@JennyJ What do you think of Livingstone daisies and Portulaca Grandiflora? I'm liking the latter. Although they aren't the colours I described before. Of course they aren't indoor plants and as you rightly say, less likely to work/last because of that. Someone on here suggested geraniums I think, unless that was me. Are all dwarf geraniums out of the question?
I've never grown portulaca. If I remember rightly, livingstone daisies (Mesembryanthemum) need light well-drained sandy/gritty soil and full sun, and the flowers close up on cloudy days. And again just for summer - they didn't come through the winter outside here, although apparently they can be overwintered to flower again the following summer https://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/grow-plants/mesembryanthemum/
I'm guessing the suggestion of geraniums was probably for pelargoniums https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/pelargonium not hardy geraniums (they're related but quite different in appearance and in the conditions they need). I've only ever grown them as outdoor summer bedding/container plants but I think they're often grown as greenhouse/conservatory plants so they might work if the light levels are high enough.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Temperature The required temperature to grow this plant is 18 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius (64.4 F to 77.7 F), but during winter, this can be taken down to 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) or less. Light Avoid direct sunlight; however, early morning or late afternoon sun more suits the plant. It grows even in dimmer light but gives the best result in medium bright light (indirect light).
Temperature The required temperature to grow this plant is 18 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius (64.4 F to 77.7 F), but during winter, this can be taken down to 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) or less. Light Avoid direct sunlight; however, early morning or late afternoon sun more suits the plant. It grows even in dimmer light but gives the best result in medium bright light (indirect light).
@JennyJ Hi again. In one of the earlier posts someone said "Very few houseplants are going to be happy about being in hot, bright sunshine in the summer. Most of them prefer indirect sunlight. Even pelargoniums, which most of us associate with blazing hot summers, are going to struggle in those conditions."
Ironically I put the diffused window film up this year, because it is usually too bright / hot here with sun usually blazing through for plants and didn't want scorched leaves. It is in the corner of a bay window so the sun comes from the diffused side and goes around, meaning at some point in the year it gets light through both windows. The rest of the windowsill is occupied. I won't go into explaining but just know I can't move the stand. I may have to try the lobelia and moss rose plants, and maybe try hardy trialling geraniums another time (being hardy for winter), and keep rotating them throughout the year. I can easily cut back lobelia. The teapot is also a difficult one to fit something in, I think lobelia is best. Not ideal to keep repotting or have nothing for winter ready in its place. I'm scared of loosing begonia in this spot as I had one here before and died because of the cold. It was burgundy pink, it was lovely, and the first time I saw one. I was in love with the shine and beautiful colours. It is also a financial waste to only have it a couple of weeks and I was so gutted. Maybe I could try again with one. This is all a learning curve. Thanks for your help
I'm not sure if I was quite clear before - hardy geraniums survive the winter like other hardy perennials by completely dying back to bare ground and re-growing in spring, so you wouldn't have anything to look at in the winter, just "empty" pots.
Do you absolutely have to have flowers there in the winter? That's the really big ask. If greenery would be enough, small-leaved ivies would work (plain or variegated, the kind sometimes sold in the houseplant section but they'll take any amount of cold, and are easy to root cuttings ready for the next winter if they outgrow the size of pot that your stand will take). You could put them outside for the summer, maybe in hanging baskets, and swap them out for something flowery. Or maybe (and I don't really like suggesting this but possibly as a last resort if you absolutely must have colour/flowers in winter) a good-quality artificial plant for winter that you could put away in the summer.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Did you reject the suggestion of Kalanchoe? They come in pretty colours, and are virtually indestructible. My daughter had to leave hers while she was abroad for four months and they were still alive when she got back ( not pretty, but alive!) They are cheap enough to swop round when they are past their best, I’ve banished the old ones to the windowsill in the garage, trimmed them back and some of them have flowered again.
Thanks @JennyJ Oh ok so geraniums are out then! Damn. I don't need flowers in winter, though I'm not a fan of ivy. I don't have outside space unfortunately (I'm in social housing and an not allowed outside flower pots, yes that is what they told me! I wouldn't know how to put up a hanging basket, and am not allowed either) I detest artificial plants but thanks for the suggestion. I'm definitely going with real plants in the pots. I have saved screenshot photos of other non flowering trialling plants, but would need to dig them up in my phone history, and then see if any may be suitable for the conditions.
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Of course they aren't indoor plants and as you rightly say, less likely to work/last because of that.
Someone on here suggested geraniums I think, unless that was me. Are all dwarf geraniums out of the question?
The required temperature to grow this plant is 18 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius (64.4 F to 77.7 F), but during winter, this can be taken down to 10 degrees C (50 degrees F) or less.
Light
Avoid direct sunlight; however, early morning or late afternoon sun more suits the plant. It grows even in dimmer light but gives the best result in medium bright light (indirect light).
How to grow streptocarpus: add colour with these easy-to-grow Cape Primrose houseplants | Gardeningetc
Hi again. In one of the earlier posts someone said "Very few houseplants are going to be happy about being in hot, bright sunshine in the summer. Most of them prefer indirect sunlight. Even pelargoniums, which most of us associate with blazing hot summers, are going to struggle in those conditions."
I may have to try the lobelia and moss rose plants, and maybe try hardy trialling geraniums another time (being hardy for winter), and keep rotating them throughout the year. I can easily cut back lobelia.
The teapot is also a difficult one to fit something in, I think lobelia is best.
Not ideal to keep repotting or have nothing for winter ready in its place. I'm scared of loosing begonia in this spot as I had one here before and died because of the cold. It was burgundy pink, it was lovely, and the first time I saw one. I was in love with the shine and beautiful colours. It is also a financial waste to only have it a couple of weeks and I was so gutted. Maybe I could try again with one.
This is all a learning curve.
Thanks for your help
They are cheap enough to swop round when they are past their best, I’ve banished the old ones to the windowsill in the garage, trimmed them back and some of them have flowered again.
Oh ok so geraniums are out then! Damn.
I don't need flowers in winter, though I'm not a fan of ivy.
I don't have outside space unfortunately (I'm in social housing and an not allowed outside flower pots, yes that is what they told me! I wouldn't know how to put up a hanging basket, and am not allowed either)
I detest artificial plants but thanks for the suggestion. I'm definitely going with real plants in the pots. I have saved screenshot photos of other non flowering trialling plants, but would need to dig them up in my phone history, and then see if any may be suitable for the conditions.