impatiens – HungryforHostas

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!

Quick update

abutilon, agave, aroid, bedding plants, bees, begonia, cautleya, dahlia, ensete, exotic, flowers, foliage, gardening, hedychium, impatiens, mirabilis, perennial, plants, salvia, solanum, succulents, tetrapanex, weather, wildlife, Xanthosoma, yarden, zantedeschia

Thank you for your patience and hope that you have all been enjoying your plants.

Here is an unknown species of Hedychium which is just starting to flower, let’s hope that all the buds have time to flower before the frost.

I have already put these beautiful succulents in to the greenhouse.

I grew this plant from seed and it had been a really slow grower. But it’s really put some growth of late. It is Solanum betaceum.

Other plants that are growing surprisingly well are the Tetrapanex (which you may remember my friend David gave to me), Begonia luxurians, popping in on the left is a Xanthosoma violaceum, which really has spread this summer.

It’s crazy how well some plants have done this summer! This is another perennial that has grown so well, grown much taller than me and has produced lots of flowers and continues to do so. This is Impatiens tinctoria.

I have been lazy taking some tenders in, partly because they seem to be enjoying the moisture and mild climate (also living next door to a laundrette and their dryer tubes helps). Here the Ensete murelii or Abyssinian Banana seems to be growing strong. The Zantedeschia ‘Hercules’ is slowing down for winter, yet the Gynostemma pentaphyllum is showing no sign of slowing down. I love how the plant grows so fast in a season and covers the ropes to give a real jungle feel.

Soon I will collecting these little bulbils that the Begonia grandis ssp sinensis ‘Red Undies’ produce and sow them in the greenhouse to ensure I have some babies in case they do not make it through the winter.

The Abuliton ‘Variegated Salmon’ is still growing well and producing these beautiful flowers. I will soon need to dig it up and put it somewhere safe over winter.

The Mirabilis Jalapa continue to flower along with the Salvia and Zinnia. You can also see the Arundo donax variegata and various Hedyhiums growing in the background along with a smaller growing Cautleya gracilis which is turning yellow.

I am hoping to give this bed a good mulch like I did last year and leave all the tenders barring the Abuliton in the ground.

Other stars of the show have been these Dahlia ‘Sandra’ which I couldn’t resist buying as they share the same name as my mum.

I have grown Dahlia ‘Bishop of Leicester’ over the past few years and always put on a good show. They tall have dark foliage and bright single flowers that the bees adore in the summer.

I hope to be growing and dividing plants over the winter and will keep you up to date as often as possible.

Wrap up warm, enjoy the milder days and most of all love your plants!

Flower catch up

annuals, bedding plants, bees, dahlia, exotic, flowers, foliage, gardening, impatiens, mirabilis, perennial, plants, salvia, scent, wildlife

Apologies for the lapse in our catch ups. Some technical issues.

I’m going to keep it brief by just showing some pictures of flowers that I’ve grown, mainly in my parents garden.

Dahlia Bishop of Leicester. A great one for flying insects, especially bees.

Zinnia which I grew from seed.

Mirabilis Jalapa also grown from seed this year. I love the variation you can get, this marble effect yellow and pink then the next is pink. I also have a white one! They are heavenly scented in the evening.

This is the Salvia that flowers grew from a rather strange bud.

This is Dahlia Sandra continuing time flower and standing out of the crowd!

This picture shows how tall this Impatiens tinctoria has grown. You can only see a small part of it. The white flowers are large and scented.

I hope you’re all still enjoying your green space, will update you soon!

Wordless Wednesday

bedding plants, cautleya, exotic, flowers, foliage, gardening, ginger, hedychium, impatiens, mirabilis, plants, salvia, unusual, yarden

Just so wild!

alocasia, aloe, annuals, bedding plants, caladiums, design, exotic, flowers, foliage, gardening, geraniums, hedychium, perennial, plants

Yay I’ve had sometime in my little oasis that you may already know I’ve named ‘Tiny Tropical Yarden’.

Here is a Hedychium coronarium, getting in the way of us walking to our door. I decided to move it to allow more space and protect it from damage.

I’m so happy that these night time scented stock have grown in the passage. I’m hoping that they seed and contribute to spread.

I may have also sprinkled so welsh poppies in the passage. I love their nodding heads and their simple yet very apparent presence. I’m happy that they have sprouted.

Our main weeds in the passage since I have been ‘caring’ for the area is Geranium palmatum, and I for one am glad of this … weed.

Another plant that has happened to ‘arrive last in the passage is this fun named plant – Mind your own business, it’s Latin name has changed a few times but I believe it is now known as Soleirolia soleirii.

This plant gives me happiness, it suppresses weeds and looks amazing. Frogs and critters seem to enjoy it. The moisture it retains provides the ideal habitat.

This calcium had a dying leaf, I tugged at the leaf and the whole section, as you can see there were also some roots. I’ve planted it and remain hopeful.

David and I went for a walk along the river Mersey. Look at who’s beautiful butterfly.

We foraged and collected a fair few blackberries.

We popped to my parents, and dropped off a few plants that’s I decided needed a better space that our yarden. Whilst there I was pleased to the progress of the Mirabilis longiflora, sadly they are not quite open but I am excited and anticipate them.

My friend David gave me a cutting of an Aloe striatula, aka Hardy Aloe, i never expected it to flower so soon, here it is in flower.

I’ve had time to sweep the yarden, move plants and pot plants up. I love just having the time potter and enjoy the yarden. My aim is to be able to sit and enjoy.

We always have something to do and it’s our choice to sit and take it in. Is it wrong that I find it easier to sit in another’s garden and contemplate?

Enjoy your green space!!

Scorcher storm

abutilon, annuals, bedding plants, bees, begonia, cautleya, dahlia, eucomis, exotic, flowers, foliage, gardening, hedychium, impatiens, nature, perennial, plants, rain, solanum, storm, sun, unusual, weather, wildlife

Another really hot day, and many plants are suffering. I’m finding it hard to keep up with watering. Even after the precautions I made.

I’m happy to see this Cautleya gracilis lutea start flowering. It is much more delicate to its more robust counterpart.

Impatiens never used to have a space in my heart never mind my garden, here are two that I have purchased this year and are doing brilliantly.

Impatiens auricauma x bicaudata.

Impatiens balfourii.

I’m hoping that this sown Solanum quitoense will grow bigger and better. The leaves are stunning and so alien.

These are Canna brasiliensis seeds lay on top of a Musa Basjoo leaf.

The bees love the open flowers of this Dahlia ‘Bishop of Leicester’.

This is a Hedychium, I believe it to be H.densiflorum ‘Stephen’. I look forward to it seeing it in all its glory.

When I bought this Abuliton ‘Varigated Salmon’ my mum really dislikes it. Until that is when the flowers came. Now this is a prize plant in my parents garden.

A spot of bright colour provided by this Zinnia.

Another plant I have grown to love are Begonias. This is B. Josephii

Here I have B.evansiana.

Amongst the begonias is this stunning bulb, known as the pineapple lily, the Eucomis bicolour.

As I finish writing this the lightening spreads through the sky, the breeze returns and now the rain comes.

Flurry of flowers

annuals, bedding plants, cucumis, dendroseris, exotic, gardening, impatiens, lobelia, mesembryanthemum, pelargonium, perennial, plants

It was great to see that the Mesembryanthemums I grew for my parents have finally started to flower. This is the first one, hoping that we’ll get lots of different coloured flowers.

This plant has not had much luck, the slugs seem to love it more than hostas! Finally there’s a bigger leaf that had a finally got some growth. Keep your fingers crossed.

It is Dendroseris litoralis also known as the Cabbage Tree.

One of my friends gave me a cucumber plant and now there are baby cucumbers!! Yay!

My parents are also really happy with the planters I did for them earlier in the year.

I’m really surprised at the growth on these Impatiens tinctoria this year! It has a beautiful scent.

Enjoy your green space!

House plant frenzy!

edibles, exotic, free, fruit, gardening, grow your own, house plants, mangifera, plants, rhaphidophora, tradescantia

I’ve been needing to pot on some rooted cuttings and today was the day.

The roots on my Rhaphidophora tetrasperma looking great, I’m hoping that now I’ve planted it, it’ll grow fast.

Another cutting with stunning leaves, this is Epipremnum aureum ‘N’ Joy, more commonly known as Pothos.

I had some other green Pothos to plant up, and two varieties of impatiens cuttings.

I have another variety of Tradescantia, they are easy to propagate from cuttings. This is Tradescantia pallida.

A bit of an update on the mango seed. I was told to dry the husk and then open it.

I opened it, sadly the seed didn’t come out whole. A little broke off.

I have planted the seed and fingers crossed it will sprout.

Enjoy your plants!

Popping up all over

aeonium, annuals, aroid, exotic, foliage, frogs, gardening, impatiens, nature, pelargonium, perennial, unusual, wildlife, Xanthosoma, yarden

I’ve had a busy day, mainly working at my parents and fixing their garage.

I did have time to have to do a few bits in their garden.

I was ecstatic to see this little frog which jumped out of the hardy geraniums.

Back at home, I’m happy to see that the sansevieria cuttings have started to show sprouting.

I’m happy to see the Alocasia amazonica is growing well.

I love the strange stems that come from the plant and extends the flowers away from each other. These are Impatiens balfourii.

Another stunning impatiens, the flowers are much more colourful. Impatiens auricoma x bicaudata.

I’m surprised to see this plant has sent new plants up, earlier in the season I wasn’t sure that it would even survive! This is Xanthosoma violaceum.

Do you still remember the joy of seeing a seed pop from the soil?

You may be able to see the sole seeding raising its head – Cyphomandra sibundoyensis.

These little ones are Aeoniums.

I hadn’t realised that the cutting I bought from Abbey Brooke Cacti had taken, never mind growing or taken. You can see the new leaf and the roots are already popping out of the bottom. I can’t wait to show you this stunning plant once it’s grown – Pelargonium tetragonum.