The MGS Forum
Our gardens, a month-by-month pictorial diary of what's looking good now => Our Gardens => Topic started by: John J on March 31, 2016, 06:05:00 PM
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For a very long time, in fact several years to be honest, I have been toying with an idea but have never managed to get around to it. The idea was to identify and catalogue all the plants that we have acquired and succeeded in growing in our garden/field/orchard/whatever. Perhaps the time has come to begin this project and, to keep me focused, to share the results with the readers of the Forum.
If I approach it in alphabetical order, perhaps a letter a week (or longer for more popular letters), with the odd photo where appropriate and maybe a personal comment or two regarding the suitability, growing requirements, aesthetic value, etc of certain plants.
Any comments, suggestions gratefully received.
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John, does this mean you are starting again from A? What a job.
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Some readers of the Forum may find the above post to be a little confusing. The fact of the matter is that myself and others began a thread recently listing the plants we grow in our gardens in alphabetical order. We had reached 10 pages of posts when for some inexplicable reason the whole thread disappeared without trace. It has proven to be irretrievable. Fortunately one of our Moderators, Fleur Pavlidis, had been looking at the thread on the very day that it disappeared and had the first 9 pages on her computer. She has sent me these as a Word document and I am now attempting to copy and paste them back onto the Forum. As I am a complete dunce when it comes to the technological stuff this may take some time so I ask that you please have patience and bear with me. The above post is by way of being a test run to see if the system would work.
I will be off island from Sunday for a few days as I am flying to Athens to attend an MGS Admin Committee meeting so I will not be able to devote much time to this project until I return.
Thank you for your understanding and I hope you continue to read, enjoy and, hopefully, gather information from the Forum.
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Sorry, Joanna, your posting came in as I was writing mine above. Hopefully it will explain the situation. I am attempting to put back the whole thread exactly as it was.
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Re: An A - Z of plants
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2016, 07:51:59 PM » Quote Modify Remove Split Topic
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Having committed to this project I guess the only way forward is to dive right in and see what happens.
My ultimate aim is to produce a reasonably detailed record of the plants that we have growing on our property. However, the information I post on the Forum will be more along the lines of personal observations.
So, here goes: and what more fitting plant to start the ball rolling than the symbol of the MGS; Acanthus.
We have 2 varieties:
Acanthus mollis
Very low maintenance, just needs the dead foliage and flower spikes tidying up as they die down in the summer.
Very easy to propagate from root cuttings.
Good grown en-masse in difficult areas.
Acanthus arboreus
Differs from the above as it doesn't die down in summer but remains green.
Flowers are red, not the blue of its more common cousin.
Much taller and straighter in stature but care needs to be exercised when choosing a location as the leaves are viciously spiked.
Ours was obtained from the MGS garden Sparoza in 2012.
Acca sellowiana (Pineapple guava)
Neither a pineapple nor a guava, ours were grown from seed from Chiltern Seeds in UK more than 15 years ago.
They serve us more in an ornamental capacity than for their fruiting ability as we are unable to provide the optimum conditions they require for this. I believe they require more water than we can justifiably give them and a period of colder weather than we experience to aid ripening. Other than that they are fairly undemanding and their flowers are spectacular, even being edible in their own right.
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« Last Edit: March 03, 2016, 03:19:14 PM by John J » Report to moderator 31.153.68.84 (?)
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Cyprus Branch Head. Gardens in a field 40 m above sea level with reasonably fertile clay soil.
"Aphrodite emerged from the sea and came ashore and at her feet all manner of plants sprang forth" John Deacon (13thC AD)
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Ah! snag! I did say I was not good at this techno stuff. I have copied and pasted the first posting but the photos haven't come up. I shall have to try to insert them using the Modify button unless the Moderators can suggest anything different.
Stick with me, I'll get there one way or another. :-[
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Double Hero Member to John for repeating this list.
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Hey, I got the photos in! Not exactly in the right place but a fair try for a novice. 8)
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To continue where I left off:-
Actinidia deliciosa (Kiwi fruit)
Planted a few years ago as an experiment that so far has not borne fruit (excuse the pun!).
Has been extremely slow to establish and is on the verge of being declared a failure.
Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum'
Easy to grow succulent needing little or no attention.
Alocasia macrorrhiza
A touch of the tropical. Ours grow in an area shaded by mature trees and benefitting from nearby irrigation.
Aloe arborescens
Another succulent that survives quite happily without much attention.
Aloe juvenna
Grown in containers.
Aloe vera
Our original plant came from Australia. Established well and again needs little attention.
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When I started to reconstitute this thread I said I would put it back as was. What I should have said was that I would attempt to cut and paste my posts. I realize that others have also made significant contributions over the past few weeks; Fleur; JayB; Umbrian; Joanna; Caroline; Hilary; Alisdair and JTh, (I hope I haven't missed anyone). I would very much have liked to resurrect their posts too but I am not sure a) that I have the ability and b) that I have the moral right to do so. Anyway, I have done all that I have the time for today and tomorrow I am off to Athens. I will be back at the end of the week and I WILL complete the task in hand, so please stick with me and if you wish to contribute any comments of your own at any time don't hesitate to join in.
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Hi there,
I have had a quick check through the photos of flowers/ plants/ places visited I have sent recently and all mine appear to be present and correct.
Hilary
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Aloysia triphylla (Lemon Verbena).
Doesn't appreciate conditions that are too hot or too cold. Grown in partial shade where it can benefit from some supplementary water.
Used with Lemon Balm to make a refreshing cold tea in summer.
Alternanthera ficoidea
Grown for its colourful foliage. Used as an edging plant in partial shade.
Annona cherimola (Custard Apple)
Another experiment that has yet to prove itself.
Aptenia cordifolia
Easily grown, spreading succulent, useful as a quick ground cover.
Araucaria heterophylla
What can be said about the Norfolk Island Pine? Very common sight here in Cyprus for some reason.
Arbutus andrachne
Native to Cyprus providing a large part of the understorey in the pine forests of the mountains. To my mind a far more attractive plant than Arbutus unedo due to its peeling bark revealing the bright cinnamon-red beneath.
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Hi, I am back from my Athens trip and starting to put the missing pages up again. I have noticed another snag, when I copy and paste the pages the plant names have reverted to normal font instead of the original italics, I have no idea why, perhaps one of the Moderators can offer a suggestion? Anyway, with so much to be done to reinstall the pages I hope forumers will forgive my not taking time to modify this as I go along. I intend to try to put back all the pages and then return to insert the missing photos and change the italics.
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John, to save you a bit of time I've popped italics in for you (as I've been doing for Carole). Thanks very much indeed for doing all this painstaking reconstruction!
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Thanks for that Alisdair, much appreciated. Back to the project in hand.
In preparation for this project I went around the garden section by section, with a notebook and pencil listing all the plants before arranging them into alphabetical order and starting to raise an index card on each one. Inevitably I overlooked one or several, and here is the first of them:-
Anthyllis barba-jovis
Obtained from the MGS garden Sparoza, it is establishing well in a dry area but has not yet reached flowering size.
Arum sintenisii
Although this is a wild plant that occurred naturally on our property I have included it as it is a very rare endemic. I have managed to increase the number of plants by division and establish them in different areas. They do prefer soil that remains slightly moist and does not dry out completely. The original grows at the edge of the irrigation zone for our mandarin tree.
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On to B:-
Bauhinia forficata
Unlike its more commonly grown cousin, B. variegata, that flowers in the spring, it produces beautiful white flowers in the hottest period of the year, July/August.
The reason for its lesser popularity may owe something to the nasty little spikes that adorn trunk and branches.
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Bauhinia variegata
Common street tree in Cyprus. Our 3 trees were grown from seed taken from a street tree in Limassol almost 20 years ago.
We also have the variety B. variegata 'Candida' that has pure white flowers.
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Bergenia cordifolia
These grow well higher up the mountain but have struggled at our lower, hotter altitude despite being well shaded.
Borago officinalis
Self seeds all over and could become a pest if left unchecked so we remove the majority as they appear.
Bosea cypria
Another Cyprus endemic. Not rare but of interest as it is one of only 3 species in the genus. The others being B. amherstiana from the Himalaya region and B. yervamorafrom the Canary Islands. They are all survivors from the shores of the Ancient Tethys Sea.
Bougainvillea spectabilis
Appears to thrive on neglect. The only maintenance being an occasional battle to keep it contained to its space. A battle from which I invariably return torn and bloodied but with a sense of achievement!
Brugmansia suaveolens
Of the 2 shrubs we have one is in full sun for much of the day and the other in partial shade. The latter fares better.
Brunfelsia pauciflora
Was on my wife's WANT ONE list ever since she saw them in Africa when she climbed Mt Kilimanjaro. Ours is in partial shade, gets a reasonable amount of water, flowers well but never really looks entirely happy.
Buddleja madagascariensis
Very lax, unruly plants that dangle from their supports. Attractive flowers, pity about the smell.
Bulbine frutescens
Easily grown, low maintenance ground cover with spikes of yellow flowers.
B. frutescens 'Hallmark' has orange flowers.
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Moving on to C:-
Calendula officinalis
Another self-seeder that provides cheery splashes of orange in the early spring and are easily removed from unwanted areas.
Calliandra californica
Bought on a whim in 2012 and really struggling to establish.
Callistemon viminalis
Mature tree with bright red bottlebrushes on weeping branches.
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Campsis radicans
Needs to be kept under close scrutiny since being discovered using its adventitious roots to climb up the wall of the house and push under the roof tiles.
Canna indica
Probably really need more water than we devote to them to look their best.
Cardiospermum halicacabum
Grown very much as a novelty due to the heart-shaped image on each of the little round seeds, hence the translation of its name, Heartseed. Self seeds annually
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Carissa macrocarpa
Potentially useful as a security hedge with its vicious thorns. Flowers sweetly scented.
Carthamus tinctorius
Beautiful bright orange flowers. Grown annually from seed.
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Carya illinoinensis
I believe our pecan tree is the variety 'Mohawk'.
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Cassia fistula
Two small trees that are establishing well. We look forward to them being large enough to produce cascades of yellow flowers.
Ceiba speciosa
Obtained on a whim after seeing a mature specimen in Spain one year. Struggling to establish, gets knocked back by the cold each winter.
Centaurea akamantis
Another Cyprus endemic, this one extremely rare, known from only 2 locations in close proximity to each other. Our plant was obtained from the Cyprus Agricultural Research Institute who were assessing them for gardenworthiness.
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Centaurea cineraria
Centaurea gymnocarpa
Endemic to an area of Italy, I believe, and endangered in the wild but can sometimes be found sold as an ornamental for gardens.
Centranthus ruber
Another prolific self-seeder. We have both the red and white flowered ones.
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Still establishing but producing its small blue flowers.
Cercis siliquastrum
Medium-sized tree that performs on cue every year.
Cereus peruvianus 'Monstrosus'
A curiosity.
Cestrum nocturnum
Unmistakable scent given off from small trumpet-shaped flowers nightly. Can prove too powerful for some.
We also have C. elegans and C. roseum whose flowers are more showy but are lacking in fragrance.
Chasmanthe aethiopica
Chlorophytum comosum
Chrysanthemoides incana
Very drought tolerant ground cover. Useful for growing on banks or cascading down walls.
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Cistus creticus
Prefers poor soil with good drainage. Very drought tolerant.
And a variety of citrus:-
Citrus aurantium
Bitter orange. We don't make marmalade, my late mother-in-law used to make a 'glyko' (sweet preserve) from the flowers. We keep the trees mainly for the scent of the blossom in spring.
Citrus bergamia
Bergamot. Small tree used for flavouring.
Citrus grandis
Pomelo. Two trees that are too small as yet to produce more than one or two fruit.
Citrus limon
Lemon. Two mature trees, one producing seedless fruit.
Citrus reticulata
Mandarin. Mature tree, prolific fruiter.
Citrus sinensis
Sweet orange. Two mature trees.
Citrus x floridana
Limequat. Small bush but prolific fruiter.
Citrus x paradisi
Grapefruit. Two mature trees.
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Clerodendrum bungei
Fragrant flowers. Grown in partial shade with access to irrigation. Spreads by suckers.
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Clerodendrum chinense
Fragrant flowers. Even more prolific suckerer than C. bungei.
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Clerodendrum x speciosum
Unlike the previous two varieties has shown no signs of suckering.
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Commelina erecta
Good summer ground cover but ours gets knocked back in the winter. Ice-blue flowers.
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Sorry, I'm slowing down a bit here but I have been approached by a school in Nicosia to give a talk to some of their students on Mediterranean gardening, so I'm afraid that will have to take priority for a while. It will involve a Power Point presentation and I am frantically trying to put that together. Regular forumers will realize that when I use the word frantic where technology is involved I am not exaggerating! :-[
Convolvulus cneorum
Unlike many of its genus is well behaved, stays compact and is very drought tolerant.
Convolvulus oleifolius
Another well behaved member of the genus.
Correa backhouseana
A fairly recent acquisition that has established quickly. A cutting taken from it is already looking promising.
Cotyledon orbiculata
Crassula arborescens
Crassula 'Flame'
Crassula multicava
Crassula ovata
Crithmum maritimum
Favoured by the Swallowtail butterfly for feeding its caterpillars.
Cupressus arizonica
Grown from seed and heading for the sky.
Cupressus sempervirens var sempervirens
Two fairly young trees.
Cycas revoluta
Two plants growing slowly but steadily.
Cyclamen cyprium
A Cyprus endemic and chosen as the island's National Flower.
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Cynara scolymus
Globe artichokes grow and produce every year without assistance before they die down.
Cyperus papyrus
Grows in our pseudo-tropical area, with shade and some irrigation.
Now for D:-
Delphinium staphysagria
Mediterranean native. Original seeds obtained from Sparoza. Self seed every year and appear in the most unexpected places. Very architectural as they can reach up to almost 2m in height in certain conditions.
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Dicliptera suberecta
I can't remember whether this was obtained from Sparoza or the garden of Forum Moderator, and good friend, Fleur. Whichever, the original plant has produced several offspring from cuttings.
Dietes bicolor
Beautiful, rather un-iris-like flowers.
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Dietes grandiflora
Beautiful, rather more iris-like flowers.
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Draceana marginata 'Tricolor'
Rescued house plant, planted out.
Drimia maritima
Wild plants rescued from a housing construction site.
Duranta erecta
Mature bush.
Also D. erecta 'Sweet Memories' which has deeper blue flowers.
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Moving on to E:-
Echeveria agavoides
Echinops backebergia
Echinops oxygona
Echium candicans
Spectacularly architectural when in flower, but short-lived. We take cuttings every year as back-ups.
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Eleagnus angustifolia
Sweet scented flowers. Fruit an acquired taste, consistency of cotton wool.
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Epiphyllum anguliger
Epiphyllum oxypetalum
Extremely large, powerfully-scented flowers that open at night.
We also have three hybrids but they haven't inherited the scent.
'Desert Moon'
'JT Barber'
'Elektra'
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Eremophila glabra
Tough Australian native that endures full sun for much of the day with no supplementary water.
Also E. maculata 'Aurea'.
Eriobotrya japonica
Sweetly scented flowers open Dec/Jan to be followed by juicy loquats.
Eriocephalus africanus
Another very drought tolerant shrub, this one from South Africa.
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Eschscholzia californica
Prolific self-seeder.
Euphorbia acanthothamnus
Very drought tolerant plant, obtained from MGS garden Sparoza.
Euphorbia dendroides
Another very drought tolerant plant from Sparoza. Summer dormant, in fact looks like dead sticks, don't be fooled it will come back.
Euphorbia milii
Euphorbia veneris
Fairly common Cyprus endemic.
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Euryops pectinatus
Thanks for the reminder, Fleur, as I had overlooked these on my recces.
Mixed results. One growing strongly while others appear to be struggling.
Falkia repens
Farfugium japonicum
Obtained last Nov as a curiosity. In a container as it needs to be kept moist. Slugs and snails love its fleshy leaves.
Ficus carica
What can be said about the common fig except that ours is not irrigated but still fruits well.
Gardenia thunbergia
We have found gardenias in general to be extremely temperamental and sensitive beasts. This one, however, is surviving in the ground in a shaded, sheltered position.
Gaura lindheimeri
Gerbera jamesonii
Assorted colours.
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Hello H:-
Haageocereus versicolor
Hamelia patens
Two small bushes that have taken time to establish but seem to be settling down.
Hardenbergia violacea
Haworthia attenuata
Haworthia coarctata
Hedychium coccineum 'Tara
Grown in semi-shade in improved soil as they can be both greedy feeders as well as thirsty ones in growth. Spectacular, scented flower spikes.
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Hedychium gardnerianum
Hedychium greenii
All ginger lilies acquired from a specialist nursery near Newark, Notts, UK.
Helichrysum italicum
Helictotrichon sempervirens
Small grass plant obtained from a speaker at the MGS AGM in Ischia in Oct 2015. Survived the winter, waiting to see how it fares in the summer.
Hemerocallis fulvia
Reliable flowerers.
Also H. 'Wild Horses' and H. 'My Reggae Tiger'.
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Hibiscus mutabilis
Flowers open virginal white before blushing pink, finally turning scarlet as they drop.
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Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Assorted colours. Very sensitive to cold.
Also H. rosa-sinensis 'Cooperi' a compact plant with variegated foliage and smaller, more delicate red flowers.
Hibiscus syriacus
Two plants that are growing slowly but flower well.
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Hibiscus tiliaceus
Two plants deliberately kept low rather than being allowed to become trees. Surprised at how relatively drought tolerant they are considering their origins. The common names of; Sea Hibiscus, Beach Hibiscus and Coastal Hibiscus give a clue.
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Hoya carnosa
Restricted in a container.
Hylocereus undatus
Large flowers that rival the Epiphyllum in size and fragrance.
Before I move on I need to slot in a plant that I overlooked on my initial list making.
Felicia amelloides
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I spy:-
Ipomoea batatas 'Blackie'
Sweet potato grown as a curiosity to see the flowers rather than as a crop plant. Currently grown in containers but maybe one day we'll attempt to grow enough in the ground to have at least one serving.
Ipomoea carnea ssp fistulosa
Unusual in the genus for not being a 'sprawler' but growing as a bush.
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Iris germanica florentina
Uncertain about this as there appears to be some controversy regarding the nomenclature for this white iris. Whatever its correct name is it's easy to grow and needs to be divided at intervals as it bulks up very quickly.
Next comes J:-
Jacaranda mimosifolia
Four mature trees, three grown from seed from the original 'mother' tree. Beautiful sight when in flower as they appear before the foliage. Carpets the ground below with blue as the flowers fall. Unfortunately ours does it on the drive in front of the garage thus entailing a constant regime of sweeping up otherwise they are carried into the house on shoes, or cat's paws. An example of not thinking ahead before siting perhaps?
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Jasminum auriculatum
Jasminum mesnyi
Two plants that cascade with yellow in spring but, sadly, without perfume.
Jasminum officinale
Jasminum polyanthum
Jasminum sambac
A very temperamental and disappointing plant for us. One in the ground and one in a container. Neither appearing to be very grateful for the TLC they receive.
Jatropha integerrima
Struggling to overcome the handicap of starting life with a badly twisted root system (what I believe Olivier Filippi describes as a 'chignon') but bearing up bravely.
Juglans regia
Somewhat of an experiment to see if it will produce at this low altitude. More commonly encountered in the slightly cooler climes on higher ground (500-1400m). Ours is growing strongly but has yet to show signs of fruiting.
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Now K:-
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Container plant that currently is a mass of cheery, bright orange flowers.
Kalanchoe orgyalis
Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
Kalanchoe tomentosa
Quickly through to L:-
Lagerstroemia indica
We have 3 varieties:- "Caroline Beauty', 'Violaceae' and 'Rossea Grassi'.
All are struggling to establish.
Lagunaria patersonii
Eleven year old tree that produces an abundance of flowers every year. These are followed by seed pods that are covered in extremely irritant hairs. Because of this care needs to be taken when siting.
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Lantana camara
Can be invasive in certain situations. Ours receives very little water which appears to curb its exuberance.
Laurus nobilis
Who could be without a bay tree?
Lavandula angustifolia
Lavandula dentata
Lavandula pinnata
Leonotis leonurus
Seems to suffer in the winter but comes back in the summer.
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Leucophyllum frutescens
Two bushes that receive little supplementary water.
Limonium perezii
Loropetalum chinense
Spectacular when in flower.
Also L. chinense 'Black Pearl' with darker foliage.
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Lycianthes rantonnetii
Still getting used to this name change.
Lygeum spartum
The second small grass plant that was obtained from the speaker at the MGS AGM on Ischia last Oct. Also survived the winter and awaiting developments.
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Mmmm......
Mammillarea elongata
Mangifera indica
Grown from a stone sown in 2000. Produces a limited amount of fruit every year.
Medicago arborea
Obtained from Forestry Dept nursery. Summer dormant so gets no supplementary irrigation. Covered in small yellow flowers each spring.
Melaleuca nesophila
Grown in an area that gets no irrigation.
Melia azedarach
Three mature trees, two grown from seed from the original 'mother tree', sown in 1997.
Scented flowers appear with new foliage in spring. Produces abundant seeds that used to attract Egyptian Fruit Bats until about 10 years ago. Their disappearance possibly attributed to destruction of roosting sites.
Melianthus major
Obtained from MGS garden Sparoza in 2012. Spectacular plant that is only really suited to large gardens as it requires a lot of space to spread.
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Melissa officinalis
Lemon Balm grown as a ground cover in the herb area and used together with Lemon Verbena to make a refreshing cold tea in summer.
Mentha x piperita
Mentha suaveolens 'Variegata'
Mespilus germanica
Grown mainly as an ornamental for its blossom, and a curiosity for its fruit. These need a period of cold to ripen, a process known as 'bletting', and they don't get it naturally here. We could put them in the fridge for a while but have never considered the result to be worthwhile.
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Mirabilis jalapa
Introduced several years ago (1998) as a curiosity with their multi-colours, often on the same flower. Have self-seeded ever since but are easily removed if not appreciated.
Murraya paniculata
Two small bushes that require little attention and produce scented flowers annually.
Myoporum parvifolium
Myrtus communis
How could we not grow this bush that is sacred to Aphrodite, on her own island? We have several examples of both the black and white berried varieties. Many food/drinking establishments used to provide dishes of myrtle berries for patrons to chew and refresh their taste buds between courses. Another tradition that has fallen by the wayside.
Unbelievable - halfway through the alphabet!!
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N:-
Nerium oleander
They are everywhere, but why not when they are so easy to grow.
Nigella damascena
Self-seed prolifically.
Also N. arvensis
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Nymphaea 'Escarboucle'
Also N. 'Moorei' ('Mooreana').
Obtained from Andreas Protopapas, internationally renowned water-lily breeder here in Cyprus.
O:-
Odontonema strictum
Grown in partial shade and watered at regular intervals.
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Oenothera biennis
Another welcome self-seeder.
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Olea europea
Twenty productive trees.
Ophiopogon planiscapus
Just one plant that was a gift from Chrysanthi nursery, Athens following a visit by a group from the MGS Cyprus Branch about 10 years ago.
Origanum dictamnus
Osteospermum sp.
Various in a variety of colours.
Oxalis purpurea 'Neta'
Unlike its obnoxiously invasive relative remains compact without wandering hither and yon.
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P:-
Pachypodium lamerei
Has yet to flower.
Pallenis maritima
Useful, drought-tolerant ground cover, effective for smothering weeds.
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Pancratium maritimum
Grown from seed collected on a beach in Crete during the MGS AGM that was held on that island.
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Pandorea jasminoides
Fairly vigorous climber.
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Paulownia tomentosa
Two trees grown from seed. Fast growing, ours receive little supplementary water.
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Pelargonium graveolens
Used in Cyprus to flavour 'palouze', a sort of grape jelly (jello).
Pennisetum 'Mt Fuji'
Pentas lanceolata
Purchased in Nov 2015 as something of an experiment. Previous attempts to grow it always ending in failure.
Persea americana
Very large tree grown from stone. Rarely produces fruit but serves as a shade tree for a seating area underneath.
Philadelphus 'Belle Etoile'
Struggling to establish.
Philodendron bipinatifidum
Rescued house plant that is in our small pseudo-tropical area.
Phlomis lunariifolia
Indigenous to Cyprus, reliable flowerer.
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Phyla filiformis
Planted as an experimental grass substitute. Not entirely successful in our situation although I have seen instances where it has been.
Pistacia lentiscus
Indigenous to Cyprus.
Pittosporum tobira
Used as a boundary hedge and screen. Strong scent of citrus blossom when in flower.
Plectranthus neochilus
Drought tolerant ground cover.
Plumbago auriculata
Can be a thug if allowed to get out of control.
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Plumeria rubra
Needs regular watering.
Podranea ricasoliana
Fairly vigorous climber.
Polygala myrtifolia
Purchased in 2001. Reliable flowerer that receives very little supplementary water.
Prunus dulcis
Planted 2002. Flowers later than other almonds in the area and is a poor cropper.
Pseudogynoxys chenopodioides
I much preferred the original name of Senecio confusus but the change doesn't detract from its unusual and eye-catching flowers.
I can't decide if this tongue twister is an example of the taxonomists having a sense of humour or a nasty streak?
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Psidium cattleianum
A small bush that produces a crop of little Strawberry Guavas each year.
Psidium guajava
Mature tree that earns its keep as an ornamental, attractive flowers and bark as well as producing a plentiful supply of fruit.
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Punica granatum
Mature specimens that, fortunately, produce sufficient fruit for both ourselves and the local birds to enjoy.
And just one Q:-
Quisqualis indica
Climber that is struggling to establish.
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So to R:-
Retama raetam
Extremely drought tolerant requiring absolutely no supplementary water. Covered in tiny, white, fragrant flowers in spring.
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Rhaphiolepis indica
&
Rhaphiolepis umbellata
Very attractive evergreen shrubs whose spring flowers are followed by clusters of small, round, black berries.
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Rosa banksiae 'Lutea'
Thornless climbing rose that produces an abundance of small yellow flowers in spring.
Also R.banksiae 'Alba Plena'
Similar to the above but with lightly scented white flowers.
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Rosa x damascena
Grown commercially in Cyprus to make Rose water and to scent a variety of products.
Assorted other roses that need to be more clearly identified and catalogued.
Rosmarinus officinalis
Including the prostrate form.
Ruellia simplex
Ruscus hypoglossum
Used as a low hedge. Needs little attention.
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Here we go with S:-
Salvia africana-lutea
Produces unusually-coloured flowers that someone once described to me as being a 'mucky brown'. I prefer to consider them to be burnt orange or, as a more recent acquaintance said, copper coloured.
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Salvia discolor
One of my favourite salvias with its almost black flowers and lime-green bracts. Original plant came from the MGS garden Sparoza but cuttings have taken reasonably easily.
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Salvia greggii
Salvia leucantha
Another favourite.
Salvia nemorosa
Newly acquired plants from Sahin nursery here in Cyprus. Still establishing but looking healthy with some already flowering.
Salvia 'Indigo Spires'
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Salvia verbenaca
Native wild salvia, plants rescued from a road widening project.
Salvia x jamensis 'Hot Lips'
Assorted other salvias that need to be positively identified, plus numerous seedlings that have yet to prove their worth.
Sambucus nigra
Grown in shade with regular irrigation.
Sansevieria cylindrica
Sansevieria trifasciata
Santolina chamaecyparissus
Reliable standby for difficult areas along path edges, etc.
Santolina rosmarinifolia
Sedum rubrotinctum
Senecio cineraria
Senecio fulgens
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Senna artemesioides
Very drought tolerant shrub that produces a mass of highly-scented yellow flowers in spring.
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Senna corymbosa
Unlike its relative above we find that ours prefers regular water and to have the benefit of some shade during the hottest months.
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Sideritis perfoliata
Very drought tolerant Cyprus native. Used here to make a herbal infusion, 'mountain tea'.
Solandra maxima
A real thug of a climber that needs to be kept under strict control. Large, leathery flowers smell of apricot.
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Spartium junceum
Another drought tolerant Cyprus native. Contributes to the display of yellow on the hillsides in spring.
Stephanotis floribunda
Vigorous climbers with wonderfully scented white flowers.
Strelitzia reginae
Require little water. We found that our two plants took time to flower and that they seemed to need to become congested clumps before they did so. Now they are prolific.
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That's all the pages that we were able to salvage from the originals. Now to go back and try to put in the missing photos and then fill in the gap by redoing the lost pages. Getting there.
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Where's your Solandra grandiflora? I use your plant list as a reminder cum spell-check and it isn't here.
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I don't have a Solandra grandiflora, Fleur, what I have is Solandra maxima.
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That's as many of the photos that I can find that were attached to the original, lost, pages replaced. The next task is to fill in the gap between the end of this thread and the A to Z continuation.
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Styrax officinalis
Very drought tolerant Cyprus native that produces an abundance of fragrant, hanging white flowers in spring.
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Synadenium compactum var rubrum
Time for T..
Tabernaemontana divaricata
Tagetes lemonnii
Tecoma capensis
Tecoma stans
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Tephrocactus articulatus var papyraca
Teucrium flavum
From Sparoza
Teucrium fruticans
Also T fruticans 'Azureum
Thrive on very little water in desperately poor soil.
Thunbergia alata
Scrambles everywhere
Thunbergia grandiflora
Recent acquisition, not yet fully established
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I believe that is as much as I can do to replace the lost pages, apart from maybe a little tweaking here and there, adding photos perhaps, that sort of thing.
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John, you're an absolute hero, going back through all of that - your replaced pages are priceless!