Canna's on the move

Hi Peter our back garden is reasonably sheltered from most winds but it does get hit by any winds coming from the west hence the previous owners planting the conifer hedge which is being maintained at around 9-10ft, as much as they get slated and they're not a big favourite of mine it is a fantastic wind break for this garden, without it, it would really get battered...

The area immediately behind is very sheltered, that's why I put the cannas there, I know they're reasonably sturdy but the leaves do get shredded like bannas if over exposed to wind.

 

Quick Update.......well they escaped any damage during the strong winds a few days ago, luckily the winds came from the west so the conifer hedge afforded them maximum protection.

They are also still growing despite the cooler temperatures; a couple of nice big flower buds are just emerging some 9ft up :D, hopefully they'll get chance to open but I doubt they'll be time for them to set seed with the active growing season fast coming to an end....luckily though there are about 5 or 6 big fat seed pods from those early flowers :thumb:

 

It's a 'Break Out'.....

One my Cannas in a pot was making a bid for freedom yesterday when it split the pot wide open :D

 

I've got trousers like that.........

 

I think my Cannas are making the most of this warm spell, it as if they're thinking to them selfs lets go for it and see how big we can get.

The picture of the large flower bud (the largest I've had so far) below is exactly 10ft tall at the tip :D

There are also lots of new suckers around the base.

 

Here's my first batch of seed; nearly missed them, one day the pods were just turning brown the next they were brown and split open revealing the seed :thumb:

 

All good things come to end.......

.....last night we had a bit of freak storm (the wind was like nothing I've ever heard, even this year with all the wind we've had) that lasted about 30 mins and my Cannas got 'battered' :gaagh:, half of them now bent over and touching the floor although none have snapped, hopefully I'll be able to stake some back later.

Luckily I had already collected about 25-30 seeds from them before the deluge last night, just a shame that the stems with big flower heads on are horizontal.

They have looked better than ever this year, the saving grace is that I can hopefully store the rhizomes over winter (lost them last year) and start again next year with seed and rhizomes :thumb:

 

this is what greeted me this morning...

 

Thats a shame Bilbo

 

Yes it was pete; I managed to stake them back up this afternoon with some 8ft canes and they don't look too bad considering. No stems were snapped, a couple were sort of 'creased' but hopefully they'll be ok for a few weeks to see if I can get anymore seed from them, after that I would imagine they'll start dying back anyway, especially if the first frost come; then it'll be a case of thinking about lifting the tubers for winter protection :thumb:

 

If you dont mind me saying Bilbo, I'd lift before the first frost, and dry off with foliage.
Thats where I think they differ from Dahlias regarding winter treatment.