What's looking exotic in June.

Mine (G.superba) have always bloomed reliably outdoors, and produced plenty of new tubers too. I've been able to give six away this year, just keeping the two for myself (one pot has put out two shoots).
I always lay them flat, 10cm or so deep in a 30cm minimum pot (giving them room to produce plenty of nice fat offsets).
Once in growth water well, but if they appear to struggle to produce blooms withdraw water until the leaves start to go limp before drenching again (this seems to work).
Plant needs to be in full sun, but the roots like to be in shade.
Always overwinter dry in the growing pot before re-potting in fresh compost March/April time. Must be started under glass though.

 

I've always laid the tubers horizontally, try to get as many as possible into a wide half pot.
I must admit to not taking great care of mine in recent years and flowering has been not so good.
I know they rot off easily early in the year, so I never turn them out of their old pot until early May, and repot then.
I never water until new growth shows, and then very carefully.

 

Since buying my G. rothschildiana I have since read that G. superba grows taller, and flowers more readily. I'll put it on my list for next year

 

It's certainly the better choice, and better colour too IMO Kristen.

 

Kristen - my Christmas list has just got a bit longer - thank you.


And now for something completely different. Isoplexis canariensis. This was bought as a plant but I am also growing Isoplexis sceptrum (from seed). This will be its third season and its a good sized plant, so I am hoping it will flower this year.

When I bought the I. canariensis I asked what the difference was, and was told - not much, one flower is a bit bigger than the other (I forget which way round now). But I was told that you can take cuttings of canariensis but you can't take them from sceptrum which must be grown from seed.

I have had a little Google and found Charlie Pridham in Cornwall http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk/ saying that inside a greenhouse it flowers all year for him.

 

The I.canariensis is lovely PeterS! This is the one that I'm growing from seed.

 

My Aeschynanthus "Mona Lisa" is in bloom..........



It has been hard losing the conservatory, and this clearly needs more light..........

 

Guys few pictures of my garden , still got lots of cleaning and few final planting.
ps sorry for the bad picture quality.
Aloe aristata in flower

goldfinch and black cordyline in flower.
saxifraga

pink strawberry (unusual more then tropical)

view of the garden so far

view n2 still need to clean , giant plants on the back not visible yet.

view n3

and a touch tropical in the bathroom.

 

I love that bathroom Sal - I think I would be sitting with my back to the taps.

 

thank you ; ) , it`s a 2 seats jacuzzi paid £150 from an original price of £3500.

 

Not sure how much light is in there, or whether there's a shower in the jacuzzi, but you may have just the spot for a Paphiopedilum orchid there................

 

Who says that the crappy summer weather is bad! First flower buds on my Brugmansia sanguinea.............

 

Datura wrightii in bloom in the greenhouse...............

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The blooms on D.wrighii are large and super fragrant...............


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The arty shot to close.............


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Seed grown Abutilon...............


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My seed grown Iochroma australis (thanks PeterS), which are growing really rapidly now...............


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Cubanola domingensis seedlings on the other hand are very slow growing........


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Outdoors, the Euchomis bicolor are looking good................


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The Daturas are early Longk, did they come out of a Dianthus packet ?

Cubanola looks interesting