Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: mark smyth on June 12, 2011, 07:54:23 PM
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Here's the left side of my garden - looking out from the house. I'll do the other side tomorrow and troughs also
What you see are various hardy Geraniums, Ranunculus, Dianthus. Dactylorhiza, Helianthemum, Arnica, conifers and Euonymous
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Thanks for showing us around Mark. You have a nice collection of geraniums. What's the one immediately to the right of the pinks?
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Mark very nice indeed 8), I see you are like me, no brown soil showing. Looking forward to tomorrow episode.
Angie :)
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'Blue Cloud', Ashley http://www.marksgardenplants.com/blue-cloud3.html (http://www.marksgardenplants.com/blue-cloud3.html) It's among the first to flower every year. Once it's over cut everything to the ground and it will flower again
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Thanks Angie. Yes little or no soil but it didnt stop chick getting in from begged compost. The plan is to top dress with fine bark this summer
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Thanks Mark. Do you find that many geraniums repeat flower if cut down (& fed?)?
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Lots of interest and interesting plants there Mark. Sometime I want to send Geranium papuanum to you but you might need to keep it covered in the winter. (Which reminds me, I have a couple of parcels and some seeds to get away today. They are delayed already.)
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I dont feed my herbaceous plants. Most Geraniums that flower once will flower again if cut back. This doesnt include Magnificum. I usually tell people to buy Geraniums that flower until autumn
Just realised my garden makeover happened 10 years ago.
Here is the bed above being made, nothing in it and how it looked in 2004
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The red flowers are Arctotis Red Devil with some Nemesias
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A 10 year comparrison
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My goodness Mark, you put every square inch to (good) use !! :o
Do you grow any early flowering bulbs in between the herbacious plants ??
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one or two Luc ;) - Galanthus, Narcissus, Muscari, Colchicums, Ranunculus .....
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What a difference in the ten years Mark everything has filled out so much. I suppose it's the same here I have filled out a lot in ten years :-X
I think geraniums are such a worthwhile plant. I have lots in my garden and they give so much colour after all the spring flowers are finished.
Angie :)
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Angie it started off bulbs only over planted with Arctotis in May. I used to buy Arctotis 300 plugs at a time and maybe 100 Nemesias. Every year was a different colour using Arctotis Red Devil, China Pink and Flame. Gradually some of my Geraniums were planted and more plants were added over the years. Now there is no room for annuals en masse :'( Would I go back? Yes
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I have filled out a lot in ten years :-X
Me too Angie ??? :'( ???
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I wouldn't mind some of those Arctotis in a pot. I grow annuals in pots just to give a splash of colour here and there. It amazes me how we keep changing our gardens.
Lesley happy plants are well fed plants, maybe the same goes for us ::) ;D
Angie :)
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Arctotis China Pink
One more bed in the making - cottage planting to raised bed
In the pots by the hedge - about 40 different Argyranthemums
I didnt get photos today because I was out until late
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Angie, it's a matter of drawing the line between well fed and over fed. ::)
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Mark, those fabulous Arctotis! Don't they get frozen?
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Alberto the photo is old. Every October they were composted at a friends house. There was enough to fill the boot of my car
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Angie, it's a matter of drawing the line between well fed and over fed. ::)
There's a line? :o ::) ???
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Angie, it's a matter of drawing the line between well fed and over fed. ::)
There's a line? :o ::) ???
To late, I have crossed the line, just finished a bag of dairy milk giant buttons. Should have only had a few and then closed the bag ::) :-X
Mark where did you purchase your plug plants.
Angie :)
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Kernock
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Thanks Mark. Thought this would come in handy for next year. I liked Dianthus 'Neon Star', wouldn't mind ordering some of these. When I was down at Graham Catlows garden he had Dianthus in large numbers. I really liked the look of that. Now are Dianthus lime lovers, will have to go and look that up.
Angie :)
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Do you still have the tall potted conifer - the one that looks like a green firework - Mark?
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Angie, it's a matter of drawing the line between well fed and over fed. ::)
There's a line? :o ::) ???
It's usually round the middle Maggi. ::)
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Angie, most Dianthus are lime lovers, though can live without it. D. pavonius and its forms (like 'Inshriach Dazzler,') and in my experience D. alpinus don't like lime, but some people disagree about that one.
I'm trying to underline for emphasis. I usually do capitals but now I'm told that capitals mean I'm shouting, in an email. Don't want to shout at anyone, so will try to remember to underline.
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Great to see the comparison shots, Mark.
I did a talk for a gardening club last week and while preparing the presentation I was trolling through pics of the garden at it's best...... realised some of the pics were 5 years old and how much everything had grown since the pics were taken. It is very cool to come across and compare pics like that, seeing how far things have come.
Well done! I love the makeover with the arch in the last lot you posted.
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Hi Paul, long time no 'see'. Thanks. More photos today. I was again yesterday so no photos taken
Anthony the Italian cypress died
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Mark,
I don't know where the time went. I thought it was a couple of weeks but it was more like 6 weeks. :o Time's passing me by. :'(
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There's the same bed in 2003, 2004 and 2011 for a comparison
Anyone want to name the plants? The winner gets a cuddle and kiss from Maggi :-*
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OK.... starting from the left I'm going to name them.... Bernice, then next to her is Errol, with Abercombie tucked in behind there. Then we have Karen, Peter, Eugene, Paul, Margaret, Anne and Mary as well as a Tim, two Fred's and I think I can just see Ermine peering around the edge of Cyril right there at the front. Also in the front corner there is another Anne, Lesley, Chris and Peta.
OK, I've named them all..... are you flying me over for my cuddle and Kiss from Maggi? ;D ;D ;D ;D
You do love your Arctotis, don't you Mark? I can't say I blame you as they're crackers of plants.
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The winner gets a cuddle and kiss from Maggi :-*
Well, it's a tough job but somebody has to do it - I love my work ;D
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I just added a new photo to reply 30 to show the same bed this morning. When the sun moves round I'll take another
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Anthony the Italian cypress died
Ah, memories of a holiday in Tuscany. 8)
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Angie, We grow a lot of Dianthus at Waterperry (with a little help from Rick Lambert) nearly all grow well in our slightly limy conditions. However D.pavonious failed, after flowering the first year it vanished. Had the same experience with some of the Jack Drake hybrids. Luckily there are far more Dianthus that like lime.
Thought this would come in handy for next year. I liked Dianthus 'Neon Star', wouldn't mind ordering some of these. When I was down at Graham Catlows garden he had Dianthus in large numbers. I really liked the look of that. Now are Dianthus lime lovers, will have to go and look that up.
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Angie, We grow a lot of Dianthus at Waterperry (with a little help from Rick Lambert) nearly all grow well in our slightly limy conditions. However D.pavonious failed, after flowering the first year it vanished. Had the same experience with some of the Jack Drake hybrids. Luckily there are far more Dianthus that like lime.
Thought this would come in handy for next year. I liked Dianthus 'Neon Star', wouldn't mind ordering some of these. When I was down at Graham Catlows garden he had Dianthus in large numbers. I really liked the look of that. Now are Dianthus lime lovers, will have to go and look that up.
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Argyranthemums several cvs., Eryngium, Arctotis, Canna, Coprosma?/Hebe?, Cosmos, Geraniums.
Spectacular at the very least
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Well Mark I couldn't name the plants but what a show 8)
Adrian I have never tested my soil, I presume it's slightly acid as I am surrounded by pine trees. I haven't had much success with Dianthus they seem to go leggy and look awful but when I was at Graham Catlows garden he had really large areas of Whatfield magenta, look under Dianthus looking good now and you will see why I want to give them a try. I was wandering if I needed to add lime. I suppose I should test my soil first to see what I have ::)
Angie :)
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Pine trees grow in limy sites, they are not fussy.
It would be worthwhile testing the soil.
You can usually check local gardens and see
what is growing well. If you see Rhododendrons and
Camellia you can bet its an acid area.
Adding lime is a short term fix, better to grow
the plants that like your conditions.
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Adrian I will get a soil test kit. I am now curious. I have been here 16years you would have thought I would have done it by now. I have plenty Rhododendrons but Camelias struggle :-\
Angie :)
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Angie
Dianthus graniticus is also one that likes acid soil.
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Angie, I have no idea of the acidity or alkalinity of my garden as I have never tested it. The only time I try to change things is when I plant rhodos and I then add some peat just as an aid.
So I would suggest that 'Whatfield Magenta' has no specific lime requirements.
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Arctotis China Pink
One more bed in the making - cottage planting to raised bed
In the pots by the hedge - about 40 different Argyranthemums
I didnt get photos today because I was out until late
Very strange the above did not appear in the posting when it first appeared. Mark ddid you grow 'China Pink' from seed? Is there a source if so?
johnw
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Arctotis China Pink
One more bed in the making - cottage planting to raised bed
In the pots by the hedge - about 40 different Argyranthemums
I didnt get photos today because I was out until late
Very strange the above did not appear in the posting when it first appeared.
johnw
John... the clues are there......I didnt get photos today because I was out until late
and... if you look at the whole post again.....
« Last Edit: June 14, 2011, 12:00:22 AM by mark smyth »
so the pictures were added the next day. ;)
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John they are bought as plugs
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Only just ventured into this topic ... the title put me off!!! ;D :o :o :o
Thought it might just be about 'bog' plants!
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What are you taking Cliff?
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What are you taking Cliff?
Methadone and cheese! Life is just one long nightmare! :D
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Cliff,
I might have "thought" the same thing as you did when I first read the title, but at least I didn't actually write it. ::) My humour is as bad as yours, but at least my internal censorship at times is still in working order. ;)
Now someone just needs to come up with a new genus "Latrinus" and we'll have a perfect topic. Of course the genus will have to be in Fabaceae. :P
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Now Paul, you know you mustn't hold things in ... you have the gall to say; "My internal censorship at times is still in working order" and then come up with "Latrinus". I presume we will have to move Fritillaria sewerzowii to this new genus?
Give 'em an inch and they'll take a bile! :D
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Talking of wee patches, as from tomorrow (July 1st) smoking is to be illegal in NZ prisons. Since smoking is the only exercise many prisoners seem to get (they say about 75% of prisoners smoke) it is predicted that there will be riots, taking prison staff as hostages and all kinds of mayhem. Nicotine patches are being offered to those who wish to give up and the take-up rate is high because it has been discovered that in one patch there is the equivilent nicotine of 4 ciggies. Now the prisoners are working out ways of extracting it for no doubt inventive uses.
To our deep and lasting shame, the occupancy rate of prisons in NZ is, per capita, lower than ONLY the USA. Many more intelligent and effective ways of punishing and rehabilitating are available but we have a very active and vocal lobby (led by a nasty little man who has built for himself a high media profile), which insists on incarceration as the only way to deal with crime. The politicians listen to him and his ilk and the prison population burgeons. For small and petty crimes the country pays an enormous price to keep guys (and a relatively few women) in there, and the men concerned learn how to be REALLY bad, before they are eventually released. Yes, there's a need for imprisonment for some people but probably half or more of our prisoners would be better off, as would the community, if other ways of rehabilitation were used more often.
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Now Paul, you know you mustn't hold things in ... you have the gall to say; "My internal censorship at times is still in working order" and then come up with "Latrinus". I presume we will have to move Fritillaria sewerzowii to this new genus?
Give 'em an inch and they'll take a bile! :D
Cliff,
But did you notice the Fabaceae reference as well? It is, after all, the Pea family. :P I thought that family suitable for the genus Latrinus. ;)