Whats looking exotic in April 2014

Yes - in one of the greenhouses. A large part of the pleasure of going to nurseries, as opposed to garden centres, is to see their beautiful stock plants.

Right next to the T. grandiflora was an Alyogyne 'Santa Cruz'. I have grown the ordinary Alyogyne from seed, but the 'Santa Cruz' is a hybrid and its flowers are three times the size, and superb. I will definately be getting one of those when I can find some space.

I had a lovely surprise when I returned. I left some seeds in polybags - though I had really given up on them. On my return a Cubanola domingensis seed had germinated.

 

Blimey ... isn't that hard work, waiting for it to get to a decent size? Or am I mistaken in thinking that a Brug would give similar impact, flowering-wise, but much more quickly?

 

Yay! I sowed some last year and they're germinating slowly.

It is certainly a slow grower.

It would give far more impact in terms of size and numbers, but next to the Cubanola it is tacky and decidedly "low rent"!!!
Different plants really - Brugs give instant gratification whereas the Cubanola is for someone who wants to grow plants (if that makes sense).

 

Kristen - I think you have got it all wrong. Its like saying that getting drunk on supermarket plonk is the same as getting drunk on the finest champagne. The end result might appear to be similar but the champagne route is a far more satisfying process.

 

A far more eloquent explanation than mine!!

 

Yeah, but my guests are generally happy with my supermarket plonk!

But perhaps you are suggesting that I should grow a Cubanola domingensis and keep it right at the back of the wine seller, with the choice Champagne?

 

Nope - just saying that you should grow a Cubanola. I can confirm that when in bloom the scent is superb!

 

Not sure if this qualifies as exotic or not? Asarum proboscideum....................

 

That looks pretty exotic to me LongK. Its not one I know. I was looking at my Arisaema speciosum today, which has the same long "mouse tail". I am not sure what the purpose of this is. On the Arisaema it seems to be part of the flower, but on your Asarum it might be part of the spathe.

 

I've grown a wide selection of Arisaema this season. Two pots have germinated (well, "germinated above ground", I haven't checked Google for the other varieties to see if they are only hypogeal in the first year, I know some Arisaema are). The two pots look pretty manky; I had them under lights for a month or so, and I suspect the light was too strong (not enough time, at the time, to do anything much about that though - except cross-fingers). If they don't put on some more growth soon I reckon they will go dormant, and I doubt they have done enough to survive (I'll stick them in the fridge though, to minimise the elapsed time for their first "winter").

I thought it would be fun to have "some of all varieties", but its proving more difficult than I expected. Easier?? might be to buy one bulb of each and then harvest and sow fresh seed - although I think they might need pollination partners?