Plants Catching the eye in 2017

[charlie]

I have always grown it as a climber, but you are right, you have to do all the work! I guess it would make a loose tangled heap left to its own devices, be kind of interesting, as would finding out whether there are any actual true red forms

[Jungle Jas]

Longk, do you always take your Cypripedium inside in the winter, I leave mine in the ground. Although I don't know what sort of temperatures you get in the winter, I go down to -5c. I did however have a bit of a mishap early this spring when I found a bamboo culm had escaped over the root barrier I had put in. I cut it off, gave it a mighty tug and out it came, so did the clump of Cypripedium which it had grown straight through the middle of. :roll: I put them back in the ground an they did flower so hopefully no permanent harm done. ;)

[LONGK]

Longk, do you always take your Cypripedium inside in the winter, I leave mine in the ground. Although I don't know what sort of temperatures you get in the winter, I go down to -5c. I did however have a bit of a mishap early this spring when I found a bamboo culm had escaped over the root barrier I had put in. I cut it off, gave it a mighty tug and out it came, so did the clump of Cypripedium which it had grown straight through the middle of. :roll: I put them back in the ground an they did flower so hopefully no permanent harm done. ;)

I've tried a couple of times in the ground with no joy. My winter lows this year were -7°c with a few more at -6°c, -5°c being quite common.
I think that the real issue is the heavy clay soil. Even if you improve the soil unless you do a large enough area then you just end up creating a sump. Next year I'll be building a rockery area in the side garden next to the house so the plan is to bulk it up some more and then split a back-up off and plant the main plant out.

Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii is not really "pushing the borders" but I'm showing it because a] is such a darned good colour and b] it addresses that common complaint about Camassia, the messy foliage. When I bought it last year it had gone over so the colour was a real bonus but even then as the plant was going over the foliage was still tidy and upright..............
Camassia leichtlinii ssp. suksdorfii by longk48, on Flickr

[kGarden]

the messy foliage

I'm planting more and more bulbs in my mixed Shrub / Herbaceous Blue-and-White themed border. The following lot mostly covers up the foliage of the former, or so it seems to me.

I do have a fair few Agapanthus (evergreen, in pots, overwintered under cover) which get stood-out to fill colour gaps, and amybe camouflage foliage (might have just been subconsious as I haven't noticed "stale foliage")

P.S. if I buy Camassia Leichtlini Caerulea is that going to be 'suksdorfii', or are they different? Cheap-as-chips at Parkers Wholesale (£27/100), although I have a few Caerulea bought from specialist nurseries (not sure I've compared them side by side to see if they were worth the money, of if ones I bought Wholesale are much-of-a-muchness), and saving seed is going to take a couple of years ... or more ... for a show.

[LONGK]

the messy foliage

P.S. if I buy Camassia Leichtlini Caerulea is that going to be 'suksdorfii', or are they different? Cheap-as-chips at Parkers Wholesale (£27/100), although I have a few Caerulea bought from specialist nurseries (not sure I've compared them side by side to see if they were worth the money, of if ones I bought Wholesale are much-of-a-muchness), and saving seed is going to take a couple of years ... or more ... for a show.

I have no idea I'm afraid. I would have passed it by except for the nursery owner singing its praises and cutting me a deal to save him having to overwinter them.

[charlie]

Things starting to recover from the first part of June!

This little Asarina (if they haven't changed its name again) is a bit of a weed but I quite like it.

asarina procumbens 001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Wish these would stay in the garden and not colonize the greenhouses

anomatheca joan evans 004 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Smells good too! Last years seed has produced two plants which I will grow on to see if the behave the same

lonicera hilderbrandiana 003 by charliepridham, on Flickr

isoplexis canariensis 006 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[LONGK]

Charlie - I assume that you're growing the Isoplexis outdoors?

Salvia guaranitica (species)...........
Is this Salvia coerulea? by longk48, on Flickr

Canna paniculata.............
Canna paniculata by longk48, on Flickr

Just an annual but Lathyrus sativus var. azureus is certainly eyecatching............
Lathyrus sativus var. azureus by longk48, on Flickr

Finally, you cannot ignore Dracunculus vulgaris............
Dracunculus vulgaris by longk48, on Flickr

[LONGK]

The first of my latest batch of seed grown Salvia dolichantha has bloomed and this one is a gem!
Salvia dolichantha by longk48, on Flickr

Despite being hardy I start a new batch off every year as they are quite variable and it's interesting to see what comes out.

[charlie]

How big are the flowers Keith?

and to answer a previous question the Isoplexis is outside but its the 4th time of trying so I am not holding my breath!

[LONGK]

How big are the flowers Keith?

and to answer a previous question the Isoplexis is outside but its the 4th time of trying so I am not holding my breath!

They're about 4cm long and the stem is about 40cm high (double that if planted in the ground). I flower them in pots first and select the keepers then to plant out. It is a fully hardy species.

So the Isoplexis was planted out in the spring?