What's Looking Exotic In July 2014

Am I the only miserable git who prefers F.japonica? This spiders web thingy looks sick (and not the youthy, good kind of way).

Outdoors too soon? My standard ones are exactly the same.

Talk to Kristen - he has some bamboo canes that should do the job

On the list for next year (again).

Not in my experience

Is that in the ground? Mine will be soon.

 

I've moved it to a shady spot and I keep its feet in water but I reckon that these will be the last three. It keeps making buds but they blast now.
It's my favourite Brug bloom by far (that I've grown). It's a shame that it's not scented, but I have D.wrightii for that.

 

well ...

Yes, I know what you mean. I have F. japonica behind, providing the bulk, and F. Spider's Web and F. variegata in front on two corners, in the hope that the three will grow together, and there will be a predominance of plain leaves, with a few "odd" ones amongst them. The radiating pattern of leaf growth may yet foil me on that attempt though.

My one seedling didn't make it ... will try again next year.

No, I decided to put them all in (deep) pots of mostly bark / leafmould this year to see how they do etc. I could do with some Pups to before I risk planting out - or I think i do, what do you think? Heavy clay here, so likely to be wet in the Winter, although there is a french drain running through my exotic border.

 

My Aloe S has been devastated by Aphids (and farmed by Ants) I'll chop them off soon and let the pups come up.

My Phyllo nigra has also been devastated by Sparrows bending the stem to snapping point and stripping the leaves so they now look really tatty.

The Brug sanguinea is still flowering although we haven't had a temp over 22c yet. Candida is on it's way and I've just acquired a pink one with three flowers.

 

Its clear lay-flat tubing. I put it around young shrubs to provide protection from wind so they grow faster - hopefully! I think I've done enough for the Spider's Web though and I'll take it away now - looks unsightly!

It seems to be very variable, season-to-season and even within a season. Sometimes the leaves are almost entirely white, which isn't great as an effect. My F. variegata is still very unimpressive, but hopefully its variegations will improve with age.

 

Kristen - I love the stems of those arums - especially A. tortuosum. Sauromatum venosum is a new one on me - very interesting. And those bamboos are amazing.

No its been inside all along - never smelt fresh air.

Same here. But I was lucky enough to see one for sale cheaply at Gordon Riggs - I have never seen one for sale before.

 

Aroids? (with my pedantic hat on! but maybe I am mistaken?)

Wish I knew what I had done to achieve that, but really pleased as I had hoped that they would man-up quickly. I know you are supposed to give them plenty of Nitrogen (not sure when, possibly Autumn in readiness for culm formation for the following year?) and lots of water when growing (now-ish) ... but I haven't really done either.

However, this year I have been doing the pee-in-bucket, dilute and apply! procedure, so quite a few things have been getting more Nitrogen than in previous years. Previous seasons I have only done that for Bananas ... been a bit more proactive! this year.

I do keep wondering about a totally non-unpleasant [tautology apology!] collection process so that I could Collect & Use more. A urinal fitted to shed wall plumbed directly to an external bucket, perhaps? What could the girls use? Such a waste of such a valuable resource chucking it down the sewer!

It used to be only my compost heap that benefited, now that has to function on its own as I think this is a better use of the scarce resource.

 

Did I really say Arums - yes I did mean Aroids - my apologies. I am spending too long breathing in Brugmansia fumes.

I have given up the nitrogen application. I can no longer reach all my plants from the bedroom window.

 

For a spikey they're really just big sissies aren't they! You and Pete were correct about the slimey critters having a go at mine - go out at 11pm and they're all homing in on it! Got to get past the coffee grounds and slug pellets now though.

It's choking then!

 

Sesbania punicea in bloom.................


Dead easy from seed...................

 

Lovely LongK. I was going to ask what it was in the earlier photo. I knew I recognised it, but I just couldn't put a name to it.

Pink Mandevilla and Asclepias curassavica in front of a Canna "Cleopatra" leaf. The Asclepias has been in flower for months.


Blue Thunbergia battiscombei in front of Orange blossom and fruit


Brugmansia "Charles Grimaldi" is having its third flush of the season with a Canna "Cleopatra" flower upper left, Agapanthus (nearly over) below, and Dahlia imperialis to the right. Through the window you can just see a Canna altensteinii flower.


The Dahlia imperialis was from Hill House Nursery in Devon. There it flowers when it reaches about 18 feet under glass. In its native Mexico I gather that it can double even that. Normally it doesn't start to flower till about October or November - its often a race for it to flower before the first frosts come. So I am delighted, and perplexed, that it should be in flower so early - it started in June.

 

Really like that @longk

 

Managed to keep this alive for two winters, but both my plants died on me this winter, strangely enough, with it being so mild.

 

Outdoors?