Spider wrote:


Incidentally, I've found that a number of lavenders produce spriggy growth
on oldish wood, so it may not be due to L. 'Hidcote' or other cultivar.
However, I lost my L. dentata in its first winter; whether that's down to
me or that particular species, I don't know. Spider

L.dentata is not hardy at all, especially if it gets damp in winter. You
will need to keep it on the dry side in a frost-free greenhouse if you want
it to survive over winter.

--
Jeff

"Jeff Layman" wrote in message
...
Spider wrote:


Incidentally, I've found that a number of lavenders produce spriggy
growth
on oldish wood, so it may not be due to L. 'Hidcote' or other cultivar.
However, I lost my L. dentata in its first winter; whether that's down to
me or that particular species, I don't know. Spider

L.dentata is not hardy at all, especially if it gets damp in winter. You
will need to keep it on the dry side in a frost-free greenhouse if you
want it to survive over winter.

--
Jeff


Thanks for that, Jeff. Mine was kept somewhat on the dry side, but
outdoors. Although it was fairly sheltered, that shelter did not compare to
a frost-free greenhouse. I will try L. dentata again, but only when I have
enough indoor space for it. My greenhouse is of the 'mini' variety and,
although useful, is little better than a cold frame. My cat, Cheetah, seems
to appreciate it, though :~).

Spider

Spider wrote:
If you try a fuchsia next year, consider planting F. 'Mrs Popple'. It is a
hardy one with good crimson and purple flowers, and it is readily available
in summer.

I'm incredibly fussy about my fuchsias. I've only found one hardy one
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.

I had one unflouncy one that was part of the massacre of last year,
which was called Star Wars. Nice colours, but very dull shaped flowers
- but the plant was absolutely heaving with them. I had another in the
same colours but flouncier blooms, but only a handful of them actually
came to full flower.

The main problem this year is that I kept "giving them a bit longer" to
wake up, before accepting they were dead, so I didn't go out and buy
another bunch of them, so I only had a couple last year. Which have
since been scratched out by the chickens!

The best times to prune your lavender are either after flowering in late summer, at least a month before the frosts, or late spring, after the frosts. I've tried both. I have a low lavender hedge several metres long and prune it with hedge trimmers. They flower better and sooner the next year with the summer pruning, but you have the advantage of the dried flowers through the winter with the spring pruning. Whichever you choose, it is a good idea to do it annually to stop them getting leggy.

The problem with pruning it just now is that if we have a frost soon it can get into the cut ends and kill back the shoot or sprig. So you might find your lavender suffers some dieback next spring, unless these warm nights continue for a few more weeks. The same issue with rosemary.

As others have said, if you cut back into the woody bits, there is a risk it won't reshoot, it seems to depend on the variety to some degree. But you've done it now, so keep your fingers crossed.

On 2009-10-28 00:26:44 +0000, said:

Spider wrote:
If you try a fuchsia next year, consider planting F. 'Mrs Popple'. It is a
hardy one with good crimson and purple flowers, and it is readily available
in summer.

I'm incredibly fussy about my fuchsias. I've only found one hardy one
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip

So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)
--
Sacha

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-10-28 00:26:44 +0000, said:
Spider wrote:
If you try a fuchsia next year, consider planting F. 'Mrs Popple'. It is a
hardy one with good crimson and purple flowers, and it is readily available
in summer.

I'm incredibly fussy about my fuchsias. I've only found one hardy one
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.

So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I like the 'wild' form much more than the fancy ones, but I agree
that it looks best in a wild garden or naturalised on stone hedges.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 2009-10-28 11:51:43 +0000, said:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:
On 2009-10-28 00:26:44 +0000, said:
Spider wrote:
If you try a fuchsia next year, consider planting F. 'Mrs Popple'. It is a
hardy one with good crimson and purple flowers, and it is readily available
in summer.

I'm incredibly fussy about my fuchsias. I've only found one hardy one
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.

So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I like the 'wild' form much more than the fancy ones, but I agree
that it looks best in a wild garden or naturalised on stone hedges.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

We have F. riccartonii (I think) dripping over the edge of a stone wall
bordering a lane. It looks wonderful and is always covered in flowers.
OTOH, we have a variegated leaf one with pink 'parasol' type flowers
(might be Sharpitor) which always looks a bit anaemic, somehow. I'd
love to rip it out but feel a bit heartless as it's struggled to
survive after being walked all over by a builder and is now a strong
and healthy bush! I think I'm becoming very picky about variegated
leaves - there are many I really dislike. We have a large pot of
Solanum rantonettii variegata which goes outside for the summer but I
just can't warm to it as I do the plain leaf version. This big one
must be about 7' tall and is going to Jersey to live because my son
fell in love with it and I'm secretly very pleased!
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Sacha wrote:
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip
So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I think it depends on the conext. The colours (although google has a
few oddities showing!
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=hawkshead%20fuchsia ) are actually
the kind I like. But my mum has one with that shaped flower which is
pale pink, and the plant is big and leafy and the flowers are small and
kind of insignificant, and it just doesn't work for me.

For years I claimed I didn't like fuschias, because they always made me
think of overgrown and run down gardens, with those huge hardy fuschia
bushes that were dark pink and purple, with huge black seed pods. When
I discovered the huge range of flouncy flowers, I changed my mind, but I
still don't like the huge bushy things with more leaf than flower.

If that makes sense.

On 2009-10-28 12:11:04 +0000, said:

Sacha wrote:
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip
So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I think it depends on the conext. The colours (although google has a
few oddities showing!
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=hawkshead%20fuchsia ) are actually
the kind I like. But my mum has one with that shaped flower which is
pale pink, and the plant is big and leafy and the flowers are small and
kind of insignificant, and it just doesn't work for me.

For years I claimed I didn't like fuschias, because they always made me
think of overgrown and run down gardens, with those huge hardy fuschia
bushes that were dark pink and purple, with huge black seed pods. When
I discovered the huge range of flouncy flowers, I changed my mind, but I
still don't like the huge bushy things with more leaf than flower.

If that makes sense.

This is ours doing its end of season thing:
http://i34.tinypic.com/adn2ib.jpg
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-10-28 12:11:04 +0000, said:

Sacha wrote:
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip
So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I think it depends on the conext. The colours (although google has a
few oddities showing!
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=hawkshead%20fuchsia ) are actually
the kind I like. But my mum has one with that shaped flower which is
pale pink, and the plant is big and leafy and the flowers are small and
kind of insignificant, and it just doesn't work for me.

For years I claimed I didn't like fuschias, because they always made me
think of overgrown and run down gardens, with those huge hardy fuschia
bushes that were dark pink and purple, with huge black seed pods. When
I discovered the huge range of flouncy flowers, I changed my mind, but I
still don't like the huge bushy things with more leaf than flower.

If that makes sense.

This is ours doing its end of season thing:
http://i34.tinypic.com/adn2ib.jpg
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon


Oh wow, Sacha ... I want one! How hardy is it? I get mixed reports when I
google.

Spider

On 2009-10-28 14:19:50 +0000, "Spider" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-10-28 12:11:04 +0000, said:

Sacha wrote:
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip
So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I think it depends on the conext. The colours (although google has a
few oddities showing!
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=hawkshead%20fuchsia ) are actually
the kind I like. But my mum has one with that shaped flower which is
pale pink, and the plant is big and leafy and the flowers are small and
kind of insignificant, and it just doesn't work for me.

For years I claimed I didn't like fuschias, because they always made me
think of overgrown and run down gardens, with those huge hardy fuschia
bushes that were dark pink and purple, with huge black seed pods. When
I discovered the huge range of flouncy flowers, I changed my mind, but I
still don't like the huge bushy things with more leaf than flower.

If that makes sense.

This is ours doing its end of season thing:
http://i34.tinypic.com/adn2ib.jpg
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon


Oh wow, Sacha ... I want one! How hardy is it? I get mixed reports when I
google.

Spider

Well, that's in the area by front door of the house, where we park our
own cars, if you remember that. So it's facing south but doesn't have
a lot of protection from the house itself, though probably has some
from the wall and some surrounding (but not overhanging) trees. Just
across the path from it we lost two mimosas last winter but that
Fuchsia came through. I think this is probably its 4th year. It's
worth a try, IMO and if you take cuttings you'll have insurance! I've
seen it described as Hardy, half-hardy and tender, too! So I suppose
that in the end, it depends where it's growing.
Email me your address - yes, I know I should have it! - and I'll send
it to you later when we get some more going. If you don't have my
email your other (though not, of course, better!) half does.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

echinosum wrote:
The problem with pruning it just now is that if we have a frost soon it
can get into the cut ends and kill back the shoot or sprig. So you

They're right next to the front door, so I think the house possibly
radiates enough heat on cold nights to stop them getting /too/ badly
frosted, especially this early in the cold season.

might find your lavender suffers some dieback next spring, unless these
warm nights continue for a few more weeks.

Apparenrly they'll be over by the end of the weekend, if you believe the
reports.

As others have said, if you cut back into the woody bits, there is a
risk it won't reshoot, it seems to depend on the variety to some
degree. But you've done it now, so keep your fingers crossed.

Indeed. Given the unhappy state they were in this year gone, I don't
suppose it will be any great trauma if I have to chuck them now.

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-10-28 14:19:50 +0000, "Spider" said:


"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2009-10-28 12:11:04 +0000, said:

Sacha wrote:
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it
is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's
non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip
So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? Shame. ;-)

I think it depends on the conext. The colours (although google has a
few oddities showing!
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=hawkshead%20fuchsia ) are actually
the kind I like. But my mum has one with that shaped flower which is
pale pink, and the plant is big and leafy and the flowers are small and
kind of insignificant, and it just doesn't work for me.

For years I claimed I didn't like fuschias, because they always made me
think of overgrown and run down gardens, with those huge hardy fuschia
bushes that were dark pink and purple, with huge black seed pods. When
I discovered the huge range of flouncy flowers, I changed my mind, but
I
still don't like the huge bushy things with more leaf than flower.

If that makes sense.

This is ours doing its end of season thing:
http://i34.tinypic.com/adn2ib.jpg
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon


Oh wow, Sacha ... I want one! How hardy is it? I get mixed reports when
I
google.

Spider

Well, that's in the area by front door of the house, where we park our own
cars, if you remember that. So it's facing south but doesn't have a lot
of protection from the house itself, though probably has some from the
wall and some surrounding (but not overhanging) trees. Just across the
path from it we lost two mimosas last winter but that Fuchsia came
through. I think this is probably its 4th year. It's worth a try, IMO
and if you take cuttings you'll have insurance! I've seen it described as
Hardy, half-hardy and tender, too! So I suppose that in the end, it
depends where it's growing.
Email me your address - yes, I know I should have it! - and I'll send it
to you later when we get some more going. If you don't have my email your
other (though not, of course, better!) half does.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon


Thanks, Sacha :~)) You're a gem. Will do!

Spider

On Oct 28, 2:11*pm, Sacha wrote:
On 2009-10-28 12:11:04 +0000, said:



Sacha wrote:
that I like - I believe the flouncier the flower the less hardy it is,
in general, and I hate the tiny plain little flowers, so it's non-hardy
only for me, I'm afraid.
snip
So you won't like the lovely, white, simple, elegant, still absolutely
dripping with flowers Hawkshead, then? *Shame. *;-)

I think it depends on the conext. *The colours (although google has a
few oddities showing!
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=hawkshead%20fuchsia) are actually
the kind I like. *But my mum has one with that shaped flower which is
pale pink, and the plant is big and leafy and the flowers are small and
kind of insignificant, and it just doesn't work for me.

For years I claimed I didn't like fuschias, because they always made me
think of overgrown and run down gardens, with those huge hardy fuschia
bushes that were dark pink and purple, with huge black seed pods. *When
I discovered the huge range of flouncy flowers, I changed my mind, but I
still don't like the huge bushy things with more leaf than flower.

If that makes sense.

This is ours doing its end of season thing:http://i34.tinypic.com/adn2ib.jpg
--
Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com
Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics.
South Devon

Wow, that is beautiful.

Judith

On Oct 27, 5:04*pm, "Spider" wrote:
"Judith in France" wrote in ...
On Oct 27, 2:22 pm, Kate Brown wrote:



On Tue, 27 Oct 2009, Judith in France wrote

On Oct 26, 7:18 pm, Kate Brown wrote:
On Mon, 26 Oct 2009, wrote

I have a couple of lavender in big pots outside my front door, but
they
haven't been watered as well as they probably should. They've been
there
for 2 years and they didn't flower very well this year. (they don't
get
an amazing amount of light, and I'm terrible for remembering to water,
and being by the front door they don't get much natural rain, on the
rare occasions it bothers to rain atm!)

I've just chopped them back quite a bit tonight (got to love the
gardening in the dark process at this time of year!) but they are ....
straggley looking and quite woody. How far should I cut them back? I
don't want to kill them, but if they're only going to perform as well
as
this year (or worse) it might be better if I chuck them and get
something new for next year.

Any advice from lavender experts appreciated (other than "remember to
water them occasionally!" - I already got that one!)

Thanks

Am v far from being an expert, but have had good results with
lavender -
not in pots but in the infrequently watered front garden. I've been
cutting back a bit but not viciously, then waiting until spring to see
where the sprouts are sprouting from. It's standard to say don't cut
into the woody stem, but if there are good little sprouts coming out of
the woody bases then once they look established we've been cutting back
fairly hard. That means by about March we've been able to cut off all
last year's straggly bits, leaving a fresh growth that has grown and
flowered through until September.

This didn't work with some lavender (same variety) we had in France,
which had just gone a bit too far. We cut back as in England, but there
were no sprouts from the woody stems, and the plants remained very
straggly and not very elegant, even when in full bloom. However, the
bees still adored them!

--
Kate B

PS 'elvira' is spamtrapped - please reply to 'elviraspam' at
cockaigne dot org dot uk if you
want to reply personally

Once, years ago I hacked at a low Lavender hedge that was out of
control, I took it down substantially, it never recovered, it
remained, straggly.

That's right, you have to wait until early spring to see - if they are
producing sprigs from the woody base, you can cut down to just above
those. Keep an eye out. It surprised me to see this happen the first
time as I thought the woody bits would remain bare. The plants were
about three years old then. I've never spotted such sprigs on the
lavender we have in France, but that may be because we aren't there
quite early enough in the year (ancient cottage means ancient drafts and
no central heating!) - it's possible that it sprouts but the sprouts die
off.

--
Kate B

PS 'elvira' is spamtrapped - please reply to 'elviraspam' at cockaigne dot
org dot uk if you
want to reply personally

Interesting Kate, I'll bear that in mind for the next lavender hedge.
I lost a beautiful lavender last year, a French one, I have no idea
why.

Judith

Hi Judith,

The French lavender, L. Stoechas, is less hardy than the English type. *Your
garden was under snow last winter, if you remember, so I think that is your
explanation.

Spider

Aah so that's it. The garden is under snow every year some more than
others!

Judith