On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant. We talk of a
particular species being hardy or not, yet almost never mention its
provenance. Recently there was a thread here about whether or not
Gardenia jasminoides "Kleim's Hardy" lived up to its name. I doubt that
it really does, but when compared with what most of us understand
Gardenia jasminoides to be, it's tough as old boots!

--

Jeff

On 2013-03-11 13:23:06 +0000, Jeff Layman said:

On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant. We talk of
a particular species being hardy or not, yet almost never mention its
provenance. Recently there was a thread here about whether or not
Gardenia jasminoides "Kleim's Hardy" lived up to its name. I doubt
that it really does, but when compared with what most of us understand
Gardenia jasminoides to be, it's tough as old boots!

I must remember to try that out. We have some beds to replant and it
would be interesting to see if that survives with us, or not.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

In article , lid says...

On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I have one five years old, has grown well to five ft wide and hight, but still
hasn't flowered :-( It's in a raised bed, sunny spot, sheltered from wind..


One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant.

Probably "a polytunnel in Holland".

Janet

On 11/03/2013 16:54, Janet wrote:
In article , lid says...

On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I have one five years old, has grown well to five ft wide and hight, but still
hasn't flowered :-( It's in a raised bed, sunny spot, sheltered from wind..

In a neighbouring garden where I used to live in Horsham, there was a
freestanding Cytisus battandieri. It was several metres from any wall,
and the main trunk was 10+ cm in diameter. It must have been many years
old, and it was definitely in flower last year. I wonder what that
one's provenance was?

One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant.

Probably "a polytunnel in Holland".

LOL

--

Jeff

On 11/03/2013 16:54, Janet wrote:
In article , lid says...

On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I have one five years old, has grown well to five ft wide and hight, but still
hasn't flowered :-( It's in a raised bed, sunny spot, sheltered from wind..


One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant.

Probably "a polytunnel in Holland".

Janet

I was always taught to buy from the North.
That way the plants would be more hardy that plants bought from the south.

On 2013-03-11 17:56:29 +0000, David Hill said:

On 11/03/2013 16:54, Janet wrote:
In article , lid says...

On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I have one five years old, has grown well to five ft wide and hight, but still
hasn't flowered :-( It's in a raised bed, sunny spot, sheltered from wind..


One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant.

Probably "a polytunnel in Holland".

Janet

I was always taught to buy from the North.
That way the plants would be more hardy that plants bought from the south.

Years ago, I remember reading that plants should never be moved north.
I remember mentioning that on here a long time ago and nobody had heard
of it. The point, however, is surely that it's better to buy plants
grown 'hard', rather than hothouse softies?
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

In article , david@abacus-
nurseries.co.uk says...

On 11/03/2013 16:54, Janet wrote:
In article , lid says...

On 11/03/2013 10:57, Sacha wrote:
On 2013-03-11 08:45:14 +0000, Charlie Pridham said:

Same for us here Janet, lack of summer heat is a bigger problem than
winter cold.

Plus winter wet! We had a Cytisus battandieri in what we thought was a
sheltered spot and it lasted precisely one year. I don't think it was a
particularly cold winter, so suspect it was the wet wot got it.

I wouldn't be surprised.

I have one five years old, has grown well to five ft wide and hight, but still
hasn't flowered :-( It's in a raised bed, sunny spot, sheltered from wind..


One thing we haven't mentioned is the source of the plant.

Probably "a polytunnel in Holland".

Janet

I was always taught to buy from the North.
That way the plants would be more hardy that plants bought from the south.

If only we could! I live in and buy in the north. The problem is that
the north being cold (and dark in winter) makes it an expensive area for
commercial propagation of tender plants; so nurseries that do propagate
tend to stick to hardy plants.

Virtually every Scottish GC sells mostly bought-in stock imported or
raised somewhere south, and (depending on the time of year) it needs
careful hardening off. Just today, I stopped in a large chain GC in
Perth where whole swathes of their brand new Easter stock of ordinary
herbaceous plants was flat or shrivelled, badly frosted in the current
cold snap. What a waste.

If Northern gardeners find something that's been propagated in the
north and is a bit rare/tender/special , it's more usually the
handiwork of keen amateur gardeners who don't have to make a living from
it. Mostly, amateur propagators swap or sell at local "open garden
days", garden clubs, or fund raisers for local charities etc; rather
than commercial outlets.

Janet.