Flowers and foliage January 2008

[johngennard]

A few images that I took today in the alpine house,the first are of three different plants of helleborus thibetanus showing the variation in both leaves and flowers and a tray of cyclamen coum 'Maurice Dryden' flowering in the tray in which they were sown and Adonis.

[Maggi Young]

That's good enough to cheer anyone up in this weather, John.

H. thibetanus is a delightful plant... ours are safely underground at the minute, a treat for later.
How nice to see the mass of Coum 'Maurice Dryden'  because I was a huge fan of the real chap, who is so very sadly missed. I was greatly touched when Kath phoned me to offer condolences on the death of my Father at Christmas , so near to the anniversary of Maurice's death.... that dear lady has a heart of gold.

[Brian Ellis]

Super helleborus thibetanus John, I must look out for it to go amongst the snowdrops.

[ian mcenery]

Lovely plants John my thibetanus are outside so looking a little bit more bedraggled

Here is Iris Histrio because I find digital (unlike film) overdoes blue I have tried to bring this back to the lovely pale violet clour of the true plant

[ian mcenery]

In case people are getting fed up with white fever here is something ELSE coming up at present. 

[mark smyth]

I've always fancied Gymnospermium. How easy are they? Can they do OK outside also?

[Tony Willis]

Mark I always keep mine inside in a pot.It needs a long hot dry(what a joke here) summer rest but others may grow it outside. They are very easy doing it my way

I planted all my Helleborus thibetanus out lat year and wait to see if they survive. The seed from last year is just germinating as a back up if the garden proves fatal.

[ian mcenery]

Tony is right Gymnospermium likes very little water even when growing it comes from arid mountains - see reference in Janis Ruksans - in eastern asia where many tulips and juno iris come from. The trick will be if "I" can keep it even in a pot!

[Anthony Darby]

I managed OK in sunny D. Eventually exchanged my last plant, but it flowered well every year. Never set seed though.

[Kenneth K]

Here in western Sweden we have a really mild winter this year (like last). Some say it has something to do with the greenhouse effect. I don't know! The bulbs in our bulb bed does not care about why it is so mild. They just grow. In the absence of sun they don't open though. In the case of this one I don't care. I find it more attractive this way. It's a white form of Colchicum szovitsii.

[Maggi Young]

Beautiful, Kenneth, the pure white of the bud with the contrast of the dark foliage ...

[John Forrest]

I don't know about 'Global Warming', I think Blackpool has got stuck on the 'Rinse Cycle'!!!

[Tony Willis]

Cyclamen pseudibericum in flower now,I think it should have waited another couple of months

[Maggi Young]

I think it should have waited another couple of months

Well, I am certainly appreciated the sense of those animals who are safely tucked up in hibernation at the minute! Most of our plants are keeping their heads down in the garden and  under glass things are fairly quiet... they must know Ian's away!

[Carlo]

"I don't know about 'Global Warming', I think Blackpool has got stuck on the 'Rinse
Cycle'!!!"

Probably better than 'spin'...