Sunday, July 19, 2015
Mark and Gaz
Ahh summer, and the days of it that it's just nice not to do much out in the garden but laze around, drink lots of cold drinks, and have a barbecue...
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| Time for a little update on some of the ones who didn't make it out for display |
And doing random garden chores that aren't too tiring but just as fulfilling. Like tidying up some of the plants that are still in the greenhouse. Not all of our plants make it outside for display during the summer, some are left under glass or in the pot ghetto for one reason or another. Time for an update on those plants still in our working area and in the greenhouse next to the koi shed, and a little break from our 'pot crazy/whimsy' posts as of late.
Even just wandering round the garden seems to give us new ideas for future projects. We had a barbecue on the Saturday, which left me thinking we could go for a more solid or permanent out door kitchen. We had planned this back before we built the first koi pond, and perhaps a more solid masonry barbecue such as these from Tesco could be the way forward... decisions decisions, and another project for Gaz :)
The Yucca rostrata below has decided to flower again this year after having just recovered from flowering the other year. It was put here then to re-root and recover from flowering then and it's repeat of floral prowess has somehow set it back again but at least not as much as before. Being well rooted now means it is better at recovering from flowering.
The flower spike this year
And the one two or three years ago
The Yucca thompsoniana also flowered several years ago and you can see its remnants on the right side of the photo below.
Now let's look at the other plants in the greenhouse...
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| I collect Yuccas and those that are still on the small side are mollycoddled in the greenhouse all summer |
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| The lovely twist is getting more evident - Yucca rupicola |
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| This one is starting to live up to its name - Yucca 'Yellow Ribbons' |
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| A trio of Yucca 'Margaritaville' |
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| Surrounded by our Aspidistra collection. Strange combination in the greenhouse but the aspidistras relish the shadiness under the wooden shelf |
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| More xerophytes, this lot are for TLC |
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| Including the variegated Beschorneria septentrionalis which flowered this year which will result in the demise of the mother plant. Fortunately though it has sent several pups! |
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| An unidentified Opuntia that has stood the test of time for us is also busy sending out new pads, yay! |
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| Our bargain Yucca rostrata duo received some haircut too |
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| So did this Dasylirion serratifolium |
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| Quite slow but have responded to being repotted - Sinopanax formosana |
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| Dainty but just as prickly, the lovely Mahonia druckeri |
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| One last glimpse before we go out to the pot ghetto... |
And then on to the working area, also called 'pot ghetto'. Not much left even here
But still some notable ones like...
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| Gunnera perpensa which absolutely loves being sat on a tray of water permanently |
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| It will live another year unplanted. Still, nice colour on it's new flush of leaves - Quercus dentata 'Pinnatifida' |
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| We're waiting for it to bulk up a bit more before we plant it out. The tropical looking conifer - Podocarpus matudiae |
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| Very variegated and very sensitive to the sun. The exact name of this Aucuba from Cistus escapes me at the moment |
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| This Aloe polyphylla is supposed to be our 'display' one but it ended up looking more abandoned than pampered. |
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| For that palm seedling look - Curculigo crassifolia |
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| Rhododendron edgeworthii and Aucuba omeiana |
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| And a flowering Veratrum |
As you can see no big changes here but it's nice and relaxing in its own way to spend some time tidying up and giving some of the plants a once over, even the ones that that didn't make it out.
Mark :-)
This gardening blog follows our journey as we create our Tropical and Exotic themed garden. We hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as we do. We started our Exotic Garden in 2005 and this site will show its development, as well as our travels, both abroad and within the UK to gardens, nurseries and friends.
You take exceptional care of your plants! Even those left in the plant gulag look well-cared for. That Yucca 'Yellow Ribbons' is an especially nice specimen.
ReplyDeleteFor a moment I thought the Yellow Ribbons isn't actually variegated Kris, good to see that it has finally given us confirmation :)
DeleteI had wondered what happened to the Yuccas and Nolinas you featured in past years. Just a summer indoors for them. The Yucca 'Yellow Ribbons' would be a good one in my garden so I wonder if it is available here. I'm always seeing things in a new light through your posts. Y. rupicola grows wild here and I don't even have one in my garden.
ReplyDeleteThought of you Shirley when I was tidying as you've said before that some of the plants that we give special attention here are natives there. It's a lovely lot :)
DeleteYuccas are incredibly tough. You continue to take really good care of your many, many plants--it inspires me to try to do better with mine.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing a splendid job Gail, we look to your posts on what new plants to look out for :)
DeleteI wish I had an out of sight area for tending to the injured and down on their luck. Instead mine are planted in the ground for nice vacation to stretch their feet and prove their worth...or given away...or tossed in the bin.
ReplyDeleteWe do those things too Loree, if only space and time is abundant to keep everything :)
DeleteYellow Ribbons is very nice, and they all look really good after their haircuts. I long for the day I have a Y. rostrata that size.
ReplyDeleteThey size up pretty quick when planted out Amy. So even planted small it will do well for you in no time :)
DeleteThat Yellow Ribbons is beautiful, but I had a hard time picking a favorite. I can't wait to see what the Podocarpus will grow up to be! But for all the shade in my garden, I think my chances would be better with that fabulous Acuba.
ReplyDeleteAll plants are lovely Anna, and the Podocarpus matudae is a plant that Loree has featured quite recently and she has shown a fabulous specimen in her garden, I think you can get it at Cistus. And so is that fab Aucuba :)
DeleteYup - made a mental note of that - thanks! I'll have to hit Loree up for a visit, methinks! :)
DeleteA great collection of pictures from your garden! I can only dream to raise only half of these plant. Really good job. Please, continue to show us the fruits of your labor, I am waiting for more garden beauties. :) Cheers!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kelly and will do :)
DeleteTidying is good. I had a big clean up over the weekend as it was a struggle to get down the middle path of the garden without crashing into leaves and stems - and that's just veg! Gosh there are some monsters out there! Seeing the 'haircuts' you've given to your yuccas reminds me that I have to do the cordyline tree in the gardens here. I did the 5ft tree a couple of weeks back and it looked very funky after!
ReplyDeleteThere's something quite relaxing with tidying isn't it Caro? :) Cordylines and yuccas do look great after a good haircut session.
Delete"For that palm seedling look" -- not sure if you were being sarcastic or not, but coming from SoCal where we're overrun with palm seedlings, that description cracked me up. Thank goodness my dasylirion isn't blooming again this year. It really knocks their shape all out of whack, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteYou could open a small nursery with the plants in your greenhouse, LOL.
ReplyDeleteIn your experience, would it be better for Yucca rostrata to cut off an emerging flower stalk instead of letting it grow (and flower)? I imagine not having to put all that energy into flowering, it could produce more leaves.
We take this approach to art. Since Richard is a painter, we have racks of paintings waiting in the wings...you can only stand so much of a good thing at any one time.
ReplyDeleteHow cool to have such a fun pot ghetto and how nice it is to have time to work on the plants that didn't make it out into the garden!
ReplyDeleteWow, so many cool plants, as always :). It almost looks as if you could have a little nursery.
ReplyDeleteI do envy your greenhouse! We need our own permanent barbecue solution. I love those Tesco units. I wish they sold them in the States!
ReplyDelete