30 years ago this used to be our fav nursery as they grew nearly all their own plants and had a huge range of exciting stuff, times change and a fire followed by a new tea room now mean its somewhere people go for lunch as much as to buy plants, but they do still have some good plants! The greenhouse was the most appealing, wish I could grow oranges :) 005 by charliepridham, on Flickr
007 by charliepridham, on Flickr
I thought some of the large plants were rather expensive, but as I don't normally buy at that size not really sure, £135 for this palm 008 by charliepridham, on Flickr
Sorry Conrad, I should know, I have seen them before but I don't grow them so the name is not in what passes for my memory! I doubt its even remotely hardy it was with the citrus and house plants
Kohleria eriantha. Lovely thing, the top growth is tougher than you might think but won't take much of a frost. I hoped it would come back from below ground like an Achimenes but it hasn't happened yet.
Thanks Charlie and John.
Achimenes, now there's a blast from the past, I haven't grown them in years. Have you fround many many to be hardy if dry over winter John?
I know in the US that they can overwinter outdoors down to low temperatures but I wonder if the same is true here for any varieties?
Hi Charlie - it flowers for a great long time and then stops for a little rest, then it's off again. Didn't seem to be seasonal for me but I haven't got it any more.
I agree with you Conrad, haven't grown much in the way of Achimenes for years but on the lookout this year. Never managed to overwinter them outside, it's easier to lift the tubers and store them in the house. It also helps to start them early in the warm or they take an age to get going. A friend in Mumbai sent me a big bag of them in the 80's and suggested I planted them between the stones of a wall - nothing survived (he lives in Mumbai and has no idea what cold is).
I used to grow Achimenes in hanging baskets kept dry by a roof in winter they were ok at quite low temps but I eventually lost my collection to vine weevil before I realised they liked them!!
Kohleria eriantha sounds like it may be worth a go, certainly a lot of it about this year
Hmm maybe I'll give some a go outdoors over the summer and lift them indoors for winter, now to track down a few tubers.
The vine weevil threat is a bit of a problem, they seem to have been very active here last year, feckers.
