propagation – HungryforHostas

Seed arrival!

agave, annuals, aquatics, exotic, gardening, ginger, plant nursery, plants, propagation, seeds, succulents, unusual, zingiber

You may have read my blog about all the seeds I am looking forward to growing this year and I am happy that I had some of this collection arrive in the post day.

You may be wandering why I have decided to write another post so soon, well truthfully I am so impressed with this website that I felt that they needed a post to themselves.

The site has a good variety of seeds and they are very reasonably priced, truthfully I had some reservations.

The seeds arrived in less than a week, which is good especially with the delays that the mail services are still having.

I was really impressed when I opened the envelope, to find that there were individual detailed growing instructions for all the packets of seeds.

I know that I will definitely be keeping an eye on this site and see what exciting seeds they will have in future. The site also lists bulbs and plants so I am hoping that they may have some on offer soon also.

I know you are thinking why haven’t you the name of the site, so here it is:

World Wonder Gardens

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post, please do let me know what you think of this site and the comments I have made. I’d be really interested to hear if you decide to place an order and even more so how your seeds grow and thrive.

Seeds galore!

aeonium, agave, canna, exotic, gardening, plants, propagation, seeds, unusual

A friend of mine recently listed all the seeds he intends to grow, he inspired me to take a look at all the seeds I have and hope to get growing this year. Here goes:

Aeonium aureum

Aeonium glandulosum

Aeonium subplanum

Agave parryi

Agave victoria reginae

Amaranthus ‘Pointy Fingers’

Amaranthus ‘Red Plume’

Amaranthus ‘Velvet Curtains’

Atriplex hortensis ‘Red Plume’

Broussonetia papyrifera

Canna jaegeriana

Canna paniculata

Cardiospermum halicacabum

Eccremocarpus scaber orange

Eccremocarpus scaber pink

Eccremocarpus scaber ‘Tresco Mix’

Fuchsia procumbens

Globba bulbifera

Hedychium densiflorum ‘Assam Orange’

Hellenia costus

Impatiens capensis

Impatiens scabrida

Isoplexis canariensis

Mirabilis jalapa

Mirabilis longiflora

Nelumbo nucifera

Nicotiana sylvestris

Oreopanax niger

Rhipsalis baccifera ssp baccifera

Sonchus congestus

Sonchus fruticosus

Sonchus palmensis

Solanum atropurpureum

Spilanthes achmella

Vasconcellea pubescens

Zingiber chrysanthemum

It appears that it may be a busy spring, keep your fingers crossed that I have some success.

What are you going to be growing by seed this year? If anything? Perhaps you prefer to take cuttings or root division?

As this is my first post this year, I would also like to wish you all the very best for 2021, Happy New Year! Let it be filled with plants and green spaces!

Plants and snow

climbers, dahlia, gardening, jasminium, plants, propagation, snow, weather

Many of you may not be thinking of gardening or plants at the moment, unless you’re as plant mad as I am.

I’m pleased to show that these Dahlia imperialis cuttings are now growing, you can see the shoots now growing.

Looking outside in the yarden, the snow has nearly all cleared but has settled on the jasmine.

There was also some still hanging on to the bamboo.

We went for a walk this afternoon, I thought I’d share a picture of this lovely Tudor building – Bramhall Hall.

Stay warm with the thought of spring in your minds.

Winter’s here!

aeonium, climbers, dahlia, edibles, ensete, exotic, gardening, ginger, grow your own, hedychium, impatiens, mirabilis, musa, perennial, plants, propagation, tropaeolum, zingiber

I hope this finds you well and gardening!!

I have finally cut some leaves off the Ensete murelii and have brought her inside.

I am always so saddened when I cut these stunning leaves from the plant (Ensete murelii), however I’ve learnt that this is a necessary evil to allow the plant to survive for the winter months. Along with not watering it whatsoever. This is a mistake that I have ignored in the past and sadly lost this beauty.

Many of my plants have had to come to their winter home, loving the green jungle which is our stairs!

This is one of my seed sown plants, Aeonium tabuliform, look at the prefect form of the leaves!

As the weather cools, hidden and forgotten friends return. This is Arum italicum pictum, soon we will have an insignificant flower to be followed by bright red berries.

Another stunner at this time of year is the beautiful Cyclamen hederofolium, look at their leaves! They even have beautiful flower … watch this space.

Many of the exotics are now inside, I am lucky enough to have a micro climate due to the high walls and the heat from a neighbouring launderette.

This Colocasia esculenta is still growing and looking quite at home in our tiny tropical yarden.

In other news, a friend on twitter sent me these huge cuttings. They look like bamboo, however they are Dahlia imperialis aka The Tree Dahlia.

It’s been an interesting year in the garden, I’ve grown many plants which I have never grown before. This is an interesting plant, it is a climber with delicate leaves and can flower if looked after properly. It has the added use that it is edible, it is known as Mashua, Latin name is Tropaeolum tuberosum.

It’s also been an interesting year in my parents garden, the bananas have grown well, I’ve also grown Mirabilis species, jalapa and longiflora. Both have also set seed and hopefully will see more of them round the garden next year.

Another plant that has really shown how well it performs is Impatiens tinctoria, a tall growing perennial with large scented white flower. A must have in any jungle garden.

Also pleased to have some seeds mature from my Hedychium, I believe it to be densiflorum ‘Stephen’.

I hope you’re all keeping well, keep gardening!

Pot up & tidy up!

annuals, aroid, compost, exotic, foliage, gardening, impatiens, perennial, plants, propagation, rain, sun, weather, yarden

I’ve managed to spend some time in my parents garden and in our yarden too.

I noticed this iris type seedling growing in a plant that my friend David gave me. I think he has them popping up too!

I’m happy with my little ‘cabinet’ so I can store my compost, grit, sand and bark.

I’ve potted on some plants, tradescantia, Szechuan pepper, impatiens and I’m sure one or two more.

I noticed some aroid looking seedlings popping up from around my Aloe. No idea what they are but can’t wait to find out. Any ideas?

I had a general clean up and a tidy. Hoping to get more space and be able to sit and enjoy a laid back time.

Also finally had some sweet pea flowers. The smell so sweet.

Enjoy your green space.

Friends and free plants

abutilon, aquatics, carnivorous, climbers, exotic, flowers, foliage, free, friends, gardening, geranium, jasminium, perennial, pinguicula, plants, propagation, seeds, yarden

I’ve not really done much in the green world today.

David and I visited a friend (yet another David), he has grown me a Jasminium beesianum, he also gave us an unknown pepper and some cuttings of Abuliton megapotamicum and an aquatic grass as well as some seeds to a lovely purple flowered Geranium.

I noticed that my Butterwort (Pinguicula) has started to send up a flower spike.

Until tomorrow.

Going bananas

exotic, flowers, foliage, friends, gardening, hibiscus, house plants, hoya, lythops, musa, plants, propagation, yarden

Went to a Facebook seller in Stretford, bought a Chinese Banana – Musa lasiocarpa.

Their garden was lovely, full of Hedychiums, Cautleya, and all sorts of cool plants.

We also visited David, he gave me some Hoya carnosa cuttings. I have looked up how to propagate from cuttings and there seems to be a few ways. I have tried potting one up in a gritting compost mix and the other in water.

He also gave me some more Solanum seedlings. I potted these up as soon as I got home. Even my David likes the dark stems and flowers.

It’s always lovely to see the flowers return on my Hibiscus syriacus ‘Oiseau Bleu’.

I finally got round to potting the Lithops in the lovely pot I bought from Village Plants in Hazel Grove.

I added some crocks and gravel to give plenty of drainage.

Here is the finished result. What do you think?

I don’t want to keep the labels in the finished result so I’ve made a note.

Still not managed to the bits that I’d like to do in my yarden. Hopefully soon I’ll be able to update you with these jobs!

Indoor gardening type of day

aeonium, avocado, climbers, compost, exotic, flowers, foliage, gardening, house plants, organic, pelargonium, plant pots, plants, propagation, rhaphidophora, seeds, tradescantia, unusual

Had an indoor day of gardening today but managed to get a fair bit done.

Was great to see these little fun-guys in my compost. I always use organic and mainly SylvaGrow. The fungi generally shows the health of the media.

Getting my potting on inside.

My avocados definitely needed potting up!!

These are the collection of plants that I have potted on it cuttings that I have potted up.

My Rhaphidophora tetrasperma is sending that root out. I’ve had to move it to a bigger jar.

I’ve mounted this half pot in my bathroom hoping that the pothos will take the lower light conditions.

I was given these Tradescantia cuttings last week by our friend Daniel and they are already growing roots!

I have sown about six pots of seeds to include – Cyphomandra sibudoyensis, Aeonium glandulosum, Mimosa pudica, Solanum atropurpureum, Carina canariensis and two seeds a friend game me that he didn’t know what they were but were unusual or exotic. Watch this space.

I’m going to leave you with this strange and rarely seen Pelargonium tetragonum cutting. Fingers crossed it roots. It has a climbing habit I believe.

Enjoy your green space!

Road trip

aeonium, aloe, cacti, climbers, crassula, exotic, flowers, foliage, friends, gardening, house plants, impatiens, kalanchoe, pelargonium, plant nursery, plants, propagation, stapelia, succulents, tradescantia, unusual

Today my friend David and I went on a small road trip to visit a Cacti & Succulent nursery. Abbey Brook.

They really have some amazing plants!! Look at these!

How bright and stunning are cacti flowers?

Here are some of my purchases from today.

I finally managed to get the Sedum morganianum (middle top), also bought two Echeveria (top right E. ‘Black Knight’ and bottom left – not labelled – UPDATE – A. leucoblepharum), right Stapelia hirsuta, bottom right is Aloe glauca f. distincta, unsure about the bottom one (UPDATE – Crassula obliqua ‘Blue Bird’, left is Crassula c.v. Green Pagoda, top left is Borzicactus aureispina and finally in the centre – Epiphyllum Dracula XL.

I also couldn’t resist this tall dark stranger, who knew there was a climbing Kalanchoe?! This is Kalanchoe beauverdii.

My David (partner, not friend) loves Lithops aka Living Stone plants. Here are six cute specimens – L. Archerae, L. Aucampiae C257, L. Fulviceps, L. Karasmontana, L. Lesliei and one that I have already lost the label!!

When I arrived home another plant order arrived!! Wow am I really such a plant geek?! Do I have a problem?!

Here I have (top left clockwise) Muehlenbeckia complexa, Philadendron scandens, Philadendron scandens ‘Brasil’, Tradescantia sillamontana and Impatiens morsei ‘Velvetea’ (centre).