:

It depends on what's wanted - is it ornamental, fruit, scent, colour? I
would suggest Thunbergia greggii for a climber or one of the Passifloras.
For scent, there's Daturas or Araujia sericifera or Impatiens tinctoria or
Hedychium Samsheri. She could grow a Meyer's lemon or some lovely Muscat
grapes.

Children?

Datura?

Does not compute!

Well, as I said I stopped one child from taking a bite out of one. I've
never seen another even try. I wouldn't leave a small child to run around
in a conservatory alone anyway. They're in much more danger of tripping and
flying into the glass or through it!
Personally, though, I'd go for the Hedychium because the scent is just so
gorgeous.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

In article ,
Sacha wrote:

Ah. 5 automatically opening top lights (c. 11% of the floor area)
and 5 large vents in the dwarf wall. It was the latter that raised
eyebrows - everyone said "but you can open the windows" - but the
air flow is proportional to the height difference. That was the
reason for the lantern at the top of many old ones.

Very clever. Our smallest conservatory type greenhouse here has opening
side windows but also has the lantern at the top. Hyams designed it
originally and Ray had it restored after a 1990 storm flattened it!

Not my cleverness! The Victorian designs were very good.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 23/10/08 17:47, in article ,
" wrote:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:

Ah. 5 automatically opening top lights (c. 11% of the floor area)
and 5 large vents in the dwarf wall. It was the latter that raised
eyebrows - everyone said "but you can open the windows" - but the
air flow is proportional to the height difference. That was the
reason for the lantern at the top of many old ones.

Very clever. Our smallest conservatory type greenhouse here has opening
side windows but also has the lantern at the top. Hyams designed it
originally and Ray had it restored after a 1990 storm flattened it!

Not my cleverness! The Victorian designs were very good.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Yes but clever to recognise that and to adapt it to your needs. I suppose
our generation like so many others, always thinks modern is best. That's
not always the case at all.


--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

Bob Hobden wrote:
Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South
facing, and gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in
winter, only heat from the house. Not gardeners but will follow
instructions. I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent
the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off
limits. Suggestions welcome please.

There are many Australian plants which will stand 50°C in summer and barely
above freezing in winter.

And no doubt many S. African plants, too, come to think of it.

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South
facing, and gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in
winter, only heat from the house. Not gardeners but will follow
instructions. I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent
the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off
limits. Suggestions welcome please.

There are many Australian plants which will stand 50°C in summer and barely
above freezing in winter.

And no doubt many S. African plants, too, come to think of it.

Strelitzia regina can.

As well as many from Asia Minor. One of the extreme is Punica
granatum, the pomegranate - that can take a range of at least -10
to 60! It might well die if its roots stayed at -10 for long, but
is hardy to -15 in the USA.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article , wrote:

As well as many from Asia Minor. One of the extreme is Punica
granatum, the pomegranate - that can take a range of at least -10
to 60! It might well die if its roots stayed at -10 for long, but
is hardy to -15 in the USA.

Actually, 60 is probably a bit of an exaggeration! And I should
have made a similar reservation about root temperatures staying
reasonable (perhaps even below 40). It responds to drought and
excessive heat as it does to cold, by going deciduous.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 24/10/08 11:42, in article ,
" wrote:

In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South
facing, and gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in
winter, only heat from the house. Not gardeners but will follow
instructions. I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent
the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off
limits. Suggestions welcome please.

There are many Australian plants which will stand 50°C in summer and barely
above freezing in winter.

And no doubt many S. African plants, too, come to think of it.

Strelitzia regina can.

As well as many from Asia Minor. One of the extreme is Punica
granatum, the pomegranate - that can take a range of at least -10
to 60! It might well die if its roots stayed at -10 for long, but
is hardy to -15 in the USA.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

We have found that Colocasia Black Magic can go through the winter here.
Admittedly it was last winter which was quite mild but it is on the margins
of a pond and the pond froze for a day here and there a couple of times.
OTOH, we have other plants in soil in one of the glasshouses and in pots
elsewhere in the greenhouses.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
(new website online)

In article ,
says...
In article ,
Jeff Layman wrote:
Bob Hobden wrote:
Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South
facing, and gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in
winter, only heat from the house. Not gardeners but will follow
instructions. I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent
the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off
limits. Suggestions welcome please.

There are many Australian plants which will stand 50°C in summer and barely
above freezing in winter.

And no doubt many S. African plants, too, come to think of it.

Strelitzia regina can.

As well as many from Asia Minor. One of the extreme is Punica
granatum, the pomegranate - that can take a range of at least -10
to 60! It might well die if its roots stayed at -10 for long, but
is hardy to -15 in the USA.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Its a personal view but I can not see the point of plant stuff that will
take 50c, who an earth would want to be in that conservatory?!! Shade it,
mine is SSW facing and is pleasant all year around thanks to the Wisteria
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

On Oct 22, 11:15 pm, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
Friend has asked what conservatory plant she should buy. South facing, and
gets rather hot in summer but no specific heating in winter, only heat from
the house. Not gardeners but will follow instructions.
I suggested a Tahiti lime or Brugmansia, provided it spent the summer
outside. There are children though so the last one might be off limits.
Suggestions welcome please.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden

Bob I had a similarly situated conservatory when I lived in the City
about 10 years ago. I grew a mature Mimosa, straight into a planting
bed, which was put in when the footings were put in. The Mimosa was
magnificient and always flowered at Christmas with little yellow
balls. I remember that Sacha identified it years ago but I have now
forgotten the name. It was wonderful in summer as the canopy shaded a
lot of the sun.

Judith

Depends on the conservatory. Mine is southwest facing and hasn't topped 100F yet - it tends to stay in the low 90's. The 96 and 60 isn't a survival guide for citrus - thats a root growth guide. Citrus survive far far hotter conditions in other countries - my friend grows them in texas, and our scorching days are like his cool ones They might wilt if above 100F and stop growing when below 55F, but it won't kill them.

If the citrus is to stay in the conservatory in winter, temps cannot go below 55F, or 60 to be safe, or the leaves will drop because of the high light levels