Plant of the Day

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David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day Gymnocalycium horstii ssp buenekeri
« Reply #300 on: June 25, 2016, 12:42:30 AM »
Here is my favourite among my cactus that have flowered. The colour reminds me of the top of a cappuccino. Flowering again for me this year, as it has done for the last few years, Gymnocalycium horstii ssp buenekeri. This was kindly identified for me on this forum by GRJoe last year. I might get two or more flowerings this year. The flowers I photographed last year were in September.

Like so many of my plants after the house move, this one is not in its final location so the photos are not the best. But the flowers are truly beautiful.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day - Justicia carnea
« Reply #301 on: June 26, 2016, 10:06:26 PM »
Another plant with a beautiful flower colour which is in flower at the moment. This one is in a shady corner of the courtyard. Justicia carnea, if that is its currently accepted name. It seems to be one of those whose name chops and changes according to the weather.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day Gymnocalycium mihanovichii /G friedrichii/ etc
« Reply #302 on: June 26, 2016, 10:20:00 PM »
Hi Hilary,

The same 2 flowers are still going strong today
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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John J

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #303 on: July 21, 2016, 08:07:04 AM »
Almost exactly a year ago I posted a photo of our Euphorbia dendroides in its summer dormant state. Usually it begins to show signs of life around September time. This morning as I passed by it was, at first glance, looking its usual comatose, summer-dormant self (see first photo) until I looked more closely and saw that it was already beginning to put out new growth (see second photo). This despite the fact that the daytime temperatures of late have been nudging 40 degrees C and it has had absolutely no water for over 4 months.
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)

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day (night), yet to be identified
« Reply #304 on: July 24, 2016, 02:53:45 AM »
I came home at dusk tonight to see what is in the first picture. I thought it was shutting up for the night and then I thought to myself how strange it was that I could have walked by it this morning and not noticed the flower. An hour later I went out again to throw out the rubbish and saw what is in the second photo. It was evidently just starting to open when I had seen it earlier.

Will think about identification tomorrow.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day Gladiolus murielae ("Acidanthera")
« Reply #305 on: September 04, 2016, 05:37:48 PM »
Thought I would send this despite the fact that thousands of you probably have it as a common-place flower in your gardens For years in my old flat I repeatedly tried it but with no success, I  still do not understand why. It appears in pots at ground level in several gardens in Rome. Now that I am at ground level too my attempt this year has paid off with several blooming and several more in bud,
« Last Edit: September 21, 2016, 06:06:00 PM by Alisdair »
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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John J

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Re: Plant of the Day - Thunbergia grandiflora
« Reply #306 on: September 15, 2016, 10:45:36 AM »
Bravely flowering despite the intense heat we are still experiencing.
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)

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day Salvia sinaloensis
« Reply #307 on: October 23, 2016, 09:51:16 PM »
Cheating  a little bit here. Yes I did take the photo. Yes it is in my garden. Yes it is in flower now. But I can't claim that bringing it to flower was anything to do with me as I bought it only two weeks ago. I hope that I will be able to get it to cover and spill over the edges of large pots  which will contain other, taller plants. Does anybody grow this? Some say it will take full summer sun but others say it prefers some shade. The picture is true to color for the leaves but the flowers are a darker blue than in this photo.

When I took it out of its original pot there were several runners already bursting out so it should be very easy to propagate.
I have a small garden in Rome, Italy. Some open soil, some concrete, some paved. Temperatures in winter occasionally down to 0°C. Summer temperatures up to 40°C in the shade. There are never watering restrictions but, of course, there is little natural water for much of June, July and August.

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John J

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #308 on: October 30, 2016, 04:07:17 PM »
I haven't posted anything on here for a while but one of our new baby Leucophyllum frutescens is already beginning to show off. It is getting a deep watering twice a week at the moment (it is in full sun for most of the day) but that will be reduced as it grows up.
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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Alisdair

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Re: Plant of the Day - Leucophyllum frutescens
« Reply #309 on: October 30, 2016, 05:40:58 PM »
John, You may find you have to give it at least occasional deep waterings even when it's outgrown its nappies. We put one into our unwatered part several years ago, watering it only in its first year then nothing. It's now survived for about six or seven years but scarcely grows, staying baby-sized, and not flowering much.
Alisdair Aird
Gardens in SE England (Sussex); also coastal Southern Greece, and (in a very small way) South West France; MGS member (and former president); vice chairman RHS Lily Group, past chairman Cyclamen Society

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Fermi

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Re: Plant of the Day - Texas Sage - Leucophyllum frutescens
« Reply #310 on: October 31, 2016, 08:18:52 AM »
John,
that's a new one on me! I'll have to search it out (initial searches find it available in WA and Qld!)
cheers
fermi
Mr F de Sousa, Central Victoria, Australia
member of AGS, SRGC, NARGS
working as a physio to support my gardening habit!

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John J

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #311 on: October 31, 2016, 10:33:06 AM »
Fermi, well worth getting hold of if possible. As Alisdair says is slow growing if kept on a low water diet but we have 2 more mature plants that have been allowed to grow to about 2 metres with watering at irregular intervals, usually when I remember! They will take clipping back to keep them bushy and this often results in them producing a mass of flowers creating a purplish-pink ball.
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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John J

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Re: Plant of the Day - Euryops pectinatus
« Reply #312 on: October 31, 2016, 10:42:47 AM »
A very useful low maintenance plant that flowers over a long period. Not fussy about soil type as long as it has good drainage. Likes full sun and needs little summer water. Good candidate for using as a pot plant.
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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Charithea

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Re: Plant of the Day Leucophylum frutescens
« Reply #313 on: October 31, 2016, 05:02:03 PM »
Here is a photograph of the above mention plant. It is 10 feet away from our gate. It belongs to my neighbour. It is about 2 years old.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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John J

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Re: Plant of the Day - Nandina domestica
« Reply #314 on: November 19, 2016, 07:24:57 PM »
Tried to get a photo of our young Nandina starting to take on its autumn colour. Not as successful as I had hoped.
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)