The nursery I use [45 min drive away] only stocks one size of it just now, and it's expensive compared to their other phormiums, but it's in a 10 litre pot rather than a smaller size. Maybe I should chop mine up once it's grown again, and flog 'em!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Could you not write to the company one last time saying you have discussed the matter on possibly the most prestigious online gardening forum in the UK (who amongst us is going to argue?). Then add that members (well me and my cat) are urging you to name and shame. Say you’re reluctant to do so without one final request to refund you.
Could you not write to the company one last time saying you have discussed the matter on possibly the most prestigious online gardening forum in the UK (who amongst us is going to argue?). Then add that members (well me and my cat) are urging you to name and shame. Say you’re reluctant to do so without one final request to refund you.
I do like that, could be the way forward 🤔 I’ll give that a try and let you know the outcome
@Stevedaylilly Phormium Cream Delight is hardy in much of the UK. However I wouldn't take the risk here in my heavy clay soil. It is possible the plants you have are hardier. Last Winter many Phormiums died or were hit hard and returned with a slow recovery.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
The only reason my C. Delight survived that spell was because it was in a raised bed. However, I've been growing different varieties of Phormiums for decades, and have never lost any until then, despite many very cold winter temps, frost/ice and snow, lots of wet weather, and clay soil. It's all about keeping them in suitable sites to counteract that, hence container growing or raised beds, or against house walls in full sun. The ones I lost last winter were all in containers, which again, have never been problematic but that wet/freeze cycle was a bridge too far for them. Normal cold weather is fine if they have suitable soil and drainage, and the temps from autumn into weather are of a more gradual decline. We went from plus double figures and the usual wet conditions, to a period of minus 10s and 11s very quickly, which was far too much for them, but is extremely rare. Unless @Stevedaylilly has far more frequent extremes than that, is in a very exposed, cold site, or lives in the north of Scotland, or at serious altitude, they should be relatively easy to grow with a little care.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Phormium tenax variegatum, which I think you have, is a variety of Phormium tenax, with a hardiness rating of H5, coping with temperatures as low as minus 15c. Phormium Cream Delight is a variety of Phormium cookianum, which has variable hardiness, at best rating H4, coping down to minus 10c. This hardiness rating is worth bearing in mind in the light of changing weather patterns over the last couple of years, but it’s really down to your own preference of course.
The only reason my C. Delight survived that spell was because it was in a raised bed. However, I've been growing different varieties of Phormiums for decades, and have never lost any until then, despite many very cold winter temps, frost/ice and snow, lots of wet weather, and clay soil. It's all about keeping them in suitable sites to counteract that, hence container growing or raised beds, or against house walls in full sun. The ones I lost last winter were all in containers, which again, have never been problematic but that wet/freeze cycle was a bridge too far for them. Normal cold weather is fine if they have suitable soil and drainage, and the temps from autumn into weather are of a more gradual decline. We went from plus double figures and the usual wet conditions, to a period of minus 10s and 11s very quickly, which was far too much for them, but is extremely rare. Unless @Stevedaylilly has far more frequent extremes than that, is in a very exposed, cold site, or lives in the north of Scotland, or at serious altitude, they should be relatively easy to grow with a little care.
Hi Fairgirl I live in the midland so we get quite clement weather but obvious frost if I do change them to Cream Delight they will be in raised boarders What I normally do in the first few years I would protect them with quality fleece. Hopefully with good growth within them years the root ball will be big enough to survive hopefully
@Plantminded Thankyou for explaining. I have always thought some were hardier than others. Platt's Black is a favourite of mine I have always liked the idea of planting it with P Blondie but too expensive for an experiment.
@Fairygirl It does seem to be the plain greens that are the toughest.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I think you’re right @GardenerSuze, the plain green one is P. tenax, often used here in roundabout plantings. It can look quite tatty though, with yellowing and spotting on the leaves. Any varieties with a large amount of non green foliage are going to be less robust and slower growing too. You’ve done really well to get your Cream Delight through the recent variable winters @Fairygirl!
The plain species one are fine here - green or dark. They manage very easily, but would be far too big for the OP, I'm guessing
Covering them is pretty pointless @Stevedaylilly - it's what happens below ground that's important, so the raised beds and a nice light mix to offset the wet, is always the best approach. If the roots survive that swinging weather, the top will come back. You shouldn't have too much trouble getting them to survive. Planting smaller specimens in late spring/summer will also make it easier for them to establish well before colder temps set in. The variegated ones also benefit from dividing every so often to keep the variegation fresh. The nice thing about C. Delight is that it has a 'fountain' effect rather than being more upright, so it means a very attractive plant, especially in a smaller space. They still get quite sizeable with the right conditions. I'm just uploading photos from my old laptop - a pic of it looking well, and what it looked like after that spell [2 spells really] last winter and early spring.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
https://www.burncoose.co.uk/site/plants.cfm?pl_id=3218&fromplants=pn_id=522
The nursery I use [45 min drive away] only stocks one size of it just now, and it's expensive compared to their other phormiums, but it's in a 10 litre pot rather than a smaller size. Maybe I should chop mine up once it's grown again, and flog 'em!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I’ll give that a try and let you know the outcome
The ones I lost last winter were all in containers, which again, have never been problematic but that wet/freeze cycle was a bridge too far for them. Normal cold weather is fine if they have suitable soil and drainage, and the temps from autumn into weather are of a more gradual decline. We went from plus double figures and the usual wet conditions, to a period of minus 10s and 11s very quickly, which was far too much for them, but is extremely rare.
Unless @Stevedaylilly has far more frequent extremes than that, is in a very exposed, cold site, or lives in the north of Scotland, or at serious altitude, they should be relatively easy to grow with a little care.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in the midland so we get quite clement weather but obvious frost
if I do change them to Cream Delight they will be in raised boarders
What I normally do in the first few years I would protect them with quality fleece. Hopefully with good growth within them years the root ball will be big enough to survive hopefully
@Fairygirl It does seem to be the plain greens that are the toughest.
Covering them is pretty pointless @Stevedaylilly - it's what happens below ground that's important, so the raised beds and a nice light mix to offset the wet, is always the best approach. If the roots survive that swinging weather, the top will come back. You shouldn't have too much trouble getting them to survive. Planting smaller specimens in late spring/summer will also make it easier for them to establish well before colder temps set in. The variegated ones also benefit from dividing every so often to keep the variegation fresh.
The nice thing about C. Delight is that it has a 'fountain' effect rather than being more upright, so it means a very attractive plant, especially in a smaller space. They still get quite sizeable with the right conditions.
I'm just uploading photos from my old laptop - a pic of it looking well, and what it looked like after that spell [2 spells really] last winter and early spring.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...