WHAT'S LOOKING EXOTIC IN 2017

@JWK they all look so good so late in the year - Such lovely foliage and color, nice that you can still enjoy them in the safety of the greenhouses too.
As a matter of interest would you say you're taking them inside later and later or on par with other years?

 

I will put the heater back in the greenhouse today as a frost is expected and will keep it around 4c, same as you @JWK.

 

Hmm, thanks for the info @JWK and @strongylodon. I risk it and keep most of my 'tender' things in an unheated tunnel, but I keep a small section of greenhouse at 8-10 degrees for my cymbidiums. The outer area of that greenhouse is probably frost free, but not big enough for everything (I have a lot of southern hemisphere plants)

 

Hardenbergia violacea. Its a tender member of the pea family from Australia.


Mini me . The Anthurium on the left it the normal one, but i found the miniature one recently in Italy. It came back in my suitcase.

 

I couldn't find anything in pots to bring back from Italy last August @PeterS but I have some Bougainvilleas rooted, I just hope I can get them through the winter being so small.
There was only one variety there and not that many around, up in the lakes it is probably at their limit as they can have long cold winters and cutting winds.
I just need to straighten them a bit.

 

I couldn't really find anything either Strongy. I had a lovely holiday looking at the Gardens of the Argave with a horticultural guide. I mentioned to our guide that I was keeping a mental tally of all the flowers we had seen - it had reached 4 by the third day . Though it did rise later. We went into a very small garden centre towards the end of the trip, and apart from some common Orchids, the miniature Anthurium was the most unusual item they had.

I couldn't come back empty handed. I did see some very nice bright red Bourgainvilleas growing - but alas none for sale.

 

This was the only variety around the towns at Lake Garda, it is still a different pink to the one I have from Majorca.

 

Looks a bit like the variety I have outside @strongylodon

 

That's pretty Strongy

The one thing that I saw everywhere in Italy in huge numbers and a wide range colours was Lantana. I even saw it in blue which I didn't know existed

 

Could be @pete, when it flowers next year we'll have to compare. My Majorcan one is a more vivid pink.

@PeterS Lantanas were everywhere plus a few large Lagerstroemias.

 

Fascicularia canaliculatum

A recent acquisition, unfortunately a little past it's best.

 

Well there you go, a blue cutting of Lantana would be something special here, ..............
and you didn't bring some back?

 

I wonder... someone gave me a cutting of Lantana montevidensis (sellowiana) last year. The flowers are more lilac than blue, but would this be the same thing? It seems pretty hardy here, I was even warned that it can become invasive! If anyone wants a cutting or two, PM me......