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Author: hortoris

Pelargoniums are Something Special

Pelargoniums are Something Special

Something Special

This pelargonium was sold to me By Fir Trees Nursery as called ‘Something Special’. The colour in bloom is clearer and softer pink than I can get on the computer screen and is something special in appearance.

In 2012 they have 3 brand new releases and have many new introductions which are new to us throughout the catalogue.

[‘The first new release is a decorative regal from a hybridist in Italy Riccardo Gallucci.
I was given a small plant of ‘Donatella Love’ by Derek Lee about 2 years ago who thought it unusual-as did we when we saw it flower. It is a striking variety and very free flowering with an unusual colour combination. I later found out from Derek that it was bred in Italy and he would put me in touch with Gwen Ward who passed my details on to Riccardo who kindly agreed to let us release his wonderful variety so that it available in the UK for you all to grow and enjoy. ‘Donatella Love’ is named after Riccardos wife.

Pelargonium

The second new release is a sport found on our nursery about 3 yearsago from ‘Quantock Double Dymond’. It has green bracts rather than petals which gives the appearance of a green flower. It starts off as a small green rosebud shaped bloom, then as the weeks go by these extend to form little green catkins which gave us the name. Like ‘Quantock Double Dymond’ it has a lax habit so is suitable for small hanging pots or around a trough edge. It is a very tidy plant as it doesn’t drop petals anywhere! It is a compact plant and a relatively slow grower.

The Third and final new release is an angel bred by John Green and named after Pearl Sulman who many of you know as a very good nurserywoman and grower of pelargoniums until her retirement in 2010. Pearl along with husband Brian Sulman won many gold medals over the years with their displays of pelargoniums, specialising in miniature, angels and regals among a range of other pelargoniums. John raised the variety for Pearl to release at Chelsea 2011 but unfortunately due to Pearls illness they had to retire at the end of 2010 so John asked if we would release the variety and of course we were delighted to. I hope you will enjoy growing ‘Pearl Sulman’, a very free flowering variety.’

Pelargonium

This variety looks a deeper shade of pink in the evening sunshine.

I bought these plants when passing a specialist Fir Trees pelargonium nursery in Stokesley

It is said to be a good exhibition variety and my plant has a good habit and several strong flower stems each with numerous pips.

The leaves are small and not deeply zoned with the usual ‘geranium’ fragrance

Pelargonium regal

This Regal Pelargonium waited until late September to show any buds but the flowers were worth waiting for. I will cosset this plant through winter.

Pelargonium

Photos are just a representaive sample of the pelargoniums you could be growing for next year

Decorative Callicarpa Berries

Decorative Callicarpa Berries

Callicarpa bodinieri
Callicarpa bodinieri

Callicarpa Beautiful Berries

  • The violet-purple beads formed in clusters make these Callicarpa berries look exotic.
  • Every branch is strung with these bead like berries through autumn and early winter and lasts for a month once cut for indoor decoration.
  • This deciduous  shrubs can grow to 10 feet tall and may be lightly tidied up with a bit of trimming or pruning when the buds begin to swell in spring.
  • Plant in a sheltered position and avoid any excessive conditions. Put several plants together for good pollination.
  • The variety Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’ is freely available and flowers pink in July and has attractive young and old leaves.
  • Callicarpa dichotoma is commonly called the Beauty Berry.
  • The seeds are attractive to birds.

Callicarpa

Callicarpa Varieties

  • Callicarpa bodinieri or Bodinier’s Beautyberry is an ornamental shrub. It is grown in gardens for its decorative purple light-berries.
  • Callicarpa dichotoma is also called Purple Beautyberry or Early Amethyst.
  • Callicarpa japonica is related to Verbenas
  • While the Callicarpa berries are not poisonous to humans they are very bitter. You never see blue fruit (or do you know better?)

Callicarpa (Beautyberry) at Streissguth Garden in Winter

Credits
Callicarpa (Beautyberry) at Streissguth Garden in Winter by brewbooks CC BY-SA 2.0

Help Growing Lobelia

Help Growing Lobelia

Photo cc by slideshow bob

Lobelia erinus or annual Lobelia is renown for it’s strong blue summer flowers that combine well with the white of Alysum. Thet are also capable of making a strong statement when grown in a container.

Description of Lobelia

  • The single flowers of Lobelias have small, round leaves and flowers up to 1/2 inch in diameter.
  • Some varieties are compact and mound forming whist others are grown for their trailing habit.
  • Lobelia flowers from July until October in white, purple or blue shades and some varieties are bicoloured.
  • Plants are low growing dependent on variety.
  • The plants have a light airy and frail but are covered in flower.

Cultivation Tips for Lobelia

  • Easy to grow from seed or buy as ready grown plants. Young plants can be slow and frustrating to develop.
  • Lobelia grows best in cool areas.
  • Space four to six inches apart in the garden or in containers.
  • Sow 3mm (1/8in) deep in early spring at 70-75F in a good seed compost. Keep soil damp but not wet, sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is helpful.
  • Germination usually takes 15-21 days. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow on in cooler conditions.
  • Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost
  • Lobelia like well-drained but light yet moist soil in a cool spot.
  • Can be grown as pot or container plants in cool well ventilated areas with plenty of light.

Lobelia
Creative commons from daryl_mitchell/2645365189/

Special Growing Tips for Lobelia

  • Use Lobelia for edging borders in formal planting or as spot colour in rock gardens, or in front of taller plantings beside walks and pathways.
  • Trailing Lobelia are among the best plants for window boxes, pouches and all types of containers.
  • Older varieties in Ultra Cascade mix, flower early and fade, whilst the newer varieties last longer, so mixed together you’ll have a full season of stunning lobelia colour.
  • Keep Lobelia well watered.

Varieties, Species and Types of Lobelia

  • Mounding forms such as Crystal Palace have deep-blue flowers and bronze foliage
  • Cambridge Blue has sky-blue flowers and Rosamund flowers cherry-red.
  • Favourite trailers such as Blue Fountain ahve deep-blue petals with white eyes.
  • Blue Cascade and White Cascadeare appropriately named.
  • ‘Superstar’ whose flowers are truly dramatic with unusually large bloom in deep indigo blue with a bright white eye is a relative new comer.

Horticulture Sources and Advice

Help Growing Cosmos

Help Growing Cosmos

Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus or the Mexican aster is a fine half-hardy annual to grow in any garden. The tall frothy stems produce many single dahlia like flowers in bright colours ranging from white to carmine

Description of Cosmos

  • The single flowers have 8 petals that open wide to reveal a ray or center disc of florets and yellow stamen.
  • Cosmos flowers from July until October.
  • Plants vary in height from 24-48in dependent on variety.
  • Excellent for cutting and make very attractive pot plants for summer flowering in a cold greenhouse.
  • Cosmos has single dahlia-like blooms that are 3in or more across.
  • The leaves are simple, pinnate, or bipinnate, and arranged in opposite pairs.
  • The plants have a light airy see through structure

Cultivation Tips for Cosmos

  • Easy to grow from seed or buy as ready grown plants.
  • Most Cosmos will self seed if left to set and distribute seed.
  • Sow 3mm (1/8in) deep in spring at 21 -24C (70-75F) in a good seed compost. Keep soil damp but not wet, sealing in a polythene bag after sowing is helpful.
  • Germination usually takes 5-10 days. When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow on in cooler conditions.
  • Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 60cm (24in) apart in a sunny spot on light well drained soil.
  • Cosmos like well-drained but light yet moist soil.
  • Can be grown as pot plants in cool well ventilated areas with plenty of light.

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Special Growing Tips for Cosmos

  • Can get blown about because of their height and delicate foliage so might need staking, depending on position.
  • They will attract Goldfinches and butterflies into your garden
  • Cosmos flower again and again after dead heading and some new varieties drop the old flowers to save you this trouble.
  • When flowering, the plant can become top heavy. Grow Cosmos in groups so that the bi-pinnate leaves interlock and supports one another.

Varieties, Species and Types of Cosmos

  • Cosmos sulphureus ‘Brightness Mixed’ One of the most free-flowering yellow and orange Cosmos of this type. Dwarf and bushy plants upto 2 feet high
  • Cosmos bipinnatus Sensationor with purple pink and white flowers.
  • Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Double Click Snow Puff’ has spectacular double, white, pom-pom flowers with a delicate hint of blushed pink of
  • The Sonata Series, AGM, is an award- winning strain, producing compact plants with large red, rose, pink and white flowers, available as a mixture or in single colours.
  • Cosmos atrosanguineus aka Bidens atrosanguinea is the in demand Chocolate Cosmos. These plants are virtually perennial and not very hardy so need protection.

Horticulture Sources and Advice

    • You can often obtain seeds or plants from our mail order company of choice Thompson & Morgan
    • Cosmos are originally from Mexico and flourishing in warm sun and poor soils.
    • Also read Growing Cosmos easy annulas

Cosmos

From Gardeners Tips 2009 Easy to Grow Cosmos:

A bright cheery annual the Cosmos is an easy flower to grow and adds height and interest to a mixed border or looks stunning on its own. The clouds of feathery foliage set off the tall 3-4 feet tall flowers.

Tips for Growing Cosmos

      • After all the frost has gone sow Cosmos seeds thinly, direct into the ground and just cover lightly. They like well drained soil and a bit of sun for the best flowering.
      • When Cosmos get to about 3 inches tall thin out to 10 inches apart, about enough distance to provide support for one another .
      • Pinch out the growing tip when they get to 12-15 inches tall to encourage branching and more flowers.
      • They are good as cut flowers, attract wildlife and if deadheaded should flower until the first frost.
      • Plant in blocks rather than rows and if exposed to windy conditions provide some support.

Special Cosmos to Grow

    • Colours range from white, pink, rose through to hot orange. Cosmos Sulphureus are mainly yellow and ‘Sunny Bars’ is a double yellow.
    • The Chocolate Cosmos called Cosmos atrosanguineum is perennial and is best grown from a bought plant. The deep burgundy flowers smell of chocolate.
    • Common species are available in mixtures like ‘Sensation’ or the dwarf ‘Sonata’.
    • Variety ‘Sea Shells’ has unusual tubular petalled blossom.
10 Quick Gardener’s Tips

10 Quick Gardener’s Tips

Artichoke

If you like fast results in your garden try these ten Quick Gardeners Tips covering design, cultivation and money saving.

Money Saving Tips

  • When making new lawns just make the surround or outer edge with turf about 18-24 inches wide so you can then cut a straight edge. Sow seed in the middle to save money. Take care the ground level is not raised by the turf.
  • Buy small plants and grow them on if you do not have the patience to grow from seed or trust your skill with cuttings.
  • Epsom salts watered on sickly plants will help green them up at a low cost.(2oz =1 gal tablespoon per rose)

Cultivation Tips

  • Plants tend to put strength into their weakest parts so clean up or prune out broken and weak shoots.
  • Sow wallflowers in June for a colourful, scented display the following spring.
  • Companion plant mint, garlic, violas, borage, clematis, marjoram or geraniums they will all work well with Roses

Simple Design Tips

  • The eye sees flowers in hot reds and yellows as appearing nearer. Blues seem to be further away so plant them at the back of borders to make the border seem deeper.
  • In a small garden mix vegetables & flowers like lettuce & lobelia or peas and sweet peas. Use some vegetables just because they are quite decorative or architectural like our Artichoke pictured.
  • If a plant is good or one of your favourites grow a lot in drifts not dotted around randomly.
  • For fun and added interest name sections of your garden. If it is too large or has an unkempt area have a reservation or butterfly reserve, other areas may be named after people, styles or other themes.
Honesty is the Best Policy

Honesty is the Best Policy

I will enjoy these Honesty plants three times over. Honesty also called Lunaria annua, Money plant or in America, Silver dollar plants are bi annuals grown from seed in one year to flower in the next.

  1. These leaves have attracted a heavy covering of frost but they will come through even in a hard winter to grow away strongly next spring. They are a bit prone to mildew next autumn but for now they provide shape and texture in a natural part of the garden.
  2. In spring the grey -green plants will branch and produce a profusion of lightly scented, single, small purple flowers. There is also a white variety great for cottage gardens.
  3. The reason these plants are famous and one reason for there names is the seed heads. A coin sized translucent papery seed head is uncovered as the seeds are self sown by the plant in late summer. These multiple seed heads are very popular as dried flowers and in flower arranging and look eerie in a dark corner of the garden through winter.

Honesty

Other Resources

Seedheads for display
Honesty growing tips for flowers and seedheads.

When to Move Shrubs and Small Trees

When to Move Shrubs and Small Trees

barrow 011

A plant in the wrong place is one definition of a weed. All is not lost if this happens to be a favoured shrub or small tree. However it is nearly too late to move your shrubs this year if you want to give them the best chance of survival.

Season By Season Shrub Moving

    Autumn from late September until mid November is a good time to move shrubs and trees. The soil is still warm and you can pick a time when the soil has been soaked with Autumn rain. This encourages plants to reestablish themselves more rapidly and give them a good start into growth in Spring.
    Avoid transplanting tender or borderline hardy plants as disturbance can damage and rot roots. Frost can also penetrate broken soil more easily.

    Winter is considered too cold and wet to move even hardy specimens. From December to February you are likely to mix cold top soil with lower soil and on clay you may exacerbate water logging problems.

    Spring from March to May is the prime time for transplants. The temperatures are rising, the sunlight lasts longer and there is still moisture in the soil. Borderline hardy plants can now be moved as the chance of prolonged frost has receeded.

    Summer moving risks a shortage of water which can be very harmful to larger plants. If you must move at this time cut back previous seasons growth to reduce the leaf area, reduce wilting and speed up re-establishment. Mulch well and keep watering through to winter. It may be necessary to cover foliage with fleece in hot summer sunshine to cut water loss.

Gardeners Tips on How to Move Shrubs

  • For special shrubs cut a channel, at least 1 foot from the main stem, all around the root ball during autumn. Leave until spring when it should have grown more fibrous roots to help the transplanting. Then lift with the rootball cutting under the shrub.
  • Soak the roots the day before you plan to move and have the new hole ready so the roots do not dry out.
  • Lift a block of soil with the roots as a root ball
  • Watering the new position is more important than feeding the plant. Add slow release fertilizer if required but avoid encouraging too much soft fleshy new growth
  • Mix garden soil, compost and water retaining granules with the soil you use to back fill the new hole.
  • Prune and pinch back new shoots to get a balance between roots and top growth.

Replanting Aftercare

  • Ensure your planting hole is large enough to accommodate the new plant with space to back fill with good compost or soil.
  • Tamp the soil down as you replant, water well and mulch around the newly planted shrub
  • In the first year after replanting keep well watered with copious quantities of water. Provide a through soaking rather than a light spray that may bring roots to the surface.
  • Provide some support if the new location is windy
Pentas the Plant for 2012

Pentas the Plant for 2012

Pentas

Occasionally I spot a plant that I think is going to be popular in the years to come. Pentas are now appearing as pot plants and I think they will be popular as showy annuals in 2012 and the near future.
American breeders are going to help the introduction to the UK with a wide range of colours and varieties to choose from.

What are Pentas

  • Pentas are African in origin and are best treated as annuals in the UK although they may be perennial in the right conditions.
  • Pentas have dark green, lance-shaped, furry veined leaves as shown above.
  • Plants can grow up to 3 feet high and wide but new F1 seeds are more compact.
  • The prolific clusters of five-petaled star shaped flowers bloom all summer.
  • Flowers are available in red, white, lavender, purple, and shades of pink.
  • Pentas can be grown in Containers,Beds & Borders, or as Groundcover.

Attraction of Pentas

  • Pentas will flourish in high heat/humidity.
  • Butterflies are very attracted to the Pentas flower and combine well with Buddleia
  • The flowers grow on terminal clusters and self-deadhead.
  • Pentas can be produced in 12-13 weeks from seed.
  • Full sized Pentas are often sprawling, as tall stems will topple over.
Winter Tree Treatment

Winter Tree Treatment

Hamamelis intermedia

Winter treatment of trees and shrubs should be well under way as we reach the middle of Autumn.

Basic Husbandry

    Prune established trees and shrubs removing dead or diseased branches. On Apple and Crab Apple trees remove inward growing shoots and badly shaped branches.
    Thin out weak shoots from climbing shrubs and hard prune misshapen or neglected plants like Solanum. Vines should be pruned by mid February or they will bleed sap. Cut back straggly Hamamellis lightly after flowering if required.

    Water during autumn. Drying winds and lack of rain water can create drought-like conditions. Evergreens, such as hollies and rhododendrons are especially susceptible to dehydration since they lose moisture through the pores in the undersides of their leaves. Kkeep watering your newly planted trees and shrubs right up until the ground freezes

    Mulch is a natural treatment for your trees in winter. It is no surprise that woodlands are covered in a thick, natural layer of rotting leaves from Autumn onwards.

    Tidy up deciduous hedges with a light trim while you can still see the frame work. Collect any remaining loose leaves for composting.
    Stake any trees that have suffered from wind rock during winter. Water young trees if the soil is dry.

Safety Treatment

    Protect trunks and the bark of delicate ornamental trees from cracking by wrapping the trunk with strips of sacking. Wind them diagonally around the trunk, and secure the strips with twine. Protect young trees from Rabbits and Deer with chicken wire or a mesh surround.

    Chemical treatments for winter coddling moth such as tar oil or proprietary sprays can be applied. Alternatively use grease bands on fruit trees.

    Fertilisers are best kept until early spring but I do spread my compost heap and wood ash around trees in winter.

Far away tree

Prepare sites for planting.
Plant bare root roses when there is no frost in the ground, soak them in water for an hour first. Add compost and Blood Fish and Bone fertilizer and Mycorrhizal Fungi to encourage health root growth to a wide hole.
Plant seeds of trees and shrubs but be prepared for long germination periods.
Propagate Clerodendrum and Rhus from root cuttings.
Maintain good drainage and improve soil conditions

Tips for Growing Sweet Violets – Viola odorata

Tips for Growing Sweet Violets – Viola odorata

A century ago Sweet Violets were part of the Victorian way of life. Florists and street vendors sold them and ladies carried or wore them. Since ancient Greek times and through medieval times Sweet Violets were more than a flower or scent, they were used as a sweetener, a deodorant and medicinal uses. They were also a symbol of love used on St Valentines day and there are many Violet stories surrounding Napoleon and Josephine where the flowers are still popular in France.

Gardeners Tips For Growing Sweet Violets

  • Grow from seed or propagate from the stolens (runners)
  • Sweet Violets like a moist soil.
  • Feed them with a high potash feed or low nitrogen feed to optimise the flowers.
  • Violas are very easy to grow and tolerate of most soil types.
  • Viola odorata are perfect for partial shade and once established multiply quickly.

Recognising Sweet Violets – Viola odorata

  • Viola odorata is a perennial that spreads by runners and grows about 4″ high.
  • In the wild they grow in light woodland or under a hedge row in a humus rich soil.
  • The scented flowers are available in white as well as the deep violet.
  • Viola odorata has short spurred flowers that are very fragrant and a dark – purpleish blue colour.
  • The leaves are rounded, almost heart shaped with crinkled edges.

Viola odorata var. subcarnea
Also available in Pink is the viola odorata subcarnea.

Other Links for Viola odorata

Read about Growing Dogs Tooth Violets
For other fragrant and scented plants read Gardeners Tips
Look at the Violet Group on Flickr

Viola varieties available from Thompson & Morgan

Credits
Sweet Violet by Strobilomyces cc
Viola odorata var. subcarnea by –Tico– CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Maarts Viooltje by hans zwitzer CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Maarts Viooltje