What's looking exotic in August 2012

Yup, there is an Arundo donax (which probably doesn't show up in this photo, its still young) behind and Arundo donax variegata in front. I saw this combination at Will Giles exotic garden (in Norwich) last year, and am using it as a focal point and to demark where the path splits to form a "Y".

Herewith a picture of Will Giles' where he planted it at a fork in the path - can't see the plain one behind in that picture either, but it was bigger than the variegata - and looking at that photo now the size of the variegata is pretty scary!

 

Im drooling.. beautiful plants guys x

 

I hadn't considered that! I assumed (and still do ) that it was my mix up.

I ain't bothered, it looks lovely ...

I'll check the label on my other one, it will probably say "Purple Ballerina" and that plant will flower Yellow and Double ... I'll let you know

 

First of the Bessera elegans................



This pot has produced lots of offsets this summer, and many more flower stems too. I assume that the corms that I bought last spring were borderline as far as maturity went?

Eucomis "Sparling Burgundy" has opened the first of its flowers...............



Nice large stem which should be at its best in a week or so................

 

I like that Bessera - I was hoping that I was going to beat you to it (for once) as mine are about to flower. At one point I had given up on them. I have pots of bulbs that don't flower - Asphodelius, Acidanthera, Chasmanthe, Watsonia etc. I keep saying I will give them just one more year. My Allium christophii bulbs grown from seed are now 4 or 5 years old and still not performing.

 

Once again I cheated and kept it in the greenhouse this year, except for warm days.

Forget Acidanthera in a pot! Never worked for me.

 

Madam Galen, always gives a nice show..but it does attract the wasps,doh!

 

Lobelia



Washingtonia robusta



And my canna's flowering!!!

 

Hibiscus syriacus


Hedychium densiflorum



Campsis "Indian Summer"

 

Wayne - Madame Galen is lovely. I had to look hard at it. At first I thought what a wonderful colour for a Brug - then I realised it was a Campsis.

Pete - I love that Hedychium - I have never had one in flower yet. I have kept them indoors over winter under low level lights and they seem to grow quite happily, but its as if they get out of sync they stop growing in the summer in the greenhouse. Will theyoverwinter just frost free?

Al n - I recently bought a Washingtonia robusta. I usually like plants that flower, but I have decided it does really add to the garden.

 

Peter, H.densiflorum is one of the hardiest.
It dies right down in winter, (Its survived minus 12c in my garden with no protection), I've not found much benefit from keeping others green in the winter either, (although I dont have many of the unusual types), The ones I have certainly like a winter rest, and some can be very late into leaf, early June is not unknown.

Not a good time right now, but remind me early next year, I'll send you a piece.

 

Pete - thats very kind. I think that this time I will not keep my two gingers green over winter. I believe that you can confuse plants - anyway they can confuse me. I have two lots of Chasmanthe that grow all winter (under low level lights) but then do nothing all summer. As they come from South Africa they probably think this is normal.

 

I have gotten to really like them. It's the 2nd one I've bought, one is in a planter ( actually, it was a fathers day prezzie!) and it looks very striking and this one was on sale so I snapped it up