PUSHING THE BORDERS

Feel free to add anything to this thread during the year.

Hi to all the recent folk joining from GOTE

Finally managed to get some gardening done the last few days, starting with a tidy and crown lift of the Phyllostachys vivax areocaulis (still rather grey and gloomy for photography!)

DSC_0001 by charliepridham, on Flickr

DSC_0005 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Always looks very bare at this time of year

DSC_0002 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Garrya eliptica 'James Roof'

Noticed David Feixs mention on Facebook how slow it is to get going in its native california, here it grows like a weed!!

DSC_0004 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Apart from a couple of Camellia this is the only flower I spotted

DSC_0003 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Charlie... I'd have thought all that phyllostachys bamboo would have completely taken away the water source from the tree fern?, it looks happy enough.

The tree fern has a permanent dripline into the crown which comes on for an hour every day, oddly though the bamboo has never run in that direction!

Pretty damn cold today (although having just seen Andrews post I shouldn't complain!) Anyway that was the reason for having a bit of a sweep and tidy in the Conservatory, Some stuff still flowering from last year but not much new yet.

Hardenbergia is one of the plants I am hoping can go out once my new wall gets finished (if it ever does)

hardenbergia violacea by charliepridham, on Flickr

This is an absolute star all winter

Reinwardtia indica by charliepridham, on Flickr

The Tibouchina came in for the winter in flower and haven't stopped since

Tibouchina urvilleana by charliepridham, on Flickr

Sweetly scented Pitto from Madeira , I dont think its the native one, sadly not been a success outside for me

pittosporum by charliepridham, on Flickr

Also showing much promise is this Jasmine, this does grow fine outdoors but fails to flower!

Jasminum dispermum by charliepridham, on Flickr

Lapageria are still going strong

Lapageria Flesh Pink by charliepridham, on Flickr

As you can see the difference to look at between the various cultivars are very slight, although the length and quantity/quality of the flowers does differ a bit

Lapageria Pink Panther by charliepridham, on Flickr

Lapageria Capoulican by charliepridham, on Flickr

Calceolaria pavoni by charliepridham, on Flickr

Love that bamboo. Everything looking good Charlie.

Lovely Calceolaria and I've always liked this genus. However, I looked this one up but not many images on the net and the ones which were there were poor images and would not inspire me to grow it. On your photo the blooms look lovely - almost orchid-like - but is that just the deception of close-up photography or is it really a plant worth growing with fabulous blooms? I am tempted if it is.

Flowers are indeed lovely but it is a beast grows to about 15 feet in season :)

Picture from before

Calceolaria pavonii 0048 by charliepridham, on Flickr

Oh wow Charlie. I hope they will be available when you come to Hodnet next year! Really nice!

Back from a very pleasant 2 weeks on Tenerife - What have you done to the Weather!!

OK question. Freesia - thought the scent would be lovely in the spring in the Conservatory so bought some Corms last year and potted them, first flowers

Freesia by charliepridham, on Flickr

scented but not as strong as I expected so do the different varieties vary? second one to flower looks to be white so I guess I will soon find out!

Second question, I was going to bung this lot out and buy new ones for next year, is there any point? works well with potted Hyacinthus but I have never tried Freesia before

Staying in the Conservatory as its too wet to go outside, the Jasminum dispermum is doing its thing now and that is very scented

Jasminum dispermum (2) by charliepridham, on Flickr

Amazingly the Tibouchina I brought in back in November are still in flower, they started in September

Tibouchina urvilleana (2) by charliepridham, on Flickr

I normally have to call a halt to the Calceolaria pavoni in April as its so big by then and there is other stuff coming along - Oh for more space!

Calceolaria pavoni (2) by charliepridham, on Flickr

This Pandorea survives outside but seldom flowers but under glass its rather lovely in the early spring

Pandorea Golden Showers by charliepridham, on Flickr

Pittosporum undullatum by charliepridham, on Flickr