Being in the cottage gdn society I usually go for the mixed packets at seed swap time.I love a surprise and this year was no exception.though I guess it must be o 's I had sown from last year's mix .last year it formed a rosette and this year a gigantic 4ft plant .
Found out it was a salvia of some. sort ,it had me stumped.it's flower started off in a 4 inch long and 2 inch wide loose , hanging Cone in a mixture of white, green ,pink, purple,blue .. I'd seen nothing like it .I had taken a photo to send in to cottage garden for I'd when it started branching out .the cone was a mixture of bracts .each one branched out into a stem to then form what I realized was a magnificant Mediterranean looking salvia. Which I have seeds from if anyone wants any.
The bargain Canna I got last year (Durban I think) is a bit disappointing. Flowers aren't as dark as I would like , and are two tone (tangerine and yellow) which is something else I don't care for.
Tiarella Cygnet has been a real star. Still flowering now and has been since April. I keep deadheading it and it just keeps on throwing up new flower spikes. A little gem.
Typical though - I wanted it to finish earlier so that I can split it and move it to a better site!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Can I interrupt and ask if Anchusa LR should have lots of roots?
I dug one of mine up a while back to try a root cutting but it only had two short thick roots. I replanted it as I was not sure how much I could take off the plant.
ms sponge the main roots probably wouldnt strike-there should be some nice roots coming off them-these are the ones you want-about an inch long and much less diameter than a pencil. pot in half sand half lite potting mix with the tops exactly at the surface put someplace protected and in about 6 weeks you should have some new plants. sorry if this is more information than you actually need. mine self sow most years but of course never in just the right place. p.s. make sure the potting medium is very firm so it wont shrink away from the roots
after being done with gaillardias-weedy, unkempt, trashy looking things-on a road trip this spring bought arizona apricot, golden goblin and an even more compact yellow. short stems so not floppy and long lasting so plants not constantly covered with spent bloom. still in bloom 3 mos later-if they make it through the winter i say yes yes yes.
That's very helpful David thank you I've never tried a root cutting before so thought I'd experiment with them. I'll dig up another one and see if that looks any better.
I had that a few years ago so that's why it came to mind. It's Tropicanna Gold with green/yellow foliage - not the red of Durban. Flowers are too wishy washy for me. I'll find something else next year that will have better flower colour to put in front of it
My deep red nasturtiums - 'Black Velvet' are beautiful though and I'll save some seed. They match the lily I got as a bargain in spring. Deep ruby red with dark yellowy/orange throats. They'll work well as part of a hotter area I want near the house, once my building work's done.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Posts
Being in the cottage gdn society I usually go for the mixed packets at seed swap time.I love a surprise and this year was no exception.though I guess it must be o 's I had sown from last year's mix .last year it formed a rosette and this year a gigantic 4ft plant .
Found out it was a salvia of some. sort ,it had me stumped.it's flower started off in a 4 inch long and 2 inch wide loose , hanging Cone in a mixture of white, green ,pink, purple,blue .. I'd seen nothing like it .I had taken a photo to send in to cottage garden for I'd when it started branching out .the cone was a mixture of bracts .each one branched out into a stem to then form what I realized was a magnificant Mediterranean looking salvia. Which I have seeds from if anyone wants any.
delphiniums were a wonder this year-kef and verdun anchusa very short lived but propagate very easily from root cuttings
The bargain Canna I got last year (Durban I think) is a bit disappointing. Flowers aren't as dark as I would like , and are two tone (tangerine and yellow) which is something else I don't care for.
Tiarella Cygnet has been a real star. Still flowering now and has been since April. I keep deadheading it and it just keeps on throwing up new flower spikes. A little gem.
Typical though - I wanted it to finish earlier so that I can split it and move it to a better site!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Can I interrupt and ask if Anchusa LR should have lots of roots?
I dug one of mine up a while back to try a root cutting but it only had two short thick roots. I replanted it as I was not sure how much I could take off the plant.
ms sponge the main roots probably wouldnt strike-there should be some nice roots coming off them-these are the ones you want-about an inch long and much less diameter than a pencil. pot in half sand half lite potting mix with the tops exactly at the surface put someplace protected and in about 6 weeks you should have some new plants. sorry if this is more information than you actually need. mine self sow most years but of course never in just the right place. p.s. make sure the potting medium is very firm so it wont shrink away from the roots
after being done with gaillardias-weedy, unkempt, trashy looking things-on a road trip this spring bought arizona apricot, golden goblin and an even more compact yellow. short stems so not floppy and long lasting so plants not constantly covered with spent bloom. still in bloom 3 mos later-if they make it through the winter i say yes yes yes.
That's very helpful David thank you
I've never tried a root cutting before so thought I'd experiment with them. I'll dig up another one and see if that looks any better.
Verdun - you're right. It isn't Durban.
I had that a few years ago so that's why it came to mind. It's Tropicanna Gold with green/yellow foliage - not the red of Durban. Flowers are too wishy washy for me. I'll find something else next year that will have better flower colour to put in front of it
My deep red nasturtiums - 'Black Velvet' are beautiful though and I'll save some seed. They match the lily I got as a bargain in spring. Deep ruby red with dark yellowy/orange throats. They'll work well as part of a hotter area I want near the house, once my building work's done.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...