[John J]

David, our C. cneorum finished flowering some time ago too but the C. oleifolius has carried right on through.

[David Dickinson]

 C. oleifolius looks very interesting especially if it gives a longer or different flowering period than C. cneorum

On a different thread, way back in the cold of January I wrote that so many thinks had been completely cut back by the long period of sub zero temperatures. I worried for my Canna hybrid plants but, as you can see, I needn't have. Two different types came into flower a couple of days ago. The pale yellow one I raised from seed of a pink parent

[John J]

I realize that it's a couple of years since Hibiscus syriacus featured on this thread but our plants are bursting into full bloom now.

[David Dickinson]

Another strange plant to be posting as "Plant of the Day" in the baking heat of June. This flower sprang up a couple of days ago and hasn't been frazzled by the short spell of afternoon sun it receives

[Fermi]

Right on the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere we have the Mexican Hawthorn still in full leaf and loaded with golden fruit.
We also have the red-fruited hybrid, Crataegus 'Smithiana' which is shedding foliage as the fruit ripens
cheers
fermi

[David Dickinson]

I grew this from seed and this is its third summer and its first flower. It was almost destroyed by the very cold winter but one stem survived. After it has finished flowering I think I will cut it back a little to encourage branching ad stake it up to encourage vertical growth.

[David Dickinson]

I have been experimenting with a few annuals this year. One of them is Tithonia rotundifolia "Red Torch" (seeds from Special Plants, UK). I have a few plants dotted around and the first flowered for me a couple of days back. Seeds were sown in late february under glass and quickly germinated.

[David Dickinson]

This year, now that I have a little more space, I have been growing some annuals. Hibiscus trionum is one that has been very successful. A high germination rate from the seed and the plants have coped well with the high temperatures of the early part of summer. With some watering, of course. I'll be sending some seed to Chantal shortly.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

Going back to your previous post, I'm surprised your Caesalpinia was harmed by the cold. I've never seen any damage on mine even after frosts which cut young Jacaranda and Grevillea robusta to the ground. Anyway I assure you Caesalpinia can take any amount of hacking. They spring up all round my garden so I have to keep them in order with regular severe pruning.

[David Dickinson]

Hi Fleur,

We were at -6°C  at night for about 6 days and the day time temperatures just got up to around 0°C by early morning in January. The soil was frozen for most of that time. Very unusual for Rome. It was milder in the north than it was for us. Cestrum nocturnum (grown from seed a few years back), 2 different Epiphyllums and Ipomea indica grown from a cutting were just some of the plants that didn't make it through at all.

 by the way, the Caesalpinia has made a great comeback. Just the one flower (posted earlier) but lots of  side branches. Looking much better after the equally extreme summer we have had.

[Charithea]

Hi David. I love your Hibiscus trionum and I shall ask for some seeds from the seed bank. My Anthony Parker has grown BIG and it is finely getting ready to flower. I will post a picture as soon as it flowers.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

That was quite cold! I'm in central London at the moment and after reading your reply I've offered to dig up a seedling to bring here to live on my brother's balcony. He already has a lemon tree and a Judas tree doing well.

[David Dickinson]

I also grew this from seed and after 3 years it is now flowering for the first time. I keep the soil moist but I wouldn't say it was boggy. So, although it is called "Swamp Hibiscus", the soil doesn't need to be too wet. I grow it alongside Ruellia brittoniana and they both have done very well this year for me. The Ruellia was cut back to ground level with the -6°C of January and took a while to show signs of life again in the spring. The Hibiscus is a herbaceous perennial anyway. I only wish my herbaceous Salvia sinaloensis had been so resilient. It never came back after its dormant winter period. A sad loss because I found it a very attractive plant.

[David Dickinson]

Hi Charithea

Good to hear that your Salvia "Anthony Parker" has taken off. 

[David Dickinson]

Another annual I am growing this year, and intend to continue doing so, is Emilia coccinea. I like small delicate flowers and the foliage is a fresh green colour. Not needing half as much water as you might expect though it did get some watering. Very obligingly it quickly covered the sides of the large black buckets I am using as plant pots. Much cheaper than very large plant pots and the handles come in as very useful when I need to move them around (dragging as they are very heavy). Easy to drill holes in the bottom of them.