Oxfords Botanic Gardens Today (photo heavy)

I decided to say stuff work and the garden at long last and finally took myself off to the botanic gardens again today. I must say that there were a few surprises in store. They have decided to give two of their most rampant climbers a major chop, so no blooms on the Thunbergia mysorensis or the Alamanda cathartica.

But the Strongylodon macrobotrys had one truss of flowers left..............







I've never seen it in bloom this late before. The Lily House where this is planted is my favourite part, and the pool was looking fantastic after the winter "rest"................



Also in the Lily house was this orchid - Myoxanthus exosperatus.............



Encyclia fragrans blooming in the passageway that links the various glasshouses..............



A couple of Eucomis in the porch area;
E.zambesiaca...............



.................and E.vandermerwei.



Also in the porch was this interesting succulent - Jovibarba sobolifera.



Back to the passageway and we have;
Clerodendrum bakeri............



Aristolochia trilobata..............



And a really nice but unknown Cuphea...............



This Agave sisalana is huge at three metres plus!



My favourite in the cactus house is Agave ferox (probably because it looks so damn mean!).............



Two Heliconias - H.rostrata................



..............and H.pendula.



Finally for this post, the Strelitzia nikolai continues to grow back strongly after a major chop last year................

 

Thank you Keith for that amazing exotic tour. All fantastic, but you started with my favourite. Love that turquoise green,
Jenny

 

It's not finished yet Jenny - still got the outdoors bit to do!

 

Part two - the outdoor area.













The Gunnera always looks good here...............



Galega officionalis................



Commelina communis...............



After the success of my Galtonia candicans this year I'll be looking to add the slightly green Galtonia princeps next year.................



Echinops persicus................



Finally, Delphinium staphisagria...............