What's Looking Good in August 2011

Pete - that Plumbago is lovely. Is there a trick in getting it to flower? I have some reasonable sized plants from seed this year, but they have no inclination yet to flower.

Your Datura looks really healthy. Mine are not that happy though they have plenty of blooms. I have been watering them heavily, as I do my Brugmansias, but given your comment about seeing Datura growing in the desert outside Las Vegas, I wonder if I am overwatering.

 

Cyperus papyrus (Egyptian papyrus). Does anyone know if I can divide this? I would like to have a couple of plants and so double my chance of getting one through the winter.


Eucomis bicolour (Pineapple Lily). This is easy to overwinter as its a bulb.


Tweedia caerula. Seems to have had a bit of flower on and off for months.


Leonotis nepetifolia. (also known as Little Marijuana or Wild Dagga). I will say no more. Other than its an annual that grows to 8 or more feet. I love it. Looks good too. :WINK1:


Cuphea ignea (Cigar Plant). This just flowers and flowers.


Smithiantha. A member of the African Violet family.

 

Armandii, what is that rose you have on your first picture down on the far left? It seems so be made up of several colours or stripes? It's lovely!!

 

Yeah it divides really well, you could make a dozen new plants from that one. You can be quite rough with the roots, it will soon bounce back.

 

My Cape Daisies are flowering. Zulu Prince on the left, Orange Prince on the right :D

 

Peter, Plumbago is not one of my favourites, I bought it as a short intense blue flowering plant last year.
This year long and lanky with sparce blooms.
I know why I stopped bothering with it now.

As for Datura, I think the doubles we are growing are probably more of the Metel type, which, I'm guessing, need more water, even the ones I saw in the desert were near water sources though.

I know you and Kedi Gato both sent me seed of the double purple one, but I must admit to being slightly disappointed in the fact that the flowers appear to be dying even when just opening.
The yellow one I bought is exactly the same in that respect.

 

Thanks Rootball - I will have a go at dividing it. I haven't got room for many, but I would like to go into winter with more than one, given that two out of three died on me last winter.

Pete - I have seen Plumbago in flower and its lovely. But your own plants never quite turn out the same as one raised in a glasshouse in Holland.

I think I only have Datura growing from my own seed - I am not sure what happened to Kedi Gato's. My own seed seems to produce a seriously troubled plant that is a double, then looks as if its trying to produce more petals inside again. They don't seem to be the same as the longer lasting cleaner Brugmansia flowers. Even my biggest Dat is still very small compared with my Brugs. Perhaps if I chewed the seeds I wouldn't worry so much. :D

 

That really is a stunning rose. Can you order it from their website? No wonder I didnt see that in the David Austin rose garden the other weekend I think I saw something similar called 'Twist' but yours is definitely better ! It kind of reminds me of pinks?I love the way the flowers have bunched upwards

 

Thats beautiful!

 

The Cannas are doing well.
Canna "Wyoming"



And Canna "Cleopatra"



Adenium obesum is still flowering, must be four months now without at least a few blooms. In the conservatory.



Hedychium "Tara"


Desert willow could do with a bit more heat.



Erythrina crista galli