How is everyone feeling? This is the first Saturday of November, days are short, we've had a frost, and this is day 3 of the second lockdown. On the plus side, the sun has been out quite a lot, and I have spent most of the daylight hours potting up succulents and planting out bulbs. I thought finding six might prove challenging, but there's quite a bit of colour still in the garden, although the dahlias have succumbed to the frost of course.
I'm going to start off with Billbergia Nutans, also known as Queens Tears and the Friendship plant. There's some interesting information here, it's quite true that it's very easy to grow, and thrives on neglect, mine seems to flower when it is watered properly, and has two flowers at the moment. They produce masses of nectar, so worth watching where you place it, maybe those are the Queen's Tears, although it doesn't mention that in the blurb.
My second choice is an Inula that has taken up residence on the terrace at the back of the house, growing between paving, it struggled a bit in the summer when it was so dry, but is loving conditions now. It seems to grow better between paving than in a border.
The next choice is an
Argyranthemum which was in a tub with other things, and got a bit scruffy, so I took cutting, cut the plant back and put it in a pot, and it now has its first flower I think it probably needs to come in from the cold.
Many of you will recognise Salvia Amistad, a great plant, very vigorous elsewhere, but this is its peak this year, so am including it. Does anyone know how to get it to grow better?
Could this be Salvia Trelissik Creamy yellow? I'll have to look up when I bought it. Anyway it's flowering freely.
My sixth is this bright pink Chrysanthemum, it reliably flowers every year, but has a bit of a lax habit, maybe it needs the chop earlier in the year, or to be grown on its own so it's not reaching for light.
So that's my six, I'll go and see what our host,
The Propagator has chosen now. Turns out he has a lot of repeat flowerers, and it's hard to believe we're talking about the November garden.
The Billbergia looks very good, an interesting plant. Well grown! We are into our third week of lockdown here in Ireland and, to be honest, we (our household) has lived as though in lockdown since last March - one of the benefits of retirement! It is dragging on a bit and the garden is a blessing, a pastime and a bit of exercise.
ReplyDeleteThe Billbergia is a great plant, very tough, and the flowers last for about 3 weeks and are beautiful. The lockdown business isn't too bad if you are retired and like gardening.
Deletei lost all but one amistad to the cold last winter. the remaining one grew into a giant plant this year! I hope a few more survive this year, although i do have cutting in the GH, just in case.
ReplyDeleteMine seem to make it through the winter, but are so straggly and pathetic. I wish I knew how to give them some oomph. Other Salvias grow wonderfully.
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