[Hilary]

BLUE FLOWERS IN APRIL

Not many photos of blue flowers in my archives and most of them taken in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris.

First a photo of Borago officinalis taken on a hill overlooking Kalamata in Messinia, Greece
Next a photo of Ajuga reptans taken in a flower shop in Madrid and identified by this Forum.
The last three photos are of plants thriving in the Paris botanical garden

[David Dickinson]

This year the flowers and the leaves on Iochroma australis have come pretty much at the same time whereas last year the leaves came first. Another gift from Chantal's seed bank. :-)

[Hilary]

impressive. How tall is this plant?

[Umbrian]

Agree it's a pleasing combination. I find the Cerinthe, that does seed prolifically, looks good with most things and often tones down some plants that are very brightly coloured adding, rather than subtracting  from their beauty. I always think of it as a rather mysterious, even sinister, plant but welcome it and it is easily pulled out if too prolific.

[Charithea]

What lovely blue flowers!! I love all of them. David your Iochroma australis looks fantastic. You gave me one in Frascati but unfortunately it died.  I have not had much success growing it from seed. Maybe next spring I will try again. Hilary, I have discovered the 'lost' name of the climber.  It is Strongylodn macrobotrys. I had first seen it in 1972 in Tanglin Botanic Gardens, Singapore.  We lived near the garden so we paid frequent visits there. Our daughter who was around 3 liked to feed the monkeys. The reason it made such a lasting memory is because it stood out among such amazing coloured flowers. Its jade green colour looked odd especially when the surrounding trees were covered with multicoloured,  highly perfumed wild orchids.

[David Dickinson]

Hi Hilary,

I can't remember if this its 3rd or 4th summer. I think 3rd as it didn't flower the first year and this is the second time I have had flowers (I think!). It's in a large pot and it is just under 2m tall. I am sure it would be a bit bushier if it were in the ground.

[Hilary]

Charithea,
What a plant! I discovered it even features on a postage stamp, I don't have it, issued by Belgium of all places

[Hilary]

David,
Thanks for the information. I don't think a 2 meter plant would survive on a hot windy balcony

[Hilary]

PURPLE FLOWERS OF APRIL
This is where my understanding of the colours of the rainbow collapses into purple mauve and fuchsia pink

1 Lathyrus odoratus, Sweet Peas grown from seed a few years ago, Corinth Greece
2 Silybum marianum, Xylokeriza, Corinthia, Greece
3 Orchis anatolica, Mount Parnon, Lakonia, Greece
4 Vicia villosa Sparta, Lakonia, Greece
5 I had wrongly identified this plant seen growing on a rock in a pavement in Athens. Now I have no idea what it is
6 Iris germanica, Madrid, Spain
7 Aubrieta, Paris, France

[John J]

Hilary, your no. 5 looks like a Centaurea. I'd be tempted to say C. aegialophila although, as its name implies, they normally grow near the sea.

[Hilary]

Many thanks John
I saw this plant on a rock in the pavement which was very difficult to get past as the road was very busy . I couldn't see over the rock and waited till the traffic had stopped higher up the road and there was no sound of the tram coming then took a deep breath and dashed round the rock

Here is a quotation in Greek taken from an article ΤΟ ΙΕΡΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΝΟΣ

Αν στο σημείο εκείνο κοιτάξετε στο βάθος, μέσα στα δέντρα, θα ανακαλύψετε έναν μεγάλο βράχο με δύο λαξευμένες πλευρές και μια μικρή φυσική σπηλιά στη βάση του. Είναι ο βράχος που, πολλοί οδηγοί κατεβαίνοντας την Αρδηττού προς Καλλιρόης, βλέπουν να κόβει το πεζοδρόμιο και το δρόμο στην άκρη του και ίσως αναρωτιούνται, τι στην ευχή άφησαν αυτόν το βράχο εκεί, μες στη μέση.

It more or less says what I was thinking
Why on earth have they left a huge rock in the middle of the pavement

[Hilary]

I forgot to say that after you suggested Centaurea ebenoides as the identity to the purple flower I searched the internet where  I found a photo of Centaurea raphaniana which someone had posted  with the information that his photo was taken

in Athens close to the Acropolis

Now this morning I find there are dozens of articles about this plant !

[John J]

Hilary, I'm a bit confused. I suggested Centaurea aegialophila not C. ebenoides as the former is one that I have come across here in Cyprus. As far as I am aware the other 2 C. ebenoides and C.raphaniana don't occur here so I am not familiar with them.

[Umbrian]

David, the Iochroma australis you have to me last year grew well and was transferred to safe winter quarters in good time. I was looking forward to perhaps having some flowers this year but a large part of the growth defoliated and subsequently died. I am left with a rather lopsided plant that nevertheless is starting to grow away again. Needless to say there is no evidence of flowers so I shall have to keep my fingers crossed for next year.

[Hilary]

John,
You think you are confused, Reading about Centaurea yesterday it felt as if every little hill, island  and village has its very own Centaurea . I had noted Centaurea ebenoides on a piece of paper which I found next to my computer this morning. The flower is nothing like the one in my photo but I liked the look of the leaves
Sorry about the confusion