[Help] Gardeners Question Time.

[Jack Straw]

If got this stuff growing on top of the garden, where I pull up the bulbs, I just assumed they were one of the same

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Tricky one this. I'm going for Bergenia (Elephant's ears). They produce these long branchy things as they get older. They definitely aren't a problem and should dig out very easily. Probably the only non-invasive thing you've got in your garden at the moment, Stat!
I don't suppose you've got a photo of it with some leaves on?

 

[Stat Brother]

Tricky one this. I'm going for Bergenia (Elephant's ears). They produce these long branchy things as they get older. They definitely aren't a problem and should dig out very easily. Probably the only non-invasive thing you've got in your garden at the moment, Stat!
I don't suppose you've got a photo of it with some leaves on?

Nah it's just brittle dead looking stuff lying on top of the soil, of which I'm yet to find the root ball.
In late spring there was some bright red flowers, in that general area, but I was sorting out the indoor shitshow then so never really bothered to have a look.

 

[Jack Straw]

Nah it's just brittle dead looking stuff lying on top of the soil, of which I'm yet to find the root ball.
In late spring there was some bright red flowers, in that general area, but I was sorting out the indoor shitshow then so never really bothered to have a look.

Anything like this;

 

[Stat Brother]

Anything like this;

Yeah maybe - the leaves look familiar if not the flowers.

 

[Stat Brother]

Is there any way round all the 'winter indoors' bs that comes with a Strelitzia?

 

[Jack Straw]

Is there any way round all the 'winter indoors' bs that comes with a Strelitzia?

No! They come from warmer climes, so would perrish outdoors here. How come you're using names like Strelitzia instead of Bird of Paradise Plant, or even some green thing with orange and mauve pointy flowers?

 

[wellquickwoody]

Is there any way round all the 'winter indoors' bs that comes with a Strelitzia?

Tried one in my sheltered Hove garden some years back. Flowered the first year but not again, died about 3 years later, definitely cold related.

 

[Stat Brother]

No! They come from warmer climes, so would perrish outdoors here. How come you're using names like Strelitzia instead of Bird of Paradise Plant, or even some green thing with orange and mauve pointy flowers?

I ain't no commoner.


What if I knitted it a nice fleecy jumper?
I know for a fact we've not had a frost since mid January (that's when I bought deicer for the car)

 

[Wardy's twin]

Anything like this;

and I thought they were a Hosta.... learn something new everyday on NSC. My daughter has them in her garden ...

 

[Jack Straw]

I ain't no commoner.


What if I knitted it a nice fleecy jumper?
I know for a fact we've not had a frost since mid January (that's when I bought deicer for the car)

You could get your knitting kneedles out, or just spray your Strelitzia with some deicer?

 

[Stat Brother]

You could get your knitting kneedles out, or just spray your Strelitzia with some deicer?

Ok, ok, I'll open the fridge door and leave the car running.

Hopefully I can have one in a few years time.



#SelfishMoi?

 

[wellquickwoody]

I also lost palm trees that I had hoped would make it. One cold winter they seemed to cope with, but when it stretched to three in a row with snow (not much, just a couple of cms that hung around on grass or undisturbed ground for a day or two) then they gave up the ghost.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Believe it or nuts, strelitzia reginae will take a couple of degrees below zero. Not when they're small and not for any length of time....like an English winter. It's a safer bet to grow it outside in a pot, then bung it undercover for the frosty months.
Wellquickwoody, what palms did you lose? Was it over here or down under? The ones I've struggled with are phoenix, canariensis, theothrastii and dactylifera. Small washingtonia, serenoa and rhopalostylis are others that look trashed after a few dodgy months of sludge and slurry. Of course, the other end of the scale is trachycarpus, chamaerops and jubaea just laugh at the wet winters

 

[wellquickwoody]

Believe it or nuts, strelitzia reginae will take a couple of degrees below zero. Not when they're small and not for any length of time....like an English winter. It's a safer bet to grow it outside in a pot, then bung it undercover for the frosty months.
Wellquickwoody, what palms did you lose? Was it over here or down under? The ones I've struggled with are phoenix, canariensis, theothrastii and dactylifera. Small washingtonia, serenoa and rhopalostylis are others that look trashed after a few dodgy months of sludge and slurry. Of course, the other end of the scale is trachycarpus, chamaerops and jubaea just laugh at the wet winters

I lost both Washingtonia and Phoenix, but I do believe a Phoenix is doable, at least in Hove. I lost a small one after just a couple of cool winters, but I only lost a big one after a 10-14 day severe cold snap that had been preceded by snow AND I had neither protected the crown or got rid of the snow. The previous winter or two had also seen smallish snowfalls. In my view the problem was actual snow up against the growing tip of the Phoenix, or prolonged spells of old fashioned proper cold weather. If I was trying again in the UK I would wrap the growing tips with hay/straw/fleece for the three coldest months of the year, and keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Stat Brother]

A shite tonne of plants have arrived at Stat Towers - what a fantastic 4 days I have ahead of me. .

 

[Weststander]

We visited Iford Manor Gardens (near Bath) today. Stunning, formal gardens with large expanses of meadow too.









Great work @Lamie.

 

[Jack Straw]

We visited Iford Manor Gardens (near Bath) today. Stunning, formal gardens with large expanses of meadow too.

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Great work @Lamie.

That's what Stat's will look like in a few days'!

 

[Jack Straw]

A shite tonne of plants have arrived at Stat Towers - what a fantastic 4 days I have ahead of me. .

See above!

 

[Stat Brother]

See above!

Looks rank.




I've just found out half the bit round the corner has been paved over.


FFS.

 

[Stat Brother]

Clump or not to clump, that is the question.

Hopefully this afternoon I shall be planting, and I have some multiples.
So I have the day to decide whether to plant them altogether or space them round the garden.

I have:-

6 hardy fushias
8 (6 free) Dianthus - pink red and white.
2 Digitalis
3 Nerine bowdenii
5 Zentedeschia
5 Dahlia
&
3 Arisaema - which will be clumped together.