Tropical Gardening

We have a brill Butterfly park up north near Stockton on tees, they have hundreds of butterflys, catapillars also they have grouse running around the floor (very funny little birds) and they used to have Iguanas, but not sure if they still have them, i used to breed lizards and snake in my early...

Reason I ask, about the flower, not the fence ( which looks great by the way), is that all I can see is stamens and no stigma. I hope I've got the right terms, in other words only the parts that carry the pollen. But then again I could be wrong. :D

Well if there's no sign of suckers coming from around the base of the plant it is unusual. That stem that is flowering I am certain will die afterwards, there is still a chance that it might put up a sucker or two yet. Any ideas of the variety, I take it, it is growing outside in the garden.

I've never tried ordinary cuttings from rubber plants, but I have done air layers and been sucsessfull. I think ordinary cuttings may well work as they do with other Ficus, probably with bottom heat. pete

Hi Clarky D'you mean Canna's or Calla lilies?

Great. Dont let the tax man find out.

thanks a lot steve,very helpful cheers

Thanks BayleafAt the moment the bamboo is in a large pot in our back yard surrounded by wall so is pretty sheltered. Where we live it is notoriously windy. I am worried about putting it out in the ground because our garden, although long is open plan and very open to the elements (almost...

A pleasure Lindy2 any time .... just shout lol

Yep I believe it is.

Its up to you really. how tall is it? Is it green leaved or coloured? Suddenly you say, could this be a flower stem maybe? If its sprung up all of a sudden I reckon it could be.

I do remember that they can bleed when cut in a similar way to grape vines.

I take it this is the spineless yucca (yucca elephantipies) If so your lucky to get away with it outside all year, must be your mild winters there on the south coast. You can do whatever you like with it, but it seems a shame to cut the top off. I think i'd leave it and just tidy up any dead...

Oh Steve what a lovely site thank you I can never find things like this...but I am only a learner still havn't managed the photo thing yet but when my 30 geranium planlets are all in blossom �£3.50 from B/Q I will have another go.

Wahey!!! Thanks very much! Progress reports will follow!

It was as much fun as you think it was

Hi ToniDoes it say what the variety is on the label?

Hello -I garden on clay, and grow Echinacea and it seems to do fine. I love both the flower and seed heads in winter - and the bees and butterflys love it too. I haven't tried dividing it yet because I am wanting the clump to get bigger - but have grown it from the seed.

On sale in nearly every gardening outlet in my area, and a few other places, seems to be 'in' at the moment. Pretty easy to grow, likes good drainage, not totally hardy, but should be OK in a protected area perhaps that catches some winter sun.

Good luck Ladybird But have you tried them outside. [ March 17, 2005, 07:47 PM: Message edited by: pete2255 ]