2024 odds and sods

[MartinNicklin]

I sometimes feel a little depressed after viewing David’s posts from California, knowing that so many of those glorious plants are impossible over here. However, looking through this thread I realise that we are indeed lucky in the IK to have such a benign climate as to allow a massive range of stunning plants.

My Hedychium is also only just appearing in flower:



I sometimes wonder if they are worth the space they occupy because although very exotic, both in appearance and scent, the blooms are so short lived.

I too have real trouble with Clerodendrum bungei but mine came from Pink Diamond which I got years ago from Duchy in Cornwall. I love the plant (although again the flowers are very short-lived) but the suckers get everywhere and are the standard form.



I love fuchsias. They have done well in the cool wet season. Logan Woods for me has reached 8ft tall and I’ve just treated myself to this similar cultivar, Arauco:



Generally it’s been a miserable year weather wise. The only coloured butterfly I have seen in my area (which is semi rural), this lovely Speckled Wood … and it was in my kitchen! It’s so sad and worrying what is happening with our insects and I’m sure it’s had an impact on the birds. We used to have such a wealth of species around here but this year I’ve seen precious little.

[charlie]

About to head for Madeira so thought I would have a quick look around with the camera before I went.

Ipomoea indica by charliepridham, on Flickr

This is the only Tibouchina that flowers reliably each year out unprotected in the garden

Tibouchina paratropica by charliepridham, on Flickr

All the Abutilon are looking good this year

Abutilon Marion by charliepridham, on Flickr

Finally come into flower

Cobaea pringlei by charliepridham, on Flickr

Hardly the most spectacular flower but the scent is fantastic, and of course you can eat the yams - I think it may have had a name change?

Dioscorea batatas by charliepridham, on Flickr

Campsis radicans by charliepridham, on Flickr

Lapageria El Vergel by charliepridham, on Flickr

Flower is not quite fully open but the plant is still very small and I wasnt sure if I would get any more this year!

Lapageria Collinge by charliepridham, on Flickr

Abelia by charliepridham, on Flickr

[David F]

Great to see all the lovely blooms there in the UK this season, some that are rather hard to find over here, or have become scarce but were formerly more available. I especially enjoy seeing all your various Hedychium species, I have to visit the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden to see most of these, most just aren’t stocked in nurseries here.

The shorter days leave me a bit sad, knowing that colder weather is on its way again. But here’s one of my Hedychiums blooming now, along with some other dazzlers.


In my garden, I’m surprised to see the first blooms already on the Tree Daisies, Montanoa grandiflora and Polymnia maculata. It seems at least a month earlier than most years. Still no buds yet on the Dahlia imperialis though.


Kniphofia(not sure of the name)


Aechmea kertesziae


Hedychium greenei

[Chad]

I think it may have had a name change?

Dioscorea batatas is now Dioscorea polystachya.

And,

Tibouchina paratropica is now Chaetogastra paratropica.

Chad

[charlie]

I think it may have had a name change?

And,

Tibouchina paratropica is now Chaetogastra paratropica.

Chad

Which is precisely why I haven't changed my labels!

[charlie]

Finally back from our travels, had a quick whiz around to see whats going on !

The Calceolaria has gone bananas!

Calceolaria pavoni by charliepridham, on Flickr

Still a few flowers left on the Mandevilla and Bougainvillaea

Conservatory by charliepridham, on Flickr

Still my number one for growing outdoors as its almost as hardy as P. carulea

Passiflora Betty Myles Young by charliepridham, on Flickr

Begonia living up to its name of grandis

Begonia grandis evansii by charliepridham, on Flickr

View from our bedroom

Front side garden by charliepridham, on Flickr

Front side garden by charliepridham, on Flickr

I know its a bit of a weed but I rather like it at this time of year, I havent seen the usual Humming Bird Hawk moths at all this year though

Verbena bonariensis by charliepridham, on Flickr

The Cobaea was late starting but is now looking great

Cobaea pringlei by charliepridham, on Flickr

Not seen this before on the Lapageria, the flowers are often affected by temperature but normally all of them

Lapageria Montenegro's Red by charliepridham, on Flickr

Lapageria flesh pink by charliepridham, on Flickr

Nearly in flower!

Hedychium maximum by charliepridham, on Flickr

WE cant decide whether to dig this out and burn as its so invasive? but it always looks a good splosh of colour at this time of year

[charlie]

Hedychium maximum has finally made it into flower - worth waiting for I think.

hedychium maximum 2 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Hedychium maximum by charliepridham, on Flickr

[AndyC]

Yes, Hedychium maximum also has a lovely scent.
My Hedychium have really enjoyed this wet summer/autumn.

H. greenii


H. griffithianum


H. densiflorum 'Stephen' post flowering

Although this is a naturally occurring hybrid it doesn't come true from seed for me. The resulting plants produce smaller leaves and flowers that look like those of a poor straight H. densiflorum.

Nicandra sp. maxima

This plant self seeds in my garden now and if left in situ can achieve in excess of 2M high (as has this one)
Not sure if this is the correct name. It came to me from Chad a few years ago with the name Nicandra sp. Nova. It seems to have quite a few different names from online nurseries now.

[charlie]

H. densiflorum 'Stephen' post flowering

Although this is a naturally occurring hybrid it doesn't come true from seed for me. The resulting plants produce smaller leaves and flowers that look like those of a poor straight H. densiflorum.

How odd? my Stephen was a seedling in amongst my clump of densiflorum!!

[AndyC]

I was growing and flowering 'Sorung' and 'Assam Orange' at about the same time so I did wonder whether there might have been some cross fertilization resulting in reversion to the straight species.
I'm no botanist so I might be talking rubbish.