Louisa's Potting Shed

VERATRUM MAACKII?

2016-07-25T11:56:00.001+01:00

I grew this from seed and assume it is correctly named?
It stands 8' tall in a moist semi-shady area and has the beautiful pleated hosta-like leaves.
Delicious to slugs.

BUDDLEIA CRISPA 'STONE HOUSE COTTAGE'

2015-07-23T16:45:00.000+01:00

A variegated sport that appeared on my ordinary B.crispa some years ago. It is possibly not as hardy as the type.

Schizophragma fauriei - BSWJ1701

2015-07-02T08:00:00.001+01:00

This superb Wynn-Jones collection from Taiwan has soft apple green foliage and Hydrangea like flowers in July.

It prefers it's feet in the shade, but flowers best in the sun.

LONICERA SUBEQUALIS OGISU 93.329

2015-06-14T08:06:00.000+01:00

Collected by Mikinori Ogisu in Sichuan this curious honeysuckle appears to be flowering in the centre of a green cup.

I have had some difficulty in giving it the right conditions, but

it now seems happy in a sunny moist spot.

It is perfectly hardy.

HIBBERTIA ASPERA

2015-05-21T17:52:00.001+01:00

Hibbertia aspera is a neat, lax evergreen climber that will quickly cover a sunny wall. It has buttercup yellow flowers in May but will not survive a very cold winter.

ARISTOLOCHIA MANSHURENSIS

2015-05-12T07:51:00.001+01:00

Aristolochia manshuriensis is a hardy climber with heart shaped apple green leaves and large flowers like a yellow brown saxaphone or a dutch-man's pipe. A superb Crug farm collection from South Korea.

THALICTRUM ORIENTALE

2015-04-23T19:14:00.001+01:00

Forming a neat mound 30cm high this Thalictrum has been flowering solidly since February.

It originates from Turkey and likes to be in dry shade - what more could you ask of a plant?

I will try to propagate it for next year, A gem from Evolution Plants,

2015-04-10T09:04:00.000+01:00

The Juno Irises have a reputation for being tricky to grow.

I have only ever attempted two varieties that are supposed to be fool proof and they have done well in a sunny dry spot underneath a thirsty evergreen shrub.

LONICERA ELISAE

2015-03-15T11:42:00.000+00:00

Lonicera elisae is a hardy and very reliable winter flowering shrub.

Supposedly it is fragrant but the weather is usually too cold then to catch the scent.

Unlike Lonicera x purpusii, it flowers on completely bare wood. Should it come out in June it would be hardly noticed but is a welcome sight here in February and March.

ATHEROSPERMA MOSCATA

2015-02-27T08:48:00.002+00:00

An erect evergreen shrub from Australia that I have grown here against a wall for over thirty years.

It is well over 4 metres high and has scented white flowers every February.

CLEMATIS YUNNANENSIS 'WINTER BEAUTY'

2015-02-01T11:26:00.000+00:00

This is a newish evergreen climber with attractive foliage and reddish stems.

It is clearly vigorous but there does seem to be some doubts as to it's hardiness.

I have yet to test it with a cold winter.

It has delicately fragrant, waxy bell-shaped flowers from January to March.

Try it in a sunny sheltered site.

ARAUJIA SERICIFERA

2015-01-22T10:43:00.000+00:00

Araujia sericifera is an evergreen South American climber that survives most winters but is not completely hardy.
It flowers in late summer and is fruiting now. It's common name is cruel plant as moths, bees and butterflies are often trapped by the secretion within it's flowers.

They seem to usually escape the following morning when the flowers re-open.

MY STAR PLANTS IN 2014

2014-10-29T19:50:00.001+00:00

The double, or semi-double, form of Anemonopsis macrophylla flowered well this summer and seems as easy to grow in a shady moist spot as the ordinary form.

This wonderful Melianthus, with extra jagged leaves and red flushed stems, came as a seed from Maurizio Usai of La Pietra Rossa garden in Sardinia.

It seems to have a more fastigiate shape and has made a handsome plant this year.

Erigeron annuus grows to about 5' and has nice modest white daisies for weeks and weeks. It is a short lived perennial but seeds gently.

CIONURA OREOPHILA

2014-09-19T12:12:00.001+01:00

A handsome evergreen climber that has been flowering steadily, but never profusely. since July. Now, in late September, it is beginning to flag but still has the one or two flowers left.

It smelt wonderful and on the warm sunny evenings we had in July.

ALBIZIA JULIBRISSIN ROSEA

2014-08-03T17:54:00.000+01:00

This tree is about 20' high and flowers every year.

The beautiful ferny foliage appears quite late in the spring and casts very little shade.

The flowers look like balls of pink cotton wool that have been thrown onto the branches.

2014-08-03T17:53:00.001+01:00

DESMODIUM CALLIANTHEMUM

2014-06-27T08:16:00.001+01:00

I have grown this Desmodium on an east facing wall for quite a few years.

It's magenta flowers appear reliably in June and are set off by neat green foliage.

It has reached about 8' high.

LATHYRUS NISSOLIA

2014-06-12T19:47:00.001+01:00

The grass vetchling, a tall erect

annual flowering in my meadow now

OXYTROPIS GRACILIS, PASITHEA CAERULEA AND SOPHORA DAVIDII

2014-05-27T19:21:00.000+01:00

Oxytropis gracilis is a charming Canadian native flowering now. It appears to prefer a dry spot and seems easily grown.

Pasithea caerulea has grasslike leaves and comes from Chile. It grows to about 60cm and seems to be tolerant of drought.

Sophora davidii is a deciduous shrub from south west China. It forms a neat rather prickly mound and has blue and white pea flowers in late May and June.

EPIMEDIUM 'PINK CHAMPAGNE' AND OTHER WOODLANDERS IN FLOWER NOW.

2014-04-15T17:30:00.000+01:00

Holboellia latifolia?

2013-11-22T18:15:00.000+00:00

This seems to be a form of Holboellia latifolia.

It is a robust evergreen climber growing here on a south facing, but exposed wall. It was unharmed by the winter of 2010. The scented flowers appear in May followed by, apparently, edible fruit. So far I have not been hungry enough, or brave enough to try them.

CAMPYLOTROPIS MACROCARPA AND LESPEDEZA IN OCTOBER

2013-10-10T18:24:00.000+01:00

These wonderful shrubs have arching pea foliage and flower in late summer.

If pruned hard they will re-grow from the base. Grow them all in a dry sunny spot.

The Campylotropis makes a much denser shrub and would be ideal at the front of a border or hanging over a raised bed.

The Lespedezas will grow taller, probably reaching 5 -6'. They will need support or another plant to grow through.

BORDERS IN MID AUGUST.

2013-08-16T18:44:00.001+01:00

2013-06-20T18:29:00.000+01:00

Vestia lyciodes will not survive a hard winter but usually seeds nearby.

Actinidia pilosula has a much more interesting flower than the more common A. kolomikta.

Clematis chiisanensis is covered in fleshy yellow flowers now.

Lonicera sempervirens seems to prefer a fair amount of moisture.

ANEMONES FLOWERING NOW.

2013-05-10T09:08:00.000+01:00

The wood anemones are just going over.

Here are some of the more curious ones that flowered (and their

close relation Anemone appenina 'flore pleno') this year.