September 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Steve Garvie]

Utricularia sandersonii -a tiny wee lithophytic Bladderwort from damp rocks in northern KwaZulu-Natal to Transkei.
It likes cool growing conditions but needs frost protection -much like Pleione.

[Robert]

Salvia argentea looking good after a long, hot summer.

[rgc]

Three shades of blue
The plant at the bottom right is Gentian farreri Duguid's Form, the one at the top is multiheaded and is G. Balmoral while I think the one at the left I think is G. Lucerna (lost label). Picture taken yesterday. Still lots of unopened buds on all three plants.

Was at a garden centre yesterday and they had a lot of sino-ornata gentians in a wide range of shades from very deep blue to 'white with blue bits' named Sapphire Selection. They seemed strong growing and some of the shades were quite striking. Was tempted, but did not buy any. Does anyone know the history of this strain?
Bob

[Maggi Young]

Lovely gentians, Bob.

Henrik Zetterlund's latest blog is online - colchicum and allium and so on..... ....... http://henrikzetterlund.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/varldsrekord-i-nakna-jungfrur/

[Giles]

Magnolia grandiflora 'Exmouth'
..there's a nice tale in Bean about how the original 'Exmouth' plant was rented out to local nurseryman, so that they could take layers from it.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Can get enough of this ones ....sorry 

[Yann]

whouahh, really stunning.

[astragalus]

Oooh, those gentians!  Wonderful, Kris!

[Steve Garvie]

Those Gentians are superb!!!

[krisderaeymaeker]

Thanks Anne , Steve and Yann.

[David Nicholson]

Kris, is your soil naturally acidic or have you created a special bed for your Autumn Gentian, they really look good.

[krisderaeymaeker]

Kris, is your soil naturally acidic or have you created a special bed for your Autumn Gentian, they really look good.

Hi David . I filled this bed with a mixture of leafmould (from beech leafs)  , fine bark , composted pine needle bark, smal amount of clay soil and smal amount of peat. The biggest amount in this mixture is the leafmould. The bed is lined with peat blocks. The peatblocks are also used to give some height. I planted the Gentians in the mixture as described above but always near the peatblocks . So they can root in the soil but also in the soft peatblocks. They can choose what they want....

[David Nicholson]

Many thanks Kris.

[Brian Ellis]

I am very pleased with this Colquhounia coccinea  which has sort of been lurking for the last couple of years.  Semi-tender it has decided this year to bush out and grow to over six feet, best of all it has covered itself with these inflorescences.

[meanie]

I am very pleased with this Colquhounia coccinea  which has sort of been lurking for the last couple of years.  Semi-tender it has decided this year to bush out and grow to over six feet, best of all it has covered itself with these inflorescences.

I would be very pleased with that too! I need to do a bit of reading on this as I like the look of it.