October 2014 in the Northern Hemisphere

[PaulM]

Thank you meanie. The Cleome grows with the Eryngium and gets little water. I would say it's only about two feet tall. I will donate some seeds of the Cleome for this coming seed exchange.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Not something I grow in the garden, but I picked some this September and this species is really delicious.

Indeed! We picked some in Scotland last month and dried them; we are about to enjoy one with pasta and truffle butter.

[PaulM]

1. Mentzelia decapetala is a stunning plant but the leaves are like velcro and gets stuck to clothes easily.

2. Monardella macrantha 'Marion Simpson' is also a stunner, which has survived here one winter. The flowers are clearly designed for hummingbirds so no seeds produced here.

3 & 4 . Oenothera longituba has an apropriate name with its very long floral tube.

5. I always try to pick rose hips in late summer/early fall. They are dried in the oven and then used for rose hip soup ( a most delicious desert full of vitamin C )

[Tim Ingram]

Paul - really nice to see the Eryngium, I have only read about this species before. Added incentive to work on writing about umbels in the future! (the other plants are pretty interesting too!!).

[PaulM]

The last...for a long time ( I think )

1. & 2.   Schizanthus hookeri

3. Digitalis dubia has actually flowered from this year's sowing. I have failed keeping it outdoors in the flower bed before but this year I've planted it in a pot together with Phacelia lyallii and I hope they will flower at approximately the same time next year.

[PaulM]

Thank you Tim ! You have already written some books on Apiaceae ( Umbelliferae ) and if you come around to including Eryngium leavenworthii I'd be glad to provide you with some pictures. It is only annual here ( and I think it is in its native habitat too ). It would be neat if it had time to set seed, but I don't really think the season will be long enough for that to happen here. Old seeds from 2007 germinated fine for me this year though.

[Maggi Young]

That was an interesting selection ,Paul - and very cheering on a dark night.

 The rate of growth of the Impatiens is quite something. 

[YT]

Conandron ramondioides

Flowers are 1 month or more later than the usual.

[meanie]

That was an interesting selection ,Paul - and very cheering on a dark night.

I have to agree. 
Can I assume that the Impatiens and Schizanthus are tender?

[PaulM]

Yes, they are quite tender. But the Impatiens seems to grow better in cool weather. It is annual and you have to collect seed every autumn which I have found germinates best if kept slightly moist until spring.
The Schizanthus is tender but grows rapidly once planted outside, and puts on a nice display for a long time.

[johnstephen29]

Yup - the spare room stank this morning when I opened the door!!   Not Dracunculus bad, but bad enough for a houseplant!

It was right what I heard then 

[meanie]

It was right what I heard then 

And some! It's at it's best about 24hrs after opening. Only another six blooms to come!!!

[johnstephen29]

Put a peg on your nose when you enter the room

[meanie]

Clerodendrum ugandense has just started to bloom in the greenhouse..................

[PaulM]

Very cool flowers meanie. Do they have a scent ?