Plants Catching the eye in 2017

[charlie]

Well October so far has been rather unkind to the garden , mild but wet and at times very windy. There are however some survivors!

This Cyathia now starting to look the part at 4' of trunk, I remember it when it was no bigger than my thumb.

cyathia cooperi 004 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Not the first time I have put pictures of this Senna up but its interesting how well it survived the two recent storms and still looks good.

senna corymbosa 002 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Still the best passiflora all rounder here, although I am trying again with some of the more tender sorts

passiflora betty myles young 001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

hedychium spicatum seed 008 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Couldn't believe this was still upright (and flowering)

hedychium maximum 006 by charliepridham, on Flickr

This has proved quite brittle and several branches went, but what remains is looking rather good

fuchsia paniculata 003 by charliepridham, on Flickr

fuchsia microphylla 007 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[kGarden]

passiflora betty myles young

OK, showing my ignorance here ...

... but, sorry, it doesn't look much different to the Bog Standard Cooking Version.

I got carried away thinking I'd grow some Passionflowers, and found a speicalist nursery (in Holland) who had an incredible range and, luckily!, my shortlist was too long - even for me - so I never started.

The favourite on my short list was Corry Rooymans along with P. serrulata and Sweet Surrender, and the white one Constance Elliot

Oh Dear! Typing that I think I should revisit my Wishlist ...

[charlie]

This is Passiflora caerulea

passiflora caerulea by charliepridham, on Flickr

In the UK most others are not really hardy and can be a problem under glass during summer as they wont flower if hot. Hopefully you can see that BMY is more colourful , its perhaps not as obvious the flowers are larger

passiflora betty myles young 001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[kGarden]

Seems to me there are lots of Passion Flowers that are quite similar to P. caerulea and I suppose if I was buying a couple I'd want ones that looked different, but you're right that instead of planting P. caerulea I should choose whatever variety performed and looked best, so in that sense BMY would be a good choice.

I read that grafting onto P. caerulea rootstock improved hardiness

I've now stumbled over the shortlist I made half a dozen years ago - Oh Dear! 11 varieties on it! not including the tropical ones which I have no hope of over-wintering, and varieties like Panda that need frost-free at least.

I stuck my Wishlist on Pinterest

[charlie]

Caerulea is probably the toughest (and least exciting!) actinea is hardy enough but never flowers as its spring flowering, grubbed mine out last year as a waste of space. Incense wont grow here in the west you may be OK but I doubt it, it needs dry ground over winter likewise incanata. The others I don't know as I have never grown them.

If you want to try Passiflora outdoors (apart from caerulea) then planting immediately adjacent to a wall ie bang up against it where it is driest you have to water the first summer until it grows a root system .

I keep hearing reports of grafted plants, and I can see the advantage as its the roots that die out over winter (tops go too but that doesn't matter as the flowers are all on the new growth) but I have never actually seen a plant, or met anyone who can say its worth the money!

This spring I put out a couple of not so hardy ones as a trial on a south wall, Passiflora x exoniensis and passiflora mollissima both cuttings last year, growth has been stupendous, twenty feet or more in all directions overwhelming all around, but so far 1 flower between the two!

[kGarden]

Very helpful, thanks Charlie.

... but so far 1 flower between the two!

Bummer!

[LONGK]

A few things of interest still blooming here;

Impatiens niamniamensis.............
Impatiens niamniamensis by longk48, on Flickr

Impatiens niamniamensis by longk48, on Flickr

It was outdoors last night nestled up with a few plants nestled up against the house wall they all came through the first frost unscathed!

Salvia involucrata is late this year.............
Salvia involucrata by longk48, on Flickr

By contrast Salvia elegans is early...............
Salvia elegans by longk48, on Flickr

Finally, Canarina canariensis..............
Canarina canariensis by longk48, on Flickr

[charlie]

This year is definitely on the fade now, finding it harder to find stuff looking untroubled by the season, and as is often the case at this time of year I find myself busy "not gardening" with most of the days spent outside committed to cutting back and shredding!

One of the best years for this somewhat tender Buddleja, back in the 90's I was supplying Aston university with prunings from this as part of a cancer drug research program - never heard whether they had any success or what the active ingredient was?

buddleja madagascariensis 001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

In the conservatory these Steptocarpus seem to have carried on much longer this year

streptocarpus 002 by charliepridham, on Flickr

This newish Honeysuckle is still catching the eye, in spring its the colours in the evergreen leaves as the new leaves form, then all though the summer masses of scented flowers, but I am rather taken with the fruit set (which so far the birds are ignoring) Previously posted under its KR collection number it has now been named.

Lonicera glabratra 'Damchin La' 004 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Lonicera glabratra 'Damchin La' 003 by charliepridham, on Flickr

[charlie]

Finally, Canarina canariensis..............
Canarina canariensis by longk48, on Flickr

How do you get yours to flower well Keith? here I get 1 flower per year usually in the autumn and it never sets seed, plant is big and happy, do you give lots of light/sun. Puzzled as these were flowering in spring on the Canaries

[Jungle Jas]

Following the banter on passionflowers some years ago I bought a dark red one from the Shrewsbury flower show which the seller assured me was hardy! So it proved to be much to my surprise. It's name was lost in the mists of time, any one have any ide what it may have been called as I would love another now I am living in a milder part of the UK.

Thanks Jas. ;)