Plant of the Day

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Alisdair

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #345 on: September 22, 2017, 08:28:27 AM »
What size of bucket are you using, David? And are they the sort with a handle on each side?
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 - Tulipa agenensis ssp sharonensis
« Reply #346 on: September 23, 2017, 04:56:05 AM »
I posted pics on this tulip on the day it first opened when just the interior was red; now the colour is through to the exterior of the petal as well,
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 #347 on: September 28, 2017, 08:35:17 AM »
David, your 'Anthony Parker' is beginning to show some colour.
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)

Caroline

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #348 on: October 01, 2017, 12:22:29 AM »
Going back to the posts on Hibiscus trionum, this is a NZ native which my mother used to grow.  I have never had much luck with it, I suspect because my soil is too heavy.  Charithea, what are the regulations about importing small quantities of seed into Europe from New Zealand?  I ask because one of the big NZ seed companies sells packets of seed of "Puarangi", as it's called in Maori.  If you'd like some without waiting to get some from the seed bank, I could easily slip a couple of packets into an envelope and post it to you - just send me a message with your address. Hilary, if you google Puarangi stamp you'll see that Hibiscus trionum featured on stamps in the  1960's both before and after we changed over to decimal currency.
I am establishing a garden on Waiheke Island, 35 minutes out of Auckland. The site is windy, the clay soil dries out quickly in summer and is like plasticine in winter, but it is still very rewarding. Water is an issue, as we depend on tanks. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas. Caroline

Hilary

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #349 on: October 01, 2017, 06:05:54 AM »
Hi,
I have just looked up Puarangi stamps as you suggested.
I was interested and surprised to see  that earrings and bracelets are made using the stamps. Very colourful
MGS member
Living in Korinthos, Greece.
No garden but two balconies, one facing south and the other north.
Most of my plants are succulents which need little care

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Alisdair

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Re: seed imports
« Reply #350 on: October 01, 2017, 07:20:30 AM »
Caroline, generally speaking there are no import restrictions for small quantities of seed sent from NZ to Europe.
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: Puya chilensis
« Reply #351 on: November 14, 2017, 01:57:27 PM »
This Puya chilensis is about 15 years ago and flowered for the first time 2 years ago just as we left for 2 weeks in NZ so we missed most of the flowering!
It is just flowering for the second time - you can see the old spike which we have yet to take down!
Apart from the bees the honey-eaters were also enjoying the flowers
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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Fleur Pavlidis

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Re: Plant of the Day: Montanoa grandiflora
« Reply #352 on: December 05, 2017, 11:01:45 AM »
It was nearly wiped out by the cold last winter but has come back bigger than ever. It suffered a rain storm and high winds but is still standing tall and holding its flowers.
« Last Edit: December 06, 2017, 08:28:06 AM by Alisdair »
MGS member, Greece. I garden in Attica, Greece and Mt Goulinas (450m) Central Greece

Umbrian

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #353 on: December 06, 2017, 08:12:23 AM »
Can you give more information about Montanoa grandiflora Fleur......beautiful leaves as well as attractive flowers - when I googled it all I got was Clematis montana grandiflora and your 'photo does not look like a Clematis to me....
« Last Edit: December 06, 2017, 08:28:38 AM by Alisdair »
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

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Alisdair

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #354 on: December 06, 2017, 08:27:41 AM »
Should actually be Montanoa grandiflora I think... So I've changed the name in the earlier posts
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

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day Pycnostachys urticifolia
« Reply #355 on: December 07, 2017, 02:56:45 AM »
Seeds I got from Chantals seed bank last year are now plants about 3.5 foot tall.  I read that  it flowers late in the season and is often cut back by frost. We have had a couple of nights where we have reached 1°C for an hour or two but the plant is still going strong. A lot more flowers than you see in these pictures taken a couple of weeks back. I will need to replant them next year if the grow again at the same rate.

I like the flower heads where the flowers are moving up the head and there are the seed pods developing below. I imagine the spiny-looking seed heads is why it is known as the hedgehog plant.

Thanks Chantal :-)
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.

Umbrian

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #356 on: December 07, 2017, 08:49:59 AM »
Thanks for the correction of the name on Fleur's post Alisdair. Have tracked it down now and it sounds lovely although if it grows as big as suggested on one site then it is not for me and my new small garden!  Really attractive as shown on Fleur's 'photo however and always interesting to see " unknown" plants.
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

Umbrian

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #357 on: December 07, 2017, 08:51:56 AM »
Love your " hedgehog" plant too David  :)
MGS member living and gardening in Umbria, Italy for past 19 years. Recently moved from my original house and now planning and planting a new small garden.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day Pycnostachys urticifolia
« Reply #358 on: December 10, 2017, 07:47:50 PM »
Unfortunately just a few hours below 0°C last night was enough to turn the leaves of Pycnostachys urticifolia to a mush. At least I know that, if it doesn't recover, I can grow it as an annual and the year is long enough for it to produce flowers. Let's see if I can get seed from it or will the cold prevent the seed from developing? The bumble bees love the plant so there should be a good chance of fertile seed being produced.
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.

Caroline

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #359 on: December 17, 2017, 05:16:08 AM »
Snapped on an Auckland street a week ago.  This is Metrosideros excelsa, or pohutukawa, which of course flowers close to Christmas.  I'm almost certain this is the cultivar known as "Vibrance", which is widely used as a street tree. It flowers at an early age in this delicious shade of deep orange, and has an upright habit.  Merry Christmas to MGS Forum followers.

Caroline
I am establishing a garden on Waiheke Island, 35 minutes out of Auckland. The site is windy, the clay soil dries out quickly in summer and is like plasticine in winter, but it is still very rewarding. Water is an issue, as we depend on tanks. I'm looking forward to sharing ideas. Caroline