'twas New Year's Day
in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years.
This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, much earlier than we normally get them. The not-very-vast number of things in flower was: Vinca oxyloba, Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Sarcococca confusa and S. hookeriana, Camella Takanini and C. sasanqua Narumigata, as well as the Camellia we think is 'Cherub'. The two latter are in full bloom. There is also Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii, Viburnum tinus, Lonicera purpusii, various Hellebores, Fuchsia excorticata in bud, Jasminum nudiflorum, and with buds just about ready to break, the fishtail Camellia Kingyoba-shiro-wabisuke. And as a bonus (?!) 3 large badger scrapes towards the bottom of the garden! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
'twas New Year's Day
Well, I knew it wasn't going to be good, and it wasn't!
Although the paths were clear, last night there was still 2-3 inches snow lying elsewhere. And last night added about another cm to re-cover all the paths. The ponds have been frozen ever since the snow started. The big surprise for me was several wallflowers. Otherwise, it was the usual suspects: Winter honeysuckle Winter jasmine Viburnum tinus Viburnum bodnantense Winter flowering chrry Hamamelis - red Hamamelis - yellow Heather Hebe - a big tall one with purple flower spikes Primrose Polyanthus Viola Brompton stock A rather sad looking rose An even sadder looking rudbeckia. In the greenhouse (heated, but dropping to 30deg C regularly since the cold weather started) Butterwort Scented pelargonium Ordinary pink pelargonium Jasmine - the indoor pinky white scented one Linaria Kleinia articulata Mammillaria spinossissima Mammillaria schiediana -- Kay |
'twas New Year's Day
On 1 Jan, 13:24, Sacha wrote:
in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. *This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, much earlier than we normally get them. *The not-very-vast number of things in flower was: Vinca oxyloba, Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Sarcococca confusa and S. hookeriana, Camella Takanini and C. sasanqua Narumigata, as well as the Camellia we think is 'Cherub'. *The two latter are in full bloom. *There is also Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii, Viburnum tinus, Lonicera purpusii, various Hellebores, *Fuchsia excorticata in bud, Jasminum nudiflorum, and with buds just about ready to break, the fishtail Camellia Kingyoba-shiro-wabisuke. And as a bonus (?!) 3 large badger scrapes towards the bottom of the garden! -- Sachawww.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon Well just come on from a search and all I and my little helper http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...Years%20flower... can find are A few red Hebe flowers, http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...Years%20flower... A winter flowering heather, http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...Years%20flower... 1 Vinca Major flower http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...Years%20flower... 1 flower on our winter flowering Jasmin, A lot of flower on an Abutilon in an Old Cold glass house with glass missing http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...Years%20flower... and a fuchsia that just has forgoten to fall off http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...Years%20flower... David Hill |
'twas New Year's Day
On Fri, 1 Jan 2010 13:24:50 +0000, Sacha wrote:
in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, much earlier than we normally get them. The not-very-vast number of things in flower was: Vinca oxyloba, Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Sarcococca confusa and S. hookeriana, Camella Takanini and C. sasanqua Narumigata, as well as the Camellia we think is 'Cherub'. The two latter are in full bloom. There is also Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii, Viburnum tinus, Lonicera purpusii, various Hellebores, Fuchsia excorticata in bud, Jasminum nudiflorum, and with buds just about ready to break, the fishtail Camellia Kingyoba-shiro-wabisuke. And as a bonus (?!) 3 large badger scrapes towards the bottom of the garden! I just went out to look. My garden is very small, but there's usually something. All I can find is the first Schizostylis flower showing colour. Or maybe it's the last. I had no flowers in the autumn. Lots of buds on one camellia, but the other one is DEAD; no buds, no leaves! My friend in Weymouth says she has bumble bees on the flowers on her lonicera fragrantissima. Mine has no flowers at all. Pam in Bristol |
'twas New Year's Day
On 01/01/2010 13:24, Sacha wrote:
in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, Equally thin in SW London. Jasminum Nudiflorum, Coloured Primrose, Chaenomeles-japonica , Viburnum Farreri, Viburnum Dawn, Iris unguicularis. Daphne Bhoula and Helleborus Hybrida just showing colour. Paul -- CTC Right to Ride Rep. for Richmond upon Thames |
'twas New Year's Day
Today has been a gloriously sunny day although a heavy frost was about at 10:00am - give me a break it is New Years Day! In flower: Sarcococca confusa Vinca minor A small plant that was given to me without a label that looks like a "harebell" perhaps a rockery campanula carpatica with a blue flower. Several plants of Nemesia denticulata ‘Confetti’, which I understand is supposed to be tender, but has done well through the last few winters. Viola Primrose Two very sad looking flowers on Rose 'Dawn' In the greenhouse Pelargoniums Fushia 'Gartenmeister Bonstedt' Not much, but with the hard frosts we've recently had I'm surprised what has held on. There's plenty of promise for the coming months with the hellebores, bulbs and wall flowers well advanced. Happy New Year everyone and remember we're already 10 days into shorter nights! Steve Small garden on clay in Bewdley, Worcestershire |
'twas New Year's Day
In article , Sacha wrote:
in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. Not as poor as here, but mine isn't really a winter garden. Viburnum farreri, Chaenomeles x superba "Crimson and Gold" (both VERY tatty) and some pansies in a pot bought for a party a month or two ago. Indoors, Ipomoea indica in the conservatory and Phaelenopsis in the kitchen. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
'twas New Year's Day
Copied over from David Hill's thread:
The last few days have all but wiped out any lingering flowers on the geraniums. However there is one small one hanging on under some foliage so I'm goint to count it :-) http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/DSC00339.jpg Three different Hebes, all bluish flowers. One of them http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/DSC00341.jpg A yellow rose which is looking sorry for itself. http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/DSC00340.jpg A 'weed' (flower in the wrong place) with yellow dandelion-style flowers. http://i817.photobucket.com/albums/z...t/DSC00338.jpg Happy New Year!!! |
'twas New Year's Day
Too early to draw any conclusions, but I'm getting a distinct
impression here ... It seems that the 'down south' gardens are doing really quite badly. Mine's bad, but in terms of numbers of species in flower, I think have more than anyone except Sacha (and that's a large 'plantsman's' garden). So, instead of what I was expecting - producing a pathetic list to put alongside everyone else's long list of exotics - my garden is in fact holding its own ;-) ... so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? -- Kay |
'twas New Year's Day
On 2010-01-01 17:52:39 +0000, K said:
Too early to draw any conclusions, but I'm getting a distinct impression here ... It seems that the 'down south' gardens are doing really quite badly. Mine's bad, but in terms of numbers of species in flower, I think have more than anyone except Sacha (and that's a large 'plantsman's' garden). So, instead of what I was expecting - producing a pathetic list to put alongside everyone else's long list of exotics - my garden is in fact holding its own ;-) I think it's so interesting to see what's going on all over the place, really. This is a 3 acre garden which to some is large and to others is merely a starter plot! But what we have in flower in the garden now are not 'plantsman's' plants, I think. Maybe the fishtail Camellia is unusual but it's still a Camellia. Everything else is pretty standard fare, I think. I haven't counted anything at all in the greenhouses, btw, only planted in our own garden. .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? I think that could well be the case. It's been a lot colder a lot earlier here. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
'twas New Year's Day
"K" wrote in message ... Too early to draw any conclusions, but I'm getting a distinct impression here ... It seems that the 'down south' gardens are doing really quite badly. Mine's bad, but in terms of numbers of species in flower, I think have more than anyone except Sacha (and that's a large 'plantsman's' garden). So, instead of what I was expecting - producing a pathetic list to put alongside everyone else's long list of exotics - my garden is in fact holding its own ;-) .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? So far (since the middle of December) the winter has been far harder here than usual. Most years we don't see any snow, at least any settled snow. Hard frosts are unusual as well. The flower count in the garden reflects this a little (I would normally have expected to count in a couple of Fuscias) but our garden is in a state of flux at the moment and doesn't have much in the way of flowering plants anyway - it is mainly shrubbery. |
'twas New Year's Day
In article ,
David WE Roberts wrote: "K" wrote in message ... .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? So far (since the middle of December) the winter has been far harder here than usual. Most years we don't see any snow, at least any settled snow. Hard frosts are unusual as well. Not really. That's true only on a 10-15 year timescale. Even the hardest winters of the past 10 years have been milder than average for many of the decades before. Regards, Nick Maclaren. |
'twas New Year's Day
Sacha writes
I think it's so interesting to see what's going on all over the place, really. This is a 3 acre garden which to some is large and to others is merely a starter plot! It all depends where you're looking at things from, doesn't it! Most urban gardeners think I have a huge garden, but it's not even a quarter of yours! But what we have in flower in the garden now are not 'plantsman's' plants, I think. No indeed - think that's a bit what I'm getting at. My winter plants are bog standard reliable winter flowerers, planted because we always have a cold, damp, dark winter, and they are doing their normal stuff. Other years, people have commented on all sorts of things which have been in flower, and have produced long lists of things. This year, have you been cut back to the basics? What are the things you would have hoped would be in flower and which are not? Maybe the fishtail Camellia is unusual but it's still a Camellia. Everything else is pretty standard fare, I think. There's degrees of standard! Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii,Fuchsia excorticata are not quite as standard as winter jasmine, Viburnum bodnantense, Prunus subhirtella. I think that could well be the case. It's been a lot colder a lot earlier here. We've had more snow than is usual this side of Christmas, but we have certainly had December snow in several of the last 10 years. Frosts have been getting later and later, but we still have seen the first frost before Christmas each year. Although we have been going down to about -6, that is not at all unusual, nor is it unusual for the ponds to be frozen. What has been unusual is that the ponds have now been frozen continuously for almost 3 weeks. -- Kay |
'twas New Year's Day
On 2010-01-02 16:33:12 +0000, K said:
Sacha writes I think it's so interesting to see what's going on all over the place, really. This is a 3 acre garden which to some is large and to others is merely a starter plot! It all depends where you're looking at things from, doesn't it! Most urban gardeners think I have a huge garden, but it's not even a quarter of yours! Exactly. Yet again, let us remember Mrs Jekyll "No matter how small your garden, you should set aside two acres as woodland". ;-) You saw the garden where I lived before and that was probably the smallest garden I've ever had but as I lived alone then, it suited me perfectly. I think it was you who once made the very perceptive remark that one has to be a LOT more careful about gardening in small gardens. Mistakes - and weeds - are more noticeable than they are in big gardens. But what we have in flower in the garden now are not 'plantsman's' plants, I think. No indeed - think that's a bit what I'm getting at. My winter plants are bog standard reliable winter flowerers, planted because we always have a cold, damp, dark winter, and they are doing their normal stuff. Other years, people have commented on all sorts of things which have been in flower, and have produced long lists of things. This year, have you been cut back to the basics? What are the things you would have hoped would be in flower and which are not? I'd have expected the Chaenomeles to be in flower - the one on the house wall. It was a week or so ago but now now. I'd have thought more Fuchsias would have held on but am not at all sure all have survived, even those down by the cedar tree, which are really fairly sheltered as to canopy. Some of the Rhodies are usually in flower about now and there isn't one showing at present. Even our Hamamelis on the area where we park our cars is sulking, the Euryops look unhappy (and they flower around 8 months in the year here) and even the Welsh poppies bucked Ray's usual confidence in there being at least one in flower in the garden every day of the year. Maybe the fishtail Camellia is unusual but it's still a Camellia. Everything else is pretty standard fare, I think. There's degrees of standard! Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii,Fuchsia excorticata are not quite as standard as winter jasmine, Viburnum bodnantense, Prunus subhirtella. Okay - standard down here, if you like. Plenty of people grow these plants with the possible exception of that Fuchsia because it's not a showy one. IOW, there's nothing in flower that would make Devon-dwellers say "How unusual", if they know the plants at all. I think that could well be the case. It's been a lot colder a lot earlier here. We've had more snow than is usual this side of Christmas, but we have certainly had December snow in several of the last 10 years. Frosts have been getting later and later, but we still have seen the first frost before Christmas each year. Although we have been going down to about -6, that is not at all unusual, nor is it unusual for the ponds to be frozen. What has been unusual is that the ponds have now been frozen continuously for almost 3 weeks. We rarely get snow right here anyway but frosts are more usual after Christmas, so heaven knows what to expect, frankly! The ponds have ice on them but usually, it melts during the day. The front of the house has a bed borderinig the big lawn and the left hand corner of that is the one that seems to get the most frost and again, today, it was white. No wonder we lost the mimosas there last year! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
'twas New Year's Day
wrote in message ... In article , David WE Roberts wrote: "K" wrote in message ... .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? So far (since the middle of December) the winter has been far harder here than usual. Most years we don't see any snow, at least any settled snow. Hard frosts are unusual as well. Not really. That's true only on a 10-15 year timescale. Even the hardest winters of the past 10 years have been milder than average for many of the decades before. I am reporting going back to 1984 :-) We do have a very mild microclimate in this part of coastal Suffolk. Even 10 miles inland has been very different. This reminds me more of the winters in Essex in the 1960s, although they were much more extreme. I remember four foot and more snowdrifts in 1963/64. |
'twas New Year's Day
On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 18:58:13 -0000, "David WE Roberts"
wrote: wrote in message ... In article , David WE Roberts wrote: "K" wrote in message ... .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? So far (since the middle of December) the winter has been far harder here than usual. Most years we don't see any snow, at least any settled snow. Hard frosts are unusual as well. Not really. That's true only on a 10-15 year timescale. Even the hardest winters of the past 10 years have been milder than average for many of the decades before. I am reporting going back to 1984 :-) We do have a very mild microclimate in this part of coastal Suffolk. Even 10 miles inland has been very different. This reminds me more of the winters in Essex in the 1960s, although they were much more extreme. I remember four foot and more snowdrifts in 1963/64. Pshaw We had 20' drifts up around Blaenavon and Merthyr. -- (¯`·. ®óñ© © ²°¹° .·´¯) |
'twas New Year's Day
"Sacha" wrote in message ... in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, much earlier than we normally get them. The not-very-vast number of things in flower was: Vinca oxyloba, Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Sarcococca confusa and S. hookeriana, Camella Takanini and C. sasanqua Narumigata, as well as the Camellia we think is 'Cherub'. The two latter are in full bloom. There is also Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii, Viburnum tinus, Lonicera purpusii, various Hellebores, Fuchsia excorticata in bud, Jasminum nudiflorum, and with buds just about ready to break, the fishtail Camellia Kingyoba-shiro-wabisuke. And as a bonus (?!) 3 large badger scrapes towards the bottom of the garden! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon We had a chilly, bleak New Year's day and my fingers froze whilst writing, but here's my list: Achillea 'King George' - several corymbs of primrose flowers Calendula canariensis - 1 lemon flower Chaenomeles cutting - several buds, three flowers Diascia - 2 large salmon buds Erigeron karvinskianus - scattered white flowers Erodium reichardii rosea - 2 flowers Erysimum 'Bowle's Mauve' - 14 apical flower clusters, many purple buds Exochorda macr. 'The Bride' -very few green flower buds nearest house *late* (for us) Feverfew (Tanacetum sp?) - few battered flowers Geranium 'Ann Folkard' - 1 flower Hebe 'Midsummer Beauty' - 3 flowers Hebe 'Nicola's Blush' - few flower spikes, several in bud Hebe 'Purple Picture - 2 poor flower spikes, several with coloured buds Hebe (purple seedling) - 1 flower spike, several in bud Helleborus Xs - 2 dark plum flowers; others barely in bud Helleborus argutifolium - only elongated bud group *unusually late* Jasminum nudiflorum - scattered flowers Kerria flore pleno - few tight buds *notably late* Kerria jap. 'Gold Guinee' - many buds, only 1 showing colour Laurus nobilis - many tight buds Mahonia japonica - many budded flower sprays, one with lemon buds Pieris - very many buds! Primula vulgaris - one plant only had 4 flowers *unusually late* Rhodo. cilipinense - many buds Rosa 'The Fairy' - 2 flowers, scattered buds Rosa 'Ballerina' - 5 fading flowers, 1 opening bud Rosa 'Nozomi' - 1 flower, 3 pink buds Rosmarinus 'Servern Seas' many scattered flowers, oodles of buds Sarcococca - many tight pinkish buds Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! |
'twas New Year's Day
snip or prune
Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! Cannot compete with that list :-) I have mostly shrubs and trees so apart from 5 yellow roses - Golden Celebration - I think and several small red and yellow roses hiding in the undergrowth that was it, but there is promise of things to come kate |
'twas New Year's Day
On 2010-01-03 15:56:11 +0000, "Spider" said:
"Sacha" wrote in message ... in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, much earlier than we normally get them. The not-very-vast number of things in flower was: Vinca oxyloba, Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Sarcococca confusa and S. hookeriana, Camella Takanini and C. sasanqua Narumigata, as well as the Camellia we think is 'Cherub'. The two latter are in full bloom. There is also Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii, Viburnum tinus, Lonicera purpusii, various Hellebores, Fuchsia excorticata in bud, Jasminum nudiflorum, and with buds just about ready to break, the fishtail Camellia Kingyoba-shiro-wabisuke. And as a bonus (?!) 3 large badger scrapes towards the bottom of the garden! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon We had a chilly, bleak New Year's day and my fingers froze whilst writing, but here's my list: Achillea 'King George' - several corymbs of primrose flowers Calendula canariensis - 1 lemon flower Chaenomeles cutting - several buds, three flowers Diascia - 2 large salmon buds Erigeron karvinskianus - scattered white flowers Erodium reichardii rosea - 2 flowers Erysimum 'Bowle's Mauve' - 14 apical flower clusters, many purple buds Exochorda macr. 'The Bride' -very few green flower buds nearest house *late* (for us) Feverfew (Tanacetum sp?) - few battered flowers Geranium 'Ann Folkard' - 1 flower Hebe 'Midsummer Beauty' - 3 flowers Hebe 'Nicola's Blush' - few flower spikes, several in bud Hebe 'Purple Picture - 2 poor flower spikes, several with coloured buds Hebe (purple seedling) - 1 flower spike, several in bud Helleborus Xs - 2 dark plum flowers; others barely in bud Helleborus argutifolium - only elongated bud group *unusually late* Jasminum nudiflorum - scattered flowers Kerria flore pleno - few tight buds *notably late* Kerria jap. 'Gold Guinee' - many buds, only 1 showing colour Laurus nobilis - many tight buds Mahonia japonica - many budded flower sprays, one with lemon buds Pieris - very many buds! Primula vulgaris - one plant only had 4 flowers *unusually late* Rhodo. cilipinense - many buds Rosa 'The Fairy' - 2 flowers, scattered buds Rosa 'Ballerina' - 5 fading flowers, 1 opening bud Rosa 'Nozomi' - 1 flower, 3 pink buds Rosmarinus 'Servern Seas' many scattered flowers, oodles of buds Sarcococca - many tight pinkish buds Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! That's a really impressive list, especially given the weather. BTW, for these purposes and for making notes on the nursery, I have a little Olympus note taker and find it invaluable. It's a tiny handheld dictaphone thingy called a digital voice recorder. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
'twas New Year's Day
"Kate Morgan" wrote in message
... snip or prune Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! Cannot compete with that list :-) I have mostly shrubs and trees so apart from 5 yellow roses - Golden Celebration - I think and several small red and yellow roses hiding in the undergrowth that was it, but there is promise of things to come kate :~). It is definitely the promise of things to come that cheers us ... not just we gardeners, but most souls, I think. I must replace a few shrubs that I recall offering a real boost to the spirit in the past. I have no Viburnums at the moment, nor the delicate Osmanthus delavayii which budded up early and had scent in spring. Nevertheless, if you could look through my window and see my garden just now, you would think it most dull. It is only when one goes out searching every corner that hidden gems appear. That seems to be the lot of winter gardening plants; they must give way to summer performers, and so are tucked away in groups that, generally, only perform once a year. That, fortunately, happens to be my winter gardening philosophy: plant winter gems that you *must* go out and admire. If you can venture into and enjoy the winter garden, you are much surer to start gardening in earnest before the weeds take over and the tasks get ahead of you. Spider |
'twas New Year's Day
"Sacha" wrote in message ... On 2010-01-03 15:56:11 +0000, "Spider" said: "Sacha" wrote in message ... in the garden and there was a *very* poor show, compared to most years. This probably reflects the frosts we've had so far, much earlier than we normally get them. The not-very-vast number of things in flower was: Vinca oxyloba, Rosemarinus marenca, Mahonia bealei, Sarcococca confusa and S. hookeriana, Camella Takanini and C. sasanqua Narumigata, as well as the Camellia we think is 'Cherub'. The two latter are in full bloom. There is also Correa backhousiana, Cestrum parquii, Viburnum tinus, Lonicera purpusii, various Hellebores, Fuchsia excorticata in bud, Jasminum nudiflorum, and with buds just about ready to break, the fishtail Camellia Kingyoba-shiro-wabisuke. And as a bonus (?!) 3 large badger scrapes towards the bottom of the garden! -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon We had a chilly, bleak New Year's day and my fingers froze whilst writing, but here's my list: Achillea 'King George' - several corymbs of primrose flowers Calendula canariensis - 1 lemon flower Chaenomeles cutting - several buds, three flowers Diascia - 2 large salmon buds Erigeron karvinskianus - scattered white flowers Erodium reichardii rosea - 2 flowers Erysimum 'Bowle's Mauve' - 14 apical flower clusters, many purple buds Exochorda macr. 'The Bride' -very few green flower buds nearest house *late* (for us) Feverfew (Tanacetum sp?) - few battered flowers Geranium 'Ann Folkard' - 1 flower Hebe 'Midsummer Beauty' - 3 flowers Hebe 'Nicola's Blush' - few flower spikes, several in bud Hebe 'Purple Picture - 2 poor flower spikes, several with coloured buds Hebe (purple seedling) - 1 flower spike, several in bud Helleborus Xs - 2 dark plum flowers; others barely in bud Helleborus argutifolium - only elongated bud group *unusually late* Jasminum nudiflorum - scattered flowers Kerria flore pleno - few tight buds *notably late* Kerria jap. 'Gold Guinee' - many buds, only 1 showing colour Laurus nobilis - many tight buds Mahonia japonica - many budded flower sprays, one with lemon buds Pieris - very many buds! Primula vulgaris - one plant only had 4 flowers *unusually late* Rhodo. cilipinense - many buds Rosa 'The Fairy' - 2 flowers, scattered buds Rosa 'Ballerina' - 5 fading flowers, 1 opening bud Rosa 'Nozomi' - 1 flower, 3 pink buds Rosmarinus 'Servern Seas' many scattered flowers, oodles of buds Sarcococca - many tight pinkish buds Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! That's a really impressive list, especially given the weather. BTW, for these purposes and for making notes on the nursery, I have a little Olympus note taker and find it invaluable. It's a tiny handheld dictaphone thingy called a digital voice recorder. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon That's a really good idea, Sacha. I used to wish I had one when studying spiders in the field, but was forced to change my mind. So many people would approach me whilst walking their dog and ask what I was doing (with magnifying loupes, notebook and pen and spider guide) that it seemed likely I would end up with a tape (in those days!) full of enquiring chat, and not much about the relative eye patterns and leg lengths of assorted spiders. Sorry, Sacha, I know s-words aren't your thing! However, (returns to gardening) it would be very useful for gardening. I could note where there's a bare patch in need of Triffida robusta to add interest and eat the burglars ... and, as you imply, rules out trying to write with icicle-bedecked fingers. Mmm .. feels a visit to Staples coming on. Spider |
'twas New Year's Day
On 2010-01-03 18:46:06 +0000, "Spider" said:
"Sacha" wrote in message ... On 2010-01-03 15:56:11 +0000, "Spider" said: snip Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! That's a really impressive list, especially given the weather. BTW, for these purposes and for making notes on the nursery, I have a little Olympus note taker and find it invaluable. It's a tiny handheld dictaphone thingy called a digital voice recorder. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon That's a really good idea, Sacha. I used to wish I had one when studying spiders in the field, but was forced to change my mind. So many people would approach me whilst walking their dog and ask what I was doing (with magnifying loupes, notebook and pen and spider guide) that it seemed likely I would end up with a tape (in those days!) full of enquiring chat, and not much about the relative eye patterns and leg lengths of assorted spiders. Sorry, Sacha, I know s-words aren't your thing! However, (returns to gardening) it would be very useful for gardening. I could note where there's a bare patch in need of Triffida robusta to add interest and eat the burglars ... and, as you imply, rules out trying to write with icicle-bedecked fingers. Mmm .. feels a visit to Staples coming on. Spider Because we grow most of our own plants, they're not in A-Z rows, coming in one door and being kerchinged out the other. So up on the mypex right at the top of the Nursery, which slopes a bit, the perennials are arranged according to how much drainage they want, how much shade and of course, where there's space! Once everything's potted on and up there, I go out and make a list of where everything is so that if any of us are running up there to find things for customers we know immediately where they are. This is especially handy to the part-timers. And in the garden, it enables me to make myself a little aide memoire as to where there's a hole that needs filling with some plant or other, or if something looks a bit straggly or sick or whatever. It's also a wonderful grandchild entertainer. ;-) -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon |
'twas New Year's Day
"Sacha" wrote in message
... On 2010-01-03 18:46:06 +0000, "Spider" said: "Sacha" wrote in message ... On 2010-01-03 15:56:11 +0000, "Spider" said: snip Also, many bulbs were pushing through. However, the snowdrops were showing no sign of bud, which is very late here. Other colour was provided by berries, haws, (Pyracantha, Cotoneaster, Roses); bark (Betula, Cornus) and some vivid leaf colour (Heuchera, Euonymus, Cyclamen, Hedera). Sorry I'm late with this - forgot to come out of hibernation. Brrr! That's a really impressive list, especially given the weather. BTW, for these purposes and for making notes on the nursery, I have a little Olympus note taker and find it invaluable. It's a tiny handheld dictaphone thingy called a digital voice recorder. -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon That's a really good idea, Sacha. I used to wish I had one when studying spiders in the field, but was forced to change my mind. So many people would approach me whilst walking their dog and ask what I was doing (with magnifying loupes, notebook and pen and spider guide) that it seemed likely I would end up with a tape (in those days!) full of enquiring chat, and not much about the relative eye patterns and leg lengths of assorted spiders. Sorry, Sacha, I know s-words aren't your thing! However, (returns to gardening) it would be very useful for gardening. I could note where there's a bare patch in need of Triffida robusta to add interest and eat the burglars ... and, as you imply, rules out trying to write with icicle-bedecked fingers. Mmm .. feels a visit to Staples coming on. Spider Because we grow most of our own plants, they're not in A-Z rows, coming in one door and being kerchinged out the other. So up on the mypex right at the top of the Nursery, which slopes a bit, the perennials are arranged according to how much drainage they want, how much shade and of course, where there's space! Once everything's potted on and up there, I go out and make a list of where everything is so that if any of us are running up there to find things for customers we know immediately where they are. This is especially handy to the part-timers. And in the garden, it enables me to make myself a little aide memoire as to where there's a hole that needs filling with some plant or other, or if something looks a bit straggly or sick or whatever. It's also a wonderful grandchild entertainer. ;-) -- Sacha www.hillhousenursery.com Shrubs & perennials. Tender & exotics. South Devon It sounds brilliant for all sorts of inventories and such. I haven't got grandchildren to entertain, but I begin to imagine all sorts of other uses. RG says that most mobile phones have some sort of voice recorder these days, so I'll have to investigate mine. It's a few years old now, so it may not. Also, don't know what the playback quality will be, but we can check his more modern phone out first before replacing mine. Pity really, I was beginning to fancy a new toy, but at least I should always have the mobile with me. It's given me something to think about, anyway. Spider |
'twas New Year's Day
David WE Roberts wrote:
wrote in message ... In article , David WE Roberts wrote: "K" wrote in message ... .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? So far (since the middle of December) the winter has been far harder here than usual. Most years we don't see any snow, at least any settled snow. Hard frosts are unusual as well. Not really. That's true only on a 10-15 year timescale. Even the hardest winters of the past 10 years have been milder than average for many of the decades before. I am reporting going back to 1984 :-) We do have a very mild microclimate in this part of coastal Suffolk. Even 10 miles inland has been very different. This reminds me more of the winters in Essex in the 1960s, although they were much more extreme. I remember four foot and more snowdrifts in 1963/64. In South Norfolk 198? I was walking *ON* the hedgerows 'cos the drifts were so deep. I had to get from parents' house to mine to feed the goats. The night before I didn't try to drive over as the snow drifted over the road minutes after the snowploug had passed. And a lot of the way was country lanes... Still had to park a mile away and walk (mainly) on hedges. -- Rusty |
'twas New Year's Day
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹ wrote:
On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 18:58:13 -0000, "David WE Roberts" wrote: wrote in message ... In article , David WE Roberts wrote: "K" wrote in message ... .. so - is it that this winter is a good deal colder than normal down south, and therefore things have been hit quite badly? Whereas up here, it's only marginally colder than normal, and we already plant for this sort of weather, so we haven't been hit quite so badly? So far (since the middle of December) the winter has been far harder here than usual. Most years we don't see any snow, at least any settled snow. Hard frosts are unusual as well. Not really. That's true only on a 10-15 year timescale. Even the hardest winters of the past 10 years have been milder than average for many of the decades before. I am reporting going back to 1984 :-) We do have a very mild microclimate in this part of coastal Suffolk. Even 10 miles inland has been very different. This reminds me more of the winters in Essex in the 1960s, although they were much more extreme. I remember four foot and more snowdrifts in 1963/64. Pshaw We had 20' drifts up around Blaenavon and Merthyr. Eee, tha were lucky... -- Rusty |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:53 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter