Garden in mid-winter (photos)

Just a few pictures of how it's faring, I'm one of these who likes interest all year round.. however after the recent cold snap, things are looking ok.. a little scruffy but not bad.

First lot is taken in the side border (aka tropical border - which it will be next year!)

Second lot in my back garden etc.

 

What's the thing with bright orange and yellow berries/fruits in pic 4 please?

 

Solanum pseudocapsicum (winter cherry). I also have one growing in the back garden, but it's always being muched by slugs and snails.

 

Thanks for the info. I might look out for that and have a read up on it.

 

Stephen , is that an haworthia or a strange aloe next to the opuntia?
I know that the xmas cactus is covered but , I really hope will survive , mine is hardining up in the greenhouse , it`s actually about to flower.
Also I had the same problem with opuntia and snails

 

Sal, I really have no idea what that Aloe/Haworthia is, I got it as a houseplant, it said it was a cross between something. I thought it might have been crossed with an Aloe aristata? Sort of looks that way, so I thought lets try it outside.. and to my surprise, it's actually tolerated the -3.9C in wet soil..

As for the Xmas cactus, that will survive under there, no doubt.. 100% positive.. I actually got them specially for this border. I'll be planting some of those Crassula ovatas you sent me in there next year. Send us a photo of your Xmas Cactus when it flowers, I've never managed to get one to flower in winter (before it died in the back garden).

Any suggestions on how to keep the slugs and snails away, other than a super prickly variety?

 

That plant has the structure of an aloe but the stripe of haworthia limifolia , not an aloe aristata for sure , really nice .

the xmas cactus actually need a bit of cold to flower ...mine flowering 3/4 times a year and it`s one of the few catus that actually need water even in winter

to stop the snails in the greenhouse I`ve covered al the pots with really thin sand , even when it`s wet will stuck on snails and they really don`t dare anymore.

 

Looks great Stephen

I've had a Christmas cactus in flower for about 4-5 weeks now, its on the kitchen windowsill. There are enough buds on it to see it through Christmas and beyond, it's doing amazingly well..

You can see it in this thread;
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/whats-looking-good-in-november.48070/page-2

 

Sal I'll take a look at that type of Aloe and see, Ive never heard of those before to be honest and was thinking maybe a cross between Aloe and Haworthia (if that can be done), but it seems tough! If it makes it through the winter, I'll let you know.. and if it gets any pups, Ill send you some.

I hope mine can flower too, possibly a little early for it to flower yet, but maybe next Autumn/winter it might flower. I love the flowers on them though, they are so vibrant! I always said my garden has a place for these somewhere.. and now there is a permanent place for one

Thanks for the tip... it makes good sense actually! I'll try that with the sand.

Bilbo, that's a lovely flower in the photo I just peeked in then, how big is yours as a plant?

 

Nice photos. I still have Gazanias in full flower in the garden, pelargoniums too and a host of plants starting to move again.

 

Where are you Verdun? We have Gazania plants here but not flowering.. along with the Pelargoniums too, but only ones in shelter are flowering. I know what you mean about the plants moving again.. Ive actually got some Sanvitalia coming back after being knocked back by the frost.. things just dont want to give up this year.

 

Stephen even if you bought your Schlumbergera as xmas cactus it may be just a Rhipsalidopsis (the easter cactus) that will may flower late , it`s all about wait to see the color and the shape of the flower.

Rhipsalidopsis (easter catus)



Schlumbergera (xmas cactus)

 

It's ok Sal, I can tell the differences of the two, so I know Ive definitely got Christmas cactus, but will be looking for the easter cactus types around Spring when they come into the DIY stores. Easter cactus tends to have a lack of points on its leaves, where as the Christmas cactus have more points. Either way though, I don't mind much.. easter cactus more likely to flower though.

 

Hiya stephenprudence, I'm in far west of Cornwall on the coast. Still have annuals like bidens flowering too. It's been warmer so far than last winter. So I think winter is over now with a heat wave due very soon......................

 

Nice place to be located.. you can get away with all sorts there.. I'd say my sheltered side border is quite similar to west coastal Cornwall in climatic terms.. what can you grow there?

Definitely been cooler here, last winter we didn't have frost until later January, then some days of hard frost (-2 to -5C) then none again.

Hope there is very little frost from now on.