October 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[Robert]

For me this is great. 

The construction of one of 3 new sand beds. It is hard to tell, but the bottom is lined with wire mesh - Now I can plant freely with worrying about all the rodents that eat many of our bulbs and other plants. This one is in full sun, another will be in shade for Erythroniums and such, the last is on the north side for dwarf Rhododendrons, Cassiope, and Phyllodoce, etc. 

[fermi de Sousa]

Great, Robert. How tall are the blocks? Will you fill it just with sand or have sections with other soil mixes?
WIll you have to cover it in wire during the winter the exclude varmints?
cheers
fermi

[Robert]

Great, Robert. How tall are the blocks? Will you fill it just with sand or have sections with other soil mixes?
WIll you have to cover it in wire during the winter the exclude varmints?
cheers
fermi

Fermi,

The blocks are 25cm tall. So far, I've had good success having areas with other soil mixes in my other "sand beds". The other soil mixes are very quick draining too, but can have a little humus. Plants that like extremely good drainage, such as many Astragalus etc., I use sand mixed with about 20% coarse lava rock - and no humus. The plants love it and thrive. Where I grow Primulas, dwarf Rhododendrons, Cassiope, etc. I use the sand - lava rock mix with peat and/or fir bark.

Of coarse, with all the "sand beds", I will add soil to near the top of the blocks, then pile soil even higher and work large rocks into the pile so that it looks like a mini-mountain. The holes in the blocks are also great places to plant things.

Fortunately, I do not have many above ground varmints that dig (skunks) or scratch (birds) that cause harm. So generally, I will not have to cover the top unless the wild turkeys show up.    I do have metal hoops that can fit over the beds so if I want frost protection on a bed (i.e. tender South African bulbs, etc.) I can cover it with row cover and/or greenhouse plastic like I do with my agricultural crops. I do not have a bed like this yet, but it is in the back of my mind.

[Jupiter]

Robert you have one extremely valuable commodity there which I lack. SPACE! I've run out of it so there'll be no sand beds for me until we move house, a prospect which both excites me and scares the willies out of me, with all the plants I'd have to move with us and keep alive during the shift. 

[Robert]

Jamus,

Yes, moving can be scary! When the time is right I'm sure that it will all workout fine. With all the crazy stuff that seems to go on , sometimes it is hard for be to believe thing will work out. My wife is better at this than I am. Anyway, good luck with the move when the time is ripe. I'm sure we will all be hearing about it when the time comes.

Space can be a curse too. Years ago I created a garden, nursery and farm that was more than I wanted to handle after I became older. My wife and I spent a lot of time and energy down sizing. It feels so much better having something that I feel like I can handle, without help, even when I'm 100 or more. Gardening is too much fun to miss out!  Having said that, I agree have space available is good. There is always one more species I'd like to try.

[johnstephen29]

Hi Liriope muscari in flower, this is a great plant for a shady spot, and you get these spikes of blue flowers as well. Also another picture of Viburnum × bodnantense 'Dawn', it has lots of blossom and the scent is amazing.

Liriope muscari by johnstephen29, on Flickr

Viburnum × bodnantense Dawn by johnstephen29, on Flickr

[meanie]

Robert - a couple of winters ago the mice (I presume) found my pot of Gloriosa and over the winter months lifted all of the tubers (ten or twelve probably) and ate them. Sadly it would appear that the mice did not find them toxic judging by the lack of corpses.

Anyway, in the greenhouse;
Echinopsis subdenudata...................


Hibiscus trionum.....................


Outdoors, Salvia involucrata "Bethellii".....................

[astragalus]

I've shown this one before but it gets better every year.  Blooming now, Zauschneria californica v etteri.  Also, some lovely pods on Astragalus sp 'San Felipe, and the silver foliaged Zauschneria 'Wayne's select'.  Still no killing frost, amazing.

[krisderaeymaeker]

I've shown this one before but it gets better every year.  Blooming now, Zauschneria californica v etteri. 

Amazing Anne , what a great colour and good performance . 

[David Nicholson]

Scutellaria suffrutescens 'Texas Rose' grown from AGS Seed Ex. seed (AGS 12/13-4581) sown early January 2013.

I have a couple of plants, this one in a South facing position that has been flowering for a few weeks now and another in an Easterly position that is just beginning. Both are in rock "pockets". I haven't grown these before and know next to nothing about them but they form a nice green clump and provided they don't outgrow their positions I would like to keep them. How should I keep them please?

[David Nicholson]

I have a Lithodora zahnii in a south facing rock "pocket" which I've had for at least three years with nary a flower- until I noticed just a few today. It has always looked healthy but never "performed" and I decided if the situation was still the same next Spring it was destined for the compost bin. A few weeks ago I took pity and gave it a large spoonful of Sulphate of Potash. I'm not saying this lead to the response I've had but it just might have. Can anyone give me tips on this one please?

[Robert]

Robert - a couple of winters ago the mice (I presume) found my pot of Gloriosa and over the winter months lifted all of the tubers (ten or twelve probably) and ate them. Sadly it would appear that the mice did not find them toxic judging by the lack of corpses.

Meanie,

The rodents even drag the Amaryllidaceae around the garden. I got tied of making wire cages for all the bulbs and other plants that the rodents eat, some very dear to me. The cages just kept getting bigger and bigger, so now I'm making "sand beds' in various ways. Much easier for me and in the end I hope that I can get it all to look good too. After all I do want the garden to look nice.

The pure white Echinopsis is very sweet! 33c today - I'm getting tired of the heat for this season.

[meanie]

The pure white Echinopsis is very sweet! 33c today - I'm getting tired of the heat for this season.

Try 13°c then! You'll soon "warm" to the idea of 33°c again

[astragalus]

Taken in a small square in Lyon, France.  The tree dominated the area and there were many little tables and chairs set under the spreading branches.  Would love to know what it is.  The pods were tremendously decorative - very long and very narrow.

[Brian Ellis]

Looks like it could be some sort of Catalpa?