Monday 26 November 2018

In a Vase on Monday -Scrabbling about

I wasn't going to post today, but if everyone did this on the same week, it would still be Cathy with her lovely arrangement that keeps things going....

Scrabbling  around the plants looking for a pewter leaved cyclamen corn to give to a friend this afternoon, the sun came out and a few of the shy beauties shone out.


Two leaves from the pewter coloured Cylamen probably heredifolium, with a marbled one for contrast, which I found when I was searching below the minutely flowered Fuchsia microphylla 'Silver Linings'.  Through a few clicks I found that this plant was introduced by the Wynne-Jones from seed they collected on the Cordillera de Talamanca in Costa Rica at 2800m in 2004. they call it 

Fuchsia hemsleyana 'Silver Lining'

 I then found a link to their nursery: Crug Farm  in North Wales......Again, I had not read the growing instructions, and it seems neither has it, since it is flourishing in the new garden in full sun.  

Just close by, sheltered by the stone wall the Salvia Corrugata is putting on a good show.  

Its strange how descriptions of a shrub or plant and its tolerances to weather conditions can vary.  British sites say tender, the Australian site to which I linked Salvia Corrugata above gives a very good description.  My shrub spent the winter well outside in its sheltered spot but it is late to flower. 

The final element in the arrangement is a twig of Lophomyrtus ralphii Little Star.  This is very slow growing where it is and again there is confusion about where it is best to plant it.  At present it is in a sheltered mostly shaded position where it shines out with its evergreen cream and pink margined leaves.  If anyone has experience of growing this shrub, it would be interesting to have your views as to its performance.

12 comments:

  1. Glad you found your way to another vase today. I really like cyclamen foliage and that pewter coloured one is really unusual.

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  2. A sweet November arrangement. As the days are getting shorter, it's especially nice to bring a little of the garden's light inside to enjoy.

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  3. Just shows plants don't always do as they should. Will you leave it where it is as it is happy? An interesting collection of colours and textures with intricate detailing.

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    1. All the plants went through the cold and snow of last year...so now that they have even more roots, they can stay where they are. Tomorrow I may take a few cuttings...a little late in the season though.

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  4. Successful scrabbling, I would say! That salvia is such a vibrant blue but somehow doen't look as it should be hardy...are you going to chance it? I don't know Lophomyrtus at all but it has such pretty leaves and their scale would make it really useful in vases. It must be fascinating working out what and where things grow best in your garden and I guess you have to try and be patient.

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    1. Yes the plants are staying put as I don't have a greenhouse and what tender plants I have are already in the conservatory.

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  5. I love the foliage taking center stage in your arrangement.

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  6. You did well cobbling together an arrangement, Noelle! I always consider descriptions provided by growers in areas that aren't similar to mine somewhat suspect as what requires shelter in my area may not require it in the grower's region (not to speak of the differences in plants that can cope with "full sun"!). I thought your Lophomyrtus was Coprosma at first, as it looks a lot like my own Coprosma 'Fire Burst'. When I looked up Lophomyrtus, a genus I've never heard of, I was surprised to find they're plants that should be happy in my own climate, although I've never seen them here. The hunt begins!

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    1. I see that both Coprosma and Lophomyrtus are from New Zealand and that area. This Lophomyrtus has very small matt leaves and lots of pale pink borders. I had not seen Corposma here until very recently. I guess its just what the plant sellers believe will sell to their market. Thanks for the sharing your knowledge.

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  7. Your choices are so lovely and unexpected! Hope you can find more about the Lophomyrtus as it's quite pretty!

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    1. Thanks Amy. I've had the Lophomyrtus for some time now...I had started collecting the Mrytle family which I find very attractive. This garden is very different, small and very sunny, with just a very little shade and I love how this shrub fits into that shady space. I shall however take cuttings and see how it fares elsewhere.

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  8. Well you certainly scrabbled well about Noelle. What a delicate little fuchsia. I deduce it's a shade lover from what you say and another of those plants that hasn't read the book. The cyclamen leaves are most striking.

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