Plant of the Day

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David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #435 on: July 14, 2020, 12:07:11 AM »
Seeing your Ipomoea carnea posting led me to look it up on the internet. For bush convolvulus something different came up, Ipomoea leptophylla. After a little research I decided to give it a try and found that it was in the sale at the only UK supplier listed in the RHS Plantfinder. https://darcyeverest.co.uk/product/ipomoea-letophylla/ I will pick it up from my sister at the end of August if all goes to plan.
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 #436 on: July 14, 2020, 05:08:49 AM »
David, when I Google Bush Ipomoea I get both I. carnea and I. leptophylla. I have to admit to never having heard of the second one before. It seems to come from the temperate regions of northern USA.
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)

Umbrian

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #437 on: July 14, 2020, 07:49:50 AM »
That's nice David - beauty is in the eye of the beholder they say and we just have to notice things and appreciate them😊
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
« Reply #438 on: July 14, 2020, 09:51:24 AM »
Re Ipomoea leptophylla, it was this distribution map that made me worry more about wet winters rather than hot dry summers https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=IPLE. I'll give it a try. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Wish me luck.
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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Charithea

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #439 on: July 14, 2020, 03:16:19 PM »
A very poor photo I admit but I feel that I should post it and hopefully you will forgive my eagerness to share the single flower of a plant i spent lots of time and effort to acquire. It is Rotheca myricoides  or as I used to know it Clerodendrum ugandense.  This plant did a lot of travelling to arrive in this garden. David Dickinson you will not recognize it as the healthy bushy plant you gave us in Frascati.  It struggled in  our hot climate, lost branches and leaves but it has survive and produced its flower.  There are another 2 buds to open.  The plant is so low in the grown which makes it difficult to photograph.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

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Charithea

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #440 on: July 14, 2020, 03:25:08 PM »
Congratulations on getting your Hypericum to grow and flower. I am saying this because we had a few low growing Hypericums for several years and refuse to give us one single flower so one day I took them all out. I think you need to plant a lilac coloured Agapanthus next to it and then you will have a lovely contrast.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #441 on: August 28, 2020, 10:56:36 PM »
Recently the garden has not been looking its best. I know, summer is not the best time to judge a mediterranean garden but having recently returned from Umbrian's garden, the difference is very noticeable. I do have some colour, buddlejas, one or two salvias trying their best and duranta - a new cutting flowering for the first time. But things are struggling and there have been one or two sad farewells this summer. Nothing that can't be replaced, but.. . So I was happy to see a new plant flowering for me today. I grew it from seed and managed to lose the label. I keep a list of all seed I have sown and going back through the lists I was able to identify the plant as Aniscanthus quadrifidus var wrightii sown in spring 2018.

I believe I should be thanking some unknown contributor to the seed bank and, of course, Chantal, for her tireless work for our benefit. I am 99% the seed came from there. Thanks, you cheered me up 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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Charithea

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #442 on: August 29, 2020, 06:31:19 PM »
This is my second try at replying to this post. After doing the spell check I lost everything so I am redoing it. David, it is a lovely bright flower. Congratulations on your success. Only one tiny seedling has survived from all those seeds that I put in the ground. It is Salvia roemeriana. On the other hand my Cosmos sulphureus have flourished. I took some fresh seeds from the plant and sprinkled them on the ground and a few days later they have sprouted. Does any one have extra tubers of Cosmos sanguineus? Apparently the seeds do not germinate.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2020, 06:34:40 AM by Charithea »
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day - Crinum
« Reply #443 on: September 15, 2020, 12:36:03 AM »
Finally, after a series of garden disasters, some success. So many things which have survived previously have either suffered or disappeared this year. But crinum seeds that I collected in Sicily in 2015 (1st photo) have finally given their first flower (2nd & 3rd photos). I don't know if this is because it normally takes this long, because I cut back an overhanging buddleja so allowing in more light or because I cut back a lot of the crinum foliage which had become brown and unsightly.
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 or, rather, the year!
« Reply #444 on: October 12, 2020, 09:18:11 PM »
Verbena officinalis "Bampton". This is the first year I have grown this plant. I saw a very poorly looking specimen at half-price in a garden centre in the UK last winter. Within a week or so of being planted out in Rome it was beginning to send out glossy purple leaves. As the plant grew it began to lose some of the leaf colour but the stems retained the purple. Late spring arrived and out came a mist of pink flowers. And there have been flowers from then on.The last 2 photos were taken this afternoon (just before the rains started again!)

We have a had a very dry summer but it has not needed lots of water. It survived whereas V rigida, a plant I have had for  4 or 5 years died off completely. There are still no signs of anything sprouting up from soil level.
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
« Reply #445 on: October 14, 2020, 11:07:42 AM »
I opted for "Plant of the Day" rather than "Climbers" for this posting in recognition of the valiant efforts it is making. I thought the much cooler, even cold, temperatures we are having would have stopped Ipomoea alba from flowering. This is the evening/night flowering Ipomoea that Umbrian introduced me too and I am very grateful to her for that. The large papery flowers don't cope well with rain but the bud which is set to open later today is under an awning and so I should be able to enjoy its last flower of the season without rain damage.
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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Charithea

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #446 on: October 14, 2020, 05:17:55 PM »
Good luck with your remaining Ipomea alba. They look amazing when fully opened. Our  ipomoeas are flowering sporadically and so are our cacti.
I garden in Cyprus, in a flat old farming field, alt. approx. 30 m asl.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day - Emilia sonchifolia, 'Scarlet Magic'
« Reply #447 on: October 19, 2020, 10:50:20 PM »
A couple of years ago I grew Emlia javanica. This year I tried Emilia sonchifolia 'Scarlet Magic'. It has a bit more scarlet tint to it. Now I have to decide which I prefer. As to colour I prefer the simple orange of E javanica but I have to admit Emilia sonchifolia 'Scarlet Magic' does stand out better in bright sunlight. The leaves still had dew on them at around 13.00 today when I took the photo which indicates just how wet it has been recently. First photo is E javanica from 2 years ago. The others are E sonchifolia 'Scarlet Magic' taken 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.

David Dickinson

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Re: Plant of the Day
« Reply #448 on: October 19, 2020, 10:53:56 PM »
Oooops. Managed to repeat one photo twice instead of putting in this one showing the hairy leaves of Emilia sonchifolia 'Scarlet Magic' trapping the dew.
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
« Reply #449 on: November 01, 2020, 03:17:58 PM »
After a few heavy days at work I am managing to get out into the garden a bit today. To my surprise I found these two exotic looking flowers which I would not normally expect to see on the 1st Nov. Passiflora 'Lady Margaret ' and a red Canna.

Happy All Saints' Day for today and All Souls' Day for 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.