What'a looking good in May

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by wiseowl, May 1, 2016.

  1. shiney

    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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    That's why a lot of people say that they prefer to buy plants from us as they are propagated from plants in our garden. So they know they suit the area. Being cheap may have some bearing on the matter as well :heehee:

    @silu @longk
    Going back to the matter of variegated, what's the difference between variegated, bicoloured and multi-coloured? :scratch:
     
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    • longk

      longk Total Gardener

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      Variegated not consistent, bicoloured and multicoloured have set patterns to to colours? Just my take on it :dunno:
       
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      • CharlieBot

        CharlieBot Super Gardener

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        First peony opening.
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        Wallflower looks quite nice against the bluebells/longk's favs.
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        Self seeded aquilegia against a dissectum acer. Not sure if I like the colour or not.
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        Another aquilegia, maybe Nora Barlow or black Barlow?
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        And another.
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        Astrantia 'Jumble Hole' coming into flower.
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        First clematis, think it's the president?
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        My only hosta, the variegated one hasn't returned for some reason.
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        • shiney

          shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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          @longk An interesting definition. :blue thumb:

          We have many 'variegated' plants that either have the word 'variegata' in their name or are described as variegated. Most of these have either white or yellow in their markings with a predominance of green.

          Euonymus - gets covered in small white flowers and the honey bees adore them. We can sit in the bench beneath and be surrounded by bees buzzing backwards and forwards. They're not the least bit interested in us but will stop for a drink of water if we put a piece of plastic on the table with some water on it.
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          Arum italicum
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          This Cistus has variegate in its name and always starts to flower a week before the green leafed variety.
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          During the winter the leaves provide a very cheery glow to the garden
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          Variegated Sage
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          A couple of our variegated Hostas
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          We have a number of variegated Ivies but this is a marbled one (I'm not keen on it but Mrs Shiney likes it for her flower arranging
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          This is a variegated dead nettle that has yellow flowers
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          Variegated London Pride (a best seller at our Open Garden)
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          • shiney

            shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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            In my mind I tend to think of 'variegata' referring to the leaf whereas bicolour or multicolour refers to the flower - but then I get stuck with something like this Epimedium :scratch: Ignore the Pulmonaria around it :heehee:

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            Whereas this Erysimum 'Stars and Stripes' is, to me, variegated (another good seller and these are potted up ready for Open Day)
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            This variegated Box has more than doubled in size since we planted it in the new bed last May
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            Another puzzle on whether it's variegated or not. Summer flowering Jasmine
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            A really nice variegated Elderberry
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            Variegated Rhamnus
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            • silu

              silu gardening easy...hmmm

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              Some of your variegated plants I like @shiney others I don't I'm afraid, it's very much a personal thing. I think I'm correct in thinking that all (maybe only the majority and happy to stand corrected!) of variegation is caused by a virus originally? I much prefer Brunnera Jack Frost to the plain green leafed Brunnera and about 1/2 of my collection of Hostas are variegated so it's not as tho I don't like variegated foliage. Some variegated plants to me just look odd and sometimes unhealthy. Why on earth someone would bother to breed a variegated Rhododendron beats me. Someone gave me a pot of variegated Ground Elder some years back. It was terribly "in" at the time evidently. Well I suppose it was a slight improvement on the normal which is bordering on the indestructible but my gift was promptly put in the bin. Others must have loved it, all a matter of taste I suppose. Some people hate yellow plants:scratch: in their gardens, yellow is probably my favourite colour. This is meant to be what's looking good thread, sorry!
               
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                Last edited: May 15, 2016
              • longk

                longk Total Gardener

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                @shiney - Arum italicum is one that I really like. It has what I would call bicoloured leaves as the colour is limited to the veins.
                Pulmonaria on the other hand is one that I loath. It is a classic example of what I would describe as diseased.
                Which brings us nicely to...................

                As I understand it variegations are cause by virus. Bicolour is natural. Happy to be corrected though.

                It's a forum - discussion is the natural way of things.
                 
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                • CharlieBot

                  CharlieBot Super Gardener

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                  I thought variegation was caused by mutation? Hence the growth which can revert. I have a small variegated hebe, a euonymous and a marbled Philadelphus. As well as a self seeded Pulmonaria for the bees. I'm with longk though, on the whole I'm not a fan.
                  The pampas grass is gone and the spotted laurel out front will be next haha!
                  Interesting discussion!
                   
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                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                    Thanks for your opinions. :dbgrtmb:

                    It's not that I'm a fervent fan of variegated plants. It's just that they have a place in our garden - and not too large a one. Of course, I like almost all of the plants in the garden - that's why they're there :heehee:

                    I find that having a variety of Euonymus, for example, makes for a more interesting garden. We have gold, variegated gold, green, different versions of variegated green and gold, and the silver one I posted.

                    Now for some non-contentious plants :snorky: Want to bet? :snork:

                    The dainty and beautiful Bilbergia
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                    Oxalis triangularis
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                    Heucheras are starting to flower
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                    So is the Choisyia
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                    and Exochorda
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                    This Viburnum has only just opened and I hope it lasts until Open Day. It's quite impressive with the branches and flowers being horizontal (gold and variegated gold Euonymus alongside it :heehee:)
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                    Ajugas are just flowering. The flowers are a much deeper colour than this photo shows
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                    This Thalictrum Elin has grown 4ft in 10 days :rolleyespink:. It will reach 8ft before it flowers
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                    • silu

                      silu gardening easy...hmmm

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                      Now you're talking Shiney! You're Exochorda is lovely, and the Viburnam Mariesii is in my top 10 of gorgeous shrubs, I grow 2 about the size of yours. I grow Choisyia Ternata which doesn't look as good as yours as struggles a bit with our climate. Also grow Choisyia Arctic Pearl which seems a wee bit hardier. What I am amazed at is my shrubs are all but flowering too, normally we are a fair way behind up here in the North. Despite the frosts it has been very very warm during the day here for the last fortnight.You have a wonderful garden having seen photos of it from your open day, I certainly hope you weren't offended by me saying I am not a fan of many variegated plants. As for your Bilbergia:love30:. Does that need to be kept in a greenhouse?
                       
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                      • shiney

                        shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

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                        To be honest, I haven't the faintest. @longk would be able to tell us. :blue thumb:

                        It's kept in our greenhouse, unheated, and we have a number of them that have been there for decades. I've moved from talking about years to decades :heehee: :old: and am aiming at centuries. :lunapic 130165696578242 5:

                        Of course I'm not offended by you not being a fan of variegated plants. I was just showing that some are really nice when they're in the right place (our garden :snork:)

                        I'm prepared to forgive the Pulmonaria for not having pretty leaves (understatement but I want to spare its feelings) as the flowers bloom for at least four months and provide the bees with a very early feast. Ours started flowering in January and are still going strong.

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                        • CanadianLori

                          CanadianLori Total Gardener

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                          My crabapple tree today. And she will give me lots of fruit to make jellies!
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