Today's purchases (any and all advice appreciated)

Only went out to buy a new hose end ; came back with:-

1. 1 x thuja occ. "Yellow Ribbon"
2. 1 x thuja occ "Mirjam"
3. 1 x calla (pretty yellow)
4. 1 x Chillean Potato Vine
5. 2 x Gunnera
6. 1 x Hebe "Lisa" Addenda
7. 6 x hebe (?)
8. 1 x cistus "Silver Pink"
9. 2 x lavender hidcote

As with many of these sale bargains, the instruction/fact labels were nowhere to be seen and I've taken the names from the white price sticker on the pot.

If anyone knows the key facts, or any tips, on any of these plants I would really appreciate it. Some are looking very down in the dumps so I've put them all into a water tray until I know where they'll grow.

TIA

 

Only really know 2 mum, the gunnera and the calla.

The callas are best lifted when the frosts hit, as they are not hardy, think dahlias and cannas.

The gunneras can grow mahoosive, and I mean MAHOOSIVE!! Need lots of water and are suited best to really wet areas like the edges of ponds.

 

Thank you, al n

Re: gunneras. I do have an area in my lawn which, under heavy rain, actually floods (typical clay soil ) My thoughts are, I could plant the two of them in that area, maybe with the thuja "yellow ribbon" as a central plant????? I think the calla may thrive there also? I do have some white callas, which I divided and planted in my "copse" area (which also floods) and they have done fabulously this year! So, I could possibly mix the new yellow callas with my age-old white callas in the "triangle" plot?

If I did choose to do that, my thoughts are: keep these plants in their pots overwinter. Mark out a "planting" area and cover with cardboard over winter (to kill the lawn/weeds); so, come Spring, I can add my chicken/duck compost to the area and then plant these? Does that sound about right? It would be like an island bed. (Just how mahoosive do gunneras grow )

 

Supermassivehuge............

 

I can only assume that's a photoshop job. Either that or the kids are actually pixies?

 

The calla will be completely lost with one gunnera, 2 will take over your garden.

I went to a place called water worls a couple of weeks back, and they had a gunnera there by a pond, to say it was mahoosive is an understatement, it must have been 50 ft in length, 18 ft high and about 20 ft deep. Looked absolutely stunning, but in a normal garden!!???

I have a gunnera, it's not in wet soil at all, and tbh, it's not doing great despite soaking it everyday. It's going in a pot, and see how it goes. It was mislabelled so didn't know it's was a manticata (labelled something like Manicla? No such species) bought it then, I think zigs told me about it. If it does get too big, I'll donate it to somewhere, somewhere like the lake district next to Windermere!!!

 

The ones at the Lost Gardens of Heligan were that big. One LEAF was as big as me!!

 

How big is your front garden Mum???

 

Here's your potato vine.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plant_finder/plant_pages/860.shtml

 

My rear is 1/4 acre; my front is ... erm .. haven't measured, but much less than that

 

Maybe plant 1 of the gunnera? You might find it doesn't get that big. They die back in winter. You fold the old leaves over to protect the crown.

 

Why not get in on the seed swap Mum? That would be a good way to get some new bits for your garden!
http://gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/seed-swap-2012-13-rules.43959/

 

I'm sure there's a joke waiting to be made out of this