JEARRARD'S HERBAL
Thats enough introduction - on with the plants!
To navigate this site, use the links above, or the detailed links at the bottom of this page.
... out in the garden.
25th April 2010
Dendrobium moniliforme 'Raizen' .
A bright week in the garden has been cooled by a refreshing breeze, and indicated a change in the warm weather. Last night it finally rained
and the garden is looking much better for it already. Also, I have planted a half dozen new Magnolia at the top of the garden, and
it has saved struggling up the hill with buckets of water which is very pleasing.
For many years I have been looking for plants of Dendrobium moniliforme, it is said to be the hardiest of the species. It is grown
in Japan by fanciers, and will take a frost in winter if it is dry. I thought that it might prosper in the conservatory. Further research
shows that it is found widely in warm temperate East Asia which explains why it has sulked through the summer at low temperatures
and only really cheered up when I put it in a warm growing case.
Earlier in the year I bought the white flowered 'Phyllis', but claim no credit for flowering it, since I bought it in bud. This pink one
came from an orchid show last spring, so I can take some slight credit (but if I am honest, the cane that is flowering was already mature when I got it).
Long term success will depend on growing strong new canes during the summer - both will probably stay in the growing case for a while yet.
It has a surprisingly strong spicy scent, bordering on pungent
25th April 2010
Gladiolus huttonii .
For some reason I have had a couple of months without Gladiolus flowers (as far as I am aware anyway, I have been a bit distracted).
This week they have re-appeared and are very welcome. I was at Wisley yesterday (briefly anyway) and G.alatus had just reached
perfection in the alpine house. When I got home, I had this pretty little plant in flower. The species comes from sandstone slopes
in the Southeastern Cape, but my plants don't agree very closely with pictures of the species online, and I think these are probly hybrids
with G.tristis. I didn't get much seed from it last year, and that might be the reason.
25th April 2010
Arisaema ringens .
There has been a sudden movement from the tuberous aroids this week and a great many have emerged from the ground, mostly flower buds first.
I still have a number of empty looking pots, and I'm hoping that the winter damage hasn't been too severe. No Amorphophallus
yet, but it is still quite early.
This Arisaema emerged a couple of weeks ago and the flowers have just opened. This is my green flowered form, I have another with
much darker purple brown flowers not showing any signs of growth as yet. Last year I started the process of moving them all into
decent sized pots, and I have to continue with the rest as they emerge. They had become rather starved and pot-bound and those that have been moved on
have responded with vigorous new growth.
25th April 2010
Stylophorum lasiocarpum .
Sometimes the garden produces surprises that take some time to understand. This popped up as a seedling in a pot of Smilacina oleracea
and caused some confusion. When it germinated, I though it was a radish, but then found it had orange sap. When it flowered, I had a vague feeling
that it was a Stylophorum, but it is not a genus I have ever grown before and it took some time to confirm (because I had lost
Chris Grey-Wilson's 'Poppies'). Long story short I found it again, it is Stylophorum lasiocarpum, free seeding, occasionally weedy
species from woodland in Central and Eastern China and it will be welcome under the trees here. I will have to collect seed and evict the parent.
Not unreasonably, the Smilacina wants its pot back.
To find particular groups of plants I grow, click on the genus name in the table above. Click on the "Index" box at the top of the page for the full list.
I have a lot of good intentions when it comes to updating this site, and I try to keep a note
about what is going on, if you are interested.
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