In search of 'The Holy Grail'

[Dominic B]

That you, Chad, that is worth trying.

I know nothing of that Lonicera - do you have any images - I like the sound of it. I had the starting point of success with L Hildenbrandiana this summer. 3 grape sized fruit produced 5 seeds. I washed them and then put them in the fridge in perlite (maybe October). When I checked them again just before Xmas they had all germinated. I carefully potted on keeping cool but they fizzled out. Next year perhaps put them in the fridge a little later eg December for a Feb germination?

[Chad]

I know nothing of that Lonicera - do you have any images - I like the sound of it.

Sorry I've lost the flow.

What Lonicera?

Chad

[Dominic B]

That is me being a numpty. I had Lonicera Hildenbrandia in my head and somehow Hillebrandia became a Lonicera. Which it isn’t. Apologies :D

Hillebrandia is very cool.

[Chad]

I see how you got there now.

Hillebrandia sandwicensis is quoted as hardy to about -4C, overwintering as tubers half way up the Hawaiian mountains but I have never seen one in the flesh let alone for sale.

Chad

[charlie]

That you, Chad, that is worth trying.

I know nothing of that Lonicera - do you have any images - I like the sound of it. I had the starting point of success with L Hildenbrandiana this summer. 3 grape sized fruit produced 5 seeds. I washed them and then put them in the fridge in perlite (maybe October). When I checked them again just before Xmas they had all germinated. I carefully potted on keeping cool but they fizzled out. Next year perhaps put them in the fridge a little later eg December for a Feb germination?

Don't mean to be a wet blanket but save your energy re the Lonicera hilderbrandiana seed, they do germinate although its hard to stop them rotting but the resulting plants can take decades to flower whereas cuttings will flower the same year if taken off a flowering plant!

[Dominic B]

Thank you, Charlie - I really won’t waste my time on that again!!

[flounder]

That you, Chad, that is worth trying.

I know nothing of that Lonicera - do you have any images - I like the sound of it. I had the starting point of success with L Hildenbrandiana this summer. 3 grape sized fruit produced 5 seeds. I washed them and then put them in the fridge in perlite (maybe October). When I checked them again just before Xmas they had all germinated. I carefully potted on keeping cool but they fizzled out. Next year perhaps put them in the fridge a little later eg December for a Feb germination?

Don't mean to be a wet blanket but save your energy re the Lonicera hilderbrandiana seed, they do germinate although its hard to stop them rotting but the resulting plants can take decades to flower whereas cuttings will flower the same year if taken off a flowering plant!

Totally agree with you Charlie. had good germination, but they all turned into lemmings after that

[kGarden]

My Holy Grail is out of step with you guys I'm afraid ... I want Portuguese laurel ... following a stay at Chateau La Ballue in Brittany

The view from our bedroom window:


But the feature I wanted to take home was their Laurel Alley. Theirs was Cherry Laurel, and a bit "plonked in the garden"



but I loved the way the double-row of stems were exposed when you were inside it



and I think would look nicer in Portuguese.

I need a wind break along my perimeter on the prevailing-wind side. I reckon 500 plants should do it! 2-per-yard, 2-rows, should give me 100-ish yards of tunnel :) maybe one-per-yard would make for more dramatic stems. I remember ready Cristo Lloyds writing along the lines of "Plant a hedge at the distance the plants will be comfortable when they are mature, not the spacing you want for the first few years to pretend it is already a hedge".

I have a fairly large Portuguese Laurel hedge which perhaps I could take cuttings off, otherwise its going to be Cell Plants which are about a £quid (but can't find any source until next Autumn)

[kGarden]

... on which note on the way home we stopped at Sericourt - bonkers garden - and they had this Leylandii grove, planted far too close together, but liked this path



At the weekend looking at how we would extend our Winter Walk (sounds very grand ... its just a few trees with soem Snowdrops under them) there is a thicket of boring conifers, hiding a view, and three is a route through that which would allow for white-stems :)

I'll see if I can take a "before" photo.

[Chad]

I love the idea of a wind breaking tunnel.

Trevarno [now private and not open to visitors] has a venerable yew walk.

I liked the idea of one with Genista aetnensis that wouldn't cast much shade, but my packet of seeds has only got three in it! I'm looking for a more generous seed supplier.



Chad