my Lotus Berthelotii

Taken a couple of photos of one of my favourite plants I have in my garden, I only got this in April, will being taking some cuttings in spring, going to over winter it in our spare bedroom

 

That is one of my favourite plants too Ian. Mine struggled a little this year.

 

Mine died Vine weevil attack.

 

Mine is still alive but even here they die back in the winter ... and we don't go below freezing being in the South!

 

I've got one which has done well foliage wise but been a bit shy to flower, it was still outside up until the weekend and seems to be budding up, with the odd flower opening.
Not sure mine is L bertholotii, think it might me L. maculatus or similar.

 

Pretty much the same as mine then. I've read somewhere that they bloom better if they've been through a cold'ish period. Mine were outstanding last summer bloom wise, far less so this year. This year I'm going to try and over winter it instead of growing them as an annual.

 

I used to have a plant of L. bertholetii and it always flowered well in late spring.
That was before the days of selling them as a bedding plant.

 

I only paid £3.50 for it from a plant fair , it didn't a have a label when I bought it. Just looked a bit different, as flowered very well this summer, it's on a south facing wall.
I'm a type of gardener who if I like it I buy it then get home and wonder were am I going to plant it.

 

Just like me then! Seeds are my big weakness as they give me more options. The downside is that they also give me more plants - eg; instead of buying one Iochroma I was raising twelve when I moved here last year. And that is just one example! I have about two hundred seedlings at the moment, and many of those are tender!

 

My wife always knows if we go to a garden centre or plant nursery, i will buy some plants.
then I have to buy her lunch
this weekend coming we're off plant hunting, going to a friend of mine who as a clematis nursery, not sure what else I'm going to get.

 

My other half knows that if we go to a nursery I'll buy plants and then we can go home! Of coarse, I sometimes buy her plants too, but only if I like them!!

 

I took mine into the greenhouse for winter, it was quite long and messy so have to sheer it right back, they are wonderful plants though. A lot of blooms this summer actually, so Ive saved mine for next year rather than tossing it on the compost as an annual.