Who told us to plant exotics.

So who brainwashed us into planting exotics and drought resistant plants.I am thinking it is only just December and boy are they struggling.
The Gardening programs on TV are a lot to blame although I am sure they meant well,the garden centres are laughing all the way to the bank as we have to replace them or though I am sure they have or will be losing lots as well.
It is disappointing to lose a favorite expensive plant(not that I have many)there is a lot to be said for good old hardy perennials and cheap annuals and good old evergreens.
What say you?

 

:hehe: Yes, quite, Roders. I do have a few plants which I mollycoddle through the winter (with mixed results) but these days my rule is this. If a plant can survive a Welsh winter up in the Berwyn Hills, it will probably survive very well indeed down in Kent. So when I go on holiday to Wales, I make a note of things which are thriving no matter what the weather throws at them. It is actually quite a long list. No need to plant invalids at all. Although I do enjoy looking at Pete's pictures of all his exotic stuff.

 

.

The same con merchants holidaying in Cancun at the moment at your expense!

And making a extremely good living from it!

Cheers!

:flag:

 

I don't do exotics in the garden, but only because I don't have the facilities to keep them alive over winter. Even our windowsills are narrow - we only have one that could be used effectively. Over winter, the garden is largely left to it's own devices.

 

"Who told us to plant exotics."

I sowed Canna seeds as instructed on Gardeners World (3rd October), and purchased a Grow Light for them. The Cannas are now 1M 27Cm tall ... 160 days left until planting out after last frost ...

 

I'm going to plant reticulate willows & reindeer moss.

 

Maybe you should give this a go, Ziggy. It grows in the tundra.

 

:lollol::lollol:
Kristen - I will be planting my first ever Canna hybrid seeds in mid January , hoping this may be about the right time to get a first year flower.

 

Good idea Clare,

Is that some kind of sub zero tansy ?

Just had a look at these,

http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/arctic/Aplants2.html

 

Its was, as has been said Roders, the global warming/ climate change brigade, what a bunch of rip off money grabbers they are.
The garden centres just jumped on the bandwagon, like a lot of others, after a couple of decent summers and mild winters.

I've been growing exotics, or what might pass as exotics for 30 odd years so, I dont find what is happening now particularly unusual.

I'm just slightly disappointed, as for a while, I was almost believing the buggers.:(

 

I bet iv'e lost Boris the Olive tree this year. His pot has frozen solid.
20 years old he was.

Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is lower now than its EVER been since the Carboniferous period 300 million years ago. Why are they lying to us ?

 

Bring Boris inside Ziggy, they are tough so worth keeping for the impending ice age.

Then plant the poor S** in the ground where he can grow properly.

 

:D LOL Pete, will get the boy to bring him in, i'm away from home again. Do you think he'll make it after being frozen all week ?

Can't plant him out as just about to loose me house (Evil Wife :pala So need as many plants portable as possible.

Was going to change his name when Boris became king of London, but after what he did yesterday, think I'll keep it :thumb:

 

Yes, good for Boris ... although, what were we doing bribing that bunch of **%$£+* with expensive hotel rooms in the first place?

Boris will probably be fine in his pot, Ziggy. Mine made it through last year's snow in a terracotta pot with no problem at all. I even got a few olives. No idea what to do with the damn things, though. Didn't seem much point in pickling half a dozen or so.

 

Thats a very good point Clare, why the hell do we grow these things?