Recent purchases

I had a day out today and went to Gordon Riggs garden center in Walsden (Lancashire). Its quite big, cheap and cheerful. Whilst its very much a normal garden center, it sometimes has some more unusual items. I bought five items.



Eustoma grandiflorum. I think its also known as Lisanthus. Googling reveals that its a half hardy perennial that probably needs the heat of indoors or a greenhouse, where it can grow up to 3 feet tall.


Coffea - coffee tree. I don't know what this does but at 85p it doesn't matter too much. It will grow into a shrub or small tree. I believe you can get flowers and fruit (ie coffee beans) after 5 or 6 years - so its not instant. Not hardy of course.


Hibiscus. For only 85p you don't get any more information, but its in flower with more buds.


Clerodendrum ugandense. A perennial that will grow into a large shrub. Not hardy.


Kohleria. I just had to have this - its so beautiful. Its a tender perennial, and from Googling I think its called 'Sunshine' but it didn't say that on the label.

I splashed out all of £11.40 for the 5 plants above, so feel happy with the result.

What have others been buying?

 

Lovely, Peter and an absolute bargain! I particularly love the Clerodendrum. The flowers look like little blue butterflies. The Kohleria is gorgeous, too.

It sounds as if the coffee is far from instant .

 

Lovely, especially the Kohleria. That used to be my local garden centre when I lived oop north!

 

Cant believe the prices Peter.

They look like real bargains.

Hope you can get them though the winter OK.

 

Well done Peter, unbelievable prices

Love the Hibiscus and Clerodendrum :thumb:

 

Absolutely gorgeous!!! Excellent bargain as well!!

 

Got yourself some bargains there Peter ..Love the Clerodendrum and Kohleria. My type of plants ...

Dave

 

Thank you all for your kind comments.

Jupes - you were lucky to have that as a local garden centre. Its quite a distance from me, but I do like it. The prices are reasonable, but not everything was a bargain. You had to be selective.

Pete - you have put your finger on it. I have come to the conclusion that gardening in summer is easy - nature does all the work. But overwintering tender plants is the real challenge. Thats one reason why I don't like paying too much for anything - you have no guarantees that it will survive for long.

JWK - I am sure you can grow many Kohleria from seed, but I think the one I bought is a recent hybrid/cultivar from Dibbleys - so I doubt that one would come true from seed.

I had never heard of Kohleria before, but Dibbleys sell a few. http://www.dibleys.com/dibleys-shop/Kohleria.html

Have just been reading up a bit more on Kohleria. Its from the Gesneriad family - the same as African Violet, Streptocarpus and Gloxinia. There are some amazing plants in that family.