JEARRARD'S HERBAL
Thats enough introduction - on with the plants!
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... out in the garden.
12th September 2010
Acis rosea .
Name changes are always a little tiresome, even when they are clearly a good thing. The majority of Leucojum were moved into Acis
a decade or mare ago, and I am slowly catching up. These fragile delicate flowered bulbs are a world away from their giant cousins remaining in Leucojum
and the move seems a very sensible thing, but it still takes a while to get to grips with. Fortunately the re-namer had the good sense to
make it easier to spell - that 'j' in Leucojum always sat a little uncomfortably!
This is an especially delightful member of the new genus, the flowers are blushed with pink, and it is neither as obliging nor as floriferous as A.autumnalis
but it has done well in a pot in a cold greenhouse. I thought I had missed the only flower this year, but it has produced a second for me and I was able to get
a photograph this morning. It doesn't really do the plant justice, but it is a photograph!
12th September 2010
Biarum tenuifolium abbreviatum .
Even the expected autumnal performers have an unexpected air about them, and this Biarum has easily slipped on the mantle of the unexpected.
A moments sunlight this afternoon has illuminated the spathe in a rather satisfactory way, but I was exzpecting the stench of a thousand decaying donkeys
to flood the greenhouse. Instead, it was faintly unappetizing like the remains of a sunday roast discovered on a monday morning.
Another denizen of a pot in the cold greenhouse where its occasional green leaves are beside the point.
12th September 2010
Crocosmia 'Cascade'.
The Crocosmia in the garden have been performing well this year, released from the prison of their pots, and this has been a special surprise.
In a pot it was a rather ordinary orange cultivar leaning rather heavily towards the C.masoniorum end of the spectrum. Once in the ground
it has produced a large spike of large flowers which make a significant dab of colour in the border.
Raised by Gary Dunlop and named in 1999, it has not yet managed the fame it deserves in gardens.
12th September 2010
Hedychium gardnerianum 'Pallidum'.
The Hedychium have started to perfume their greenhouse as part of their seasonal display. The deciduous species have an assortment of scents, but they never
manage to fill the entire space with fragrance. During the week 'Devon Cream' and H.gardnerianum have both come into flower, and during the evening
you could cut it with a knife.
This is a slightly paler form of the species - I need to have them both side by side to see the difference. I have heard it suggested that this is also slightly smaller growing
and flowers more freely, but even growing side by side those distinctions have eluded me. It doesn't have especially glaucous leaves and it doesn't have
notably pink stems so although I cherish the idea, the plant itself could easily become lost in the crowd.
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.
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