Smyrnium perfoliatum

It looks like Spring is really here! No frost last night and a warm sunny day with a good forecast over the next week.

So – I’ve been searching for signs of young

plants. These plants are biennial so hopefully there will be some young self-sown plants ready to flower this year.

This plant is a real ‘jewel’ in the garden and has an impressive name. It is one of a genus of umbellifers commonly known as ‘Alexanders and grows wild in the UK and Europe. It is said to be edible but I’ve never tried it. It grows to a height of about 2.5ft and has amazing greeny-yellow bract like leaves with green / gold flowers in mid- May. It is a shade plant which is fortunate as it is excellent at lighting up dark corners of the garden.

I’ve grown it now (or rather – it grows itself) for some years under a large tree in the company of Geranium macrorrhizum (see photo above), ferns and hostas. As I said, it is a biennial so I rely on it self seeding and on my not accidentally digging up the seedlings.

It’s unusual for me to grow common wild flowers but this plant is anything but common. I don’t think that, in this form, it is found growing wild in many places in the UK and it certainly not commonly found in retail nurseries, however, I know that seed is available.

I do hope I’ve got some surviving plants and if anyone wants an ‘impact’ plant for a shady place – this is the one!

 

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Spring and the White-Headed Blackbird

The clocks have gone forward and I’m home this evening with the sun still shining on the garden. It’s been a beautiful sunny day and even quite mild. But I awoke this morning to a heavy frost and temperatures down to minus 2.

I’m pleased to see my old friend – The White-Headed Blackbird is very active in the garden. Not quite sure what he is doing, perhaps trying to attract a mate. I wonder if the other blackbirds recognise him as a blackbird or think he’s part of a different gang? He was doing a lot of nest-building last year and built one in the standard bay tree but there didn’t seem to be any sign of a family being reared. There are several other blackbirds around the garden with patches of white feathers, perhaps they are his offspring. Anyway it’s good to see he has made it through another winter.

I’ve always thought of him as a male and I know male blackbirds are black and females brown, he always looks darker than the usual brown but perhaps he is a she?

Clocks change tonight!!

This is a real sign of Spring! The clocks go forward tonight by an hour, that means that sunset tomorrow will be at about 7:30. I’ll be able to come home from work and potter in the garden for an hour or so.

Mind you, you still need the weather. Tonight it’s forecast to go below zero and I’ve been around the garden covering emerging Hostas with fleece and stuffing dry leaves and old fronds in to the tops of the Tree Ferns. A hard frost at this time of year can be very damaging as it will kill the new shoots and buds of plants that have been dormant through the worst of winter.

I’m hopeful that the weather will get warmer from tomorrow. Hope so! Next week we drive to southwest France setting off at 3:00 a.m. and I can do without ice on the roads.

The cold weather has meant that the garden has not moved on much this week. The ‘Festive Fence’ seems to be making a difference with noticeable less cat activity. Something has completely emptied one of the bowls of Sempervivums – chucking the rosettes and earth everywhere. I used to have a vast (well a few) collection of Sempervivums mainly in shallow pots or bowls but birds and other animals seem to delight in turfing them out in their search for some sort of tasty morsel. Today's number one suspect is a squirrel but it could have been a wilderbeast!. Anyway, I decided long ago that my Sempervivum growing days are over.

Spring Forward!

Ferns

Above: Polystichum polyblepharum (right) and Onoclea sensibilis (left)

It’s been cold and windy for the last few days and looks set to continue like this through the weekend. So far, there is not much sign of new growth in the ferns except for the Tree Ferns where I can feel the coiled fronds amongst the dried leaves etc. that currently fill the funnel at the top of the trunk. The old leaves and old fronds help protect this new growth from frosts.

I grow about 30 different types of ferns and collecting more species and varieties is quite addictive. I even have a collection of books on the subject including some Victorian books written in the heyday of fern collecting mania.

Mostly I grow ferns in the more shady areas of the garden but some species do well and even require

sunnier sites. They mix very well with Hostas and with any large leafed plants including Colocasias where they add to an exotic effect.

Generally the cultivation of ferns is very very easy providing one knows which ones prefer shade, which prefer damp ground and which prefer dry. Tree ferns require a little more attention particularly in keeping their trunks moist during the summer months.

Having learnt my lesson from omitting to keep a record of all the Hosta varieties I have, I’ve gone in the opposite direction and keep a database of all the ferns including their position in the garden. Recording the position of ferns is not really needed for the evergreen varieties but recording the position of the deciduous ones helps to keep me from accidentally digging them up.

Another reason for recording their names is that most have ridiculously long and difficult names to remember  (I think this may be part of their appeal!). And another reason for recording their names and position is that so many look exactly like each other despite being different species etc. There is something about ‘collecting’ which is enjoyable despite the fact that so much of the collection looks the same. I used to collect bus numbers as a child!

Amongst the collection there are some beautiful ferns and particular favourites. Polystichum polyblepharum (Tassel Fern) shown in the photo at the top of this post is one such, the way the fronds ‘fan out’ from the centre of the plant is very attractive. In future posts I will highlight some of my other favourites.

The following is an excerpt from my database and I’d welcome any comments or suggestions for new acquisitions:

Dryopteris	affinis ‘Polydactyla Dadds’	Behind pear tree
Cheilanthes	lanosa	On bank next to Box
Dryopteris	filix-mas (male fern)	Near fence by Fatsia
Matteuccia	struthiopteris (Shuttlecock Fern)	By pond / fence
Athyrium	niponicum ‘Pictum’	In front of bamboo by Cordyline Technorati Tags: Ferns
Blechnum	penna-marina	Under Cordyline
Dropteris	erythrorora	Between Cordyline and bamboo
Osmunda	regalis ‘Purpurascens’	Bottom bed front of Poplar
Polypodium	??	Corner of pond (house,fence)
Polystichum	proliferum	Right of Fatsia by bed edge.
Asplenium	trichomanes, (Maidenhair Spleenwort) x 2	Under sleeper near bench and near Gunnera
Adiantum	venustum, (Himalayan Maidenhair)	Front of pear tree & under tree fern
Polystichum	polyblepharum, (Tassel Fern)	Far side of pond, head of path
Asplenium	?? crested	Next pond
Asplenium	??	In wall crevices
Athyrium	otophorum ‘Okanum’	Behind tree fern & in front of bamboo by pond
Polystichum	tsussimense	Right of tree fern
Athyrium	‘Ghost’	Between black bamboo and tree fern
Dryopteris	affinis, ‘Cristata the King’	Behind black bamboo
Dryopteris	buschiana, (aka crassirhizoma)	Front right of ? bush
Onoclea	sensibilis	Near pond path, next P.Polyblepharum
Dryopteris	wallichiana	Front of ? bush
Athyrium	filix-femina ‘Frizelliae’ (tatting)	Right of Fatsia in front of D. filix-mas
Polystichum	setiferum ‘Plumodensum’
Gymnocarpium	dryopteris ‘Plumosum’	Between Fatsia and end of bed.
Athyrium	filix-femina var. angustatum ‘Lady in Red’	Behind Cordyline
Dicksonia	Antarctica x 2	Can’t miss them!
Polystichum	setiferum, ‘Dahlem’	By fence but presumed dead. Signs of life 27/5/07. Seems OK 4/6/07
Polypodium	vulgare
Adiantum	pedatum, ‘Japonicum’	Missing presumed lost
Cyrtomium	fortunei var. clivicola	Died (by Fatsia)

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Thalia dealbata

Not sure what has prompted me to do this post today, I’ve been doing a bit of pond gazing today so perhaps that’s why.

Anyway - Thalia dealbata’s ' common name is supposed to be ‘The Powdery Alligator-Flag’. I must say that I’ve never known this name crop-up in conversation. Having said that – I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone utter the words “Thalia dealbata”!

OK, this plant, it is said, comes from Mexico and has been described as sub-tropical. It grows in shallow water and, it is said, should be kept frost-free. It grows to 3 or 4 feet high, has leaves of a grey/green hue with a powdery white coating. In summer it sports stiff 5ft stems of violet flowers. The flowers resemble (for me) something like a large lavender flowers.

The odd thing I have found about the flowers is that each florets (right word?) seems to attract small flies or hover flies which crawl head-first into the flower and die. Whether their death is caused by some sort of drug in the flower or because they just plain got stuck – I don’t know. On close inspection of a flower head one sees lots of dead fly bottoms sticking out of the fading blooms.

The graceful way this plant holds its spear blade shaped leaves and the attractive flower heads makes it one of my favourite plants. It looks very exotic and I would dig a pond just for this plant.

It is actually very easy to grow in shallow water. Although the books say it is frost tender and should be planted deep in cold areas, my plant’s crown is only just beneath the surface and, therefore, is often encased in ice during the winter. In my garden, all the top growth dies in winter but for the last 6 years it has come back very strongly in the late Spring.

 

 

Thalia dealbata flower.

 

 

 

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Swiss Cheese Plant

Right of picture: Swiss Cheese Plant, Monstera delicosa

Checking the plants in the temporary plastic greenhouse, I was pleased to see the Monstera delicosa or Swiss Cheese Plant surviving quite happily. It lives outside from April to November but spends its winters in the cool damp plastic greenhouse. It used to live in the house but my wife evicted it after it began to want more space than we were prepared to give it. It’s been in the same pot for 4 or 5 years and I really should re-pot it. But it survives quite cold weather and having most of its stems cut back in the autumn to enable it to fit in the limited space in the greenhouse. It makes a striking plant in the shady corner of the terrace surrounded by climbers and (in this picture) a Colocasia.

I’ve had success with other houseplants evicted from the house including an Aspidistra. Buoyed with this success, in recent years I’ve ventured forth into the DIY stores to buy packs of houseplants. These plants were never intended to be planted outside in this country but most do surprisingly well. I use them to fill gaps particularly in shaded areas because, of course, houseplants have to live in the shade. I can’t remember all their names but in May I will be buying a new batch (they are usually very cheap) and will post details on this blog. I don’t have room to overwinter all these plants but some come through the winter without any protection.

I recommend trying houseplants outside in the summer, they give a truly exotic effect for very little outlay.

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Daffodils hit by the frost - update

10:30 - All the daffs are standing up now!

Daffodils hit by the frost

Daffodils hit by the frost
Originally uploaded by emagen

Very cold last night - down to -4 . This clump of daffodils have collapsed I presume as each stem's water supply was frozen. I've never noticed this before in daffodils and wonder if they will recover later this morning?

Hosta 'Frances Williams'

Originally uploaded by emagen

Hostas are not what you might call exotic or tropical but they are architectural. I probably have 30 or so different varieties but stupidly I never took the trouble to properly label most of them.

They are, of course, great plants for shade but can also be planted in less shaded areas. They combine very well with ferns and, I find, Heucheras.

Slug and snail damage is a great problem but there is plenty of advice on how to deter these critters if you don’t like using slug pellets. Some varieties seem less prone to slugs and I’ve found ‘Sum & Substance’ to be particularly resistant.

The photo above is of one of my favourites: Hosta ‘Frances Williams’. Its large puckered variegated leaves look really good and this plant now makes a sizeable clump. It grows amongst the roots of a very large tree in the company of ferns, Heucheras, Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona', Macleaya cordata and Geranium macrorrhizum.

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Festive Fence Fails!

More cat poo on lawn. Too depressed to talk about it.

East Wind Blues

Whilst the rest of the country is enjoying beautiful Spring weather, this corner of England has suffered from cool onshore breezes which have kept temperatures down. Although sunny for most of the week, the wind has been cold and today we have been under a lot of low cloud. At 3.00 am today temperatures were down to –2 but up to 3 by dawn with only a max of 8 today.

The Festive Fence is still working!

Salvia microphylla ‘Cerro Potosi’

In the previous post (17 March) on Aeoniums the photograph included in the shot a large pot grown specimen of Salvia microphylla ‘Cerro Potosi’ growing about 3 feet high.

I’ve grown this Salvia for many years both in pots and in the open ground. It’s magenta-pink flowers are produced from Spring to late Autumn:

This plant seems as tough as old boots and will even grow and flower well in quite shaded places or in the cracks between bricks in an old wall.

Not only does the plant flower well, but its leaves give off the scent of blackcurrant when brushed against.

I think I originally bought the plant from Dyson’s Nurseries at Great Comp, certainly I’ve bought other Salvias from there and William Dyson specialises in these plants. He says of ‘Cerro Potosi’: “If you only have room for one Salvia, grow this one”.

www.greatcompgarden.co.uk/dysonsnurseries.html

The book: ‘The Gardener’s Guide to growing Salvias’ is also a great resource.

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‘Festive Fence’ does its job!

Festive Fence update:

In the early hours of this morning I heard the sound of something possibly hitting the fence, this sound was accompanied by the wail of a cat. On investigation today it looks like a large piece of the holly attached to the ‘Festive Fence’ at a known point of cat traffic has been dislodged. I’m pretty certain that there has been holly and cat contact and I hope that it might deter this cat ever setting paw in my garden again.

I don’t particularly like the idea of a cat being hurt by the ‘Festive Fence’ but then I dislike even more the amount of native birds and their nests destroyed by this introduced alien species. And I dislike the garden being covered in cat poo!

If only cat owners would take some responsibilities for the damage their ‘pets’ do. Why can’t they take their ‘pets’ for walks on a lead and clear-up after them in the same way as dog owners do?

Aeoniums

As yesterday I potted-up a few Aeonium cuttings (actually my daughter did the potting), I thought I would share with the avid readers of ‘Musa’ some words of Aeonium wisdom.

I grow 2 varieties: 'Zwartkop' (sometimes spelled Schwarzkopf) which is the one with deep purple rosettes and a pale green variety which is, I think, ‘Magnificum’. Aeoniums are easy to grow but won’t stand any frost which means overwintering in a greenhouse or bringing indoors. Strangely, for a succulent, they like quite a lot of water during the summer.

I’ve found that one can grow ‘Zwartkop’ quite tall and I have one plant which reaches about 4ft. I always knock branches off it when moving it to and from the greenhouse in autumn and Spring but the broken pieces make good cuttings.

I grow the 4ft specimen in a pot against a sunny wall with its branches tied to trellis for support. It shares this space with a rampant, yellow leaf hop: Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ and a now large Salvia: Salvia microphylla 'Cerro Potosi'. I think the colours of the Aeonium, the yellow/green leaves of the hop and the Salvia’s magenta flowers probably clash. Certainly I’ve never really been able to get a good photo of the group and I’ve put this down to the strong contrast of colours. This is one of my better shots:

This is a great plant for an exotic garden and looks particularly eye-catching if grown big. Below is a photo of a rosette of Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ after the rain:

 

In a future post I will write extolling the virtues of Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ and Salvia microphylla 'Cerro Potosi'

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Festive Fence update

Just home from work and just time to investigate the effectiveness of the Festive Fence before it gets dark.

I’m pleased to report that there are no signs of any cat incursions but it is early days.

Cats! How to get rid of them?

I cleared the lawn of cat’s poo before I mowed it yesterday and this morning right in the middle of my neat looking patch of grass is another poo.

I have been thinking of getting one of those ultra-sonic devices that emit a high pitched sound that cats are said to dislike. But I think a near neighbour must have installed one because I can hear it. (I think young people are able to detect the sound) Anyway, I don’t think I want one in my garden.

I have thought of getting one of those water guns that detects the heat of an animal and fires a deadly stream of water at it. Trouble is, I would forget to turn it off and end up keep getting wet.

So I’ve come up with the idea of . . . .

The Festive Fence

My idea was to fix Holly branches along the tops of the fences! I reckon cats won’t like that. Luckily I had some self-sown Holly bushes in the garden. The only thing is . . . It looks like I’ve put up Christmas decorations a bit early!

Done it!

First mow! This really is Spring.

Before I mowed, I cut down the dead stems of Maclyea, the dead fronds of the tree ferns and put them on the lawn. That way the mower produces a good mix of chopped dry stuff and grass cuttings ideal for the compost heap.

I added my secret ingredient to the heap!

Time to give the lawn its first cut!

I’m gearing up to give the lawn its first cut of the year. Well . . . . After I’ve taken a stroll to the town to buy some choice morsels for lunch and after I’ve watched the Man U v Liverpool game.

The grass hasn’t grown that much but a mow will clear the debris – mainly leaf litter from the bamboos. Also I’ll gather all the fallen Magnolia grandiflora leaves and chuck them on the lawn so that the mower shreds them, otherwise they take years to rot. I’ll do the same with the Miscanthus stems that I’ve cut down this morning.

It is always seems a shame to cut down the old Miscanthus stems and their old seed heads. They have looked good all winter particularly at night when lit by one of the garden spotlights. But it is a job best done now before the new growth comes through.

 Miscanthus sinensis ‘Malepartus’ taken in February 2009

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Beschorneria yuccoides

Another of my favourite plants and one that adds an exotic effect to the garden. As the name implies this plant has a resemblance to Yuccas and looks ‘spiky’ but it is actually very soft and hence can safely be grown next to a path. It grows a neat rosette of gray / green fleshy leaves up to about 3ft tall.

A sunny position and regular watering in dry summer weather is required. I give it no protection in winter and after this cold winter it looks a bit battered but is coming into new growth. It looks like it will flower this year which will involve a 6ft tall flower spike after which the rosette will die. Thankfully there are numerous new rosettes forming around the main base. I will try and transplant a few of these new rosettes to other areas of the garden but I’m not sure how they will like being moved.

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Overwintering in a compost heap

This almost describes how I get through  a winter!

But I’ve found that the compost heap is a good way of getting tender plants through the winter. One autumn I dug up a large Brugmansia but decided I had no space to keep it somewhere warm so I decided to dispose of it to the heap. As is my practice, I try and chop up any material destined for the heap, so I chopped up all the stems and roots that my secateurs could get through leaving just the stump and a few tough roots. The remaining stump was thrown on the heap along with all the chopped stuff. The following Spring, when delving into the heap, I found the stump looking very healthy with new roots and shoots. I planted the ‘stump’ which produced a very fine, flowering plant that summer.

Since then I’ve used the heap to overwinter other Brugmansias and rhizomes of ginger plants very successfully.

Of course, a compost heap produces quite a bit of warmth and seems to get the moisture level right.

 

Brugmansia at night

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Getting warmer . . . . ?

Is the weather a tad warmer? It’s certainly wet with showers today and quite windy. But is it getting warmer?

The days are getting longer, sunset is now 2 hours later than in December and the clocks will go forward in about 3 weeks time. That will mean sunset at 7.30 pm!

There are signs of Spring not just in the early bulbs but in the fattening of leaf buds on shrubs and trees. The frogs (I know I said I wouldn’t mention them again) are very active as are the ducks and all the other birds around the garden.

I can drive to and from work with only side lights now. That’s got to be good.

Update 11 March early morning: Arrrgggg. Had to scrape the ice from the car this morning! So much for getting warmer!

Tetrapanax papyrifera 'Rex'

Tetrapanax papyrifera ‘Rex’ – What a name and what a plant!

Also known as the Rice Paper Plant, it has huge leaves and really suits an exotic garden or border. It needs a sheltered sunny spot and demands plenty of water in the summer. Mine is probably not in the best position as it is in quite a dry spot and too close to a path. But the dryness of its site probably helps it get through the winter. After such a cold winter I had concerns for its survival but I’m pleased to report that today I have noticed new leaf shoots coming through.

I really should have planted it in a better position but now I’m loathe to mioving it in case it dies. I think I shall purchase a new plant which will probably involve travelling to a specialist nursery or ordering on-line, it is a plant that you will not often find in local garden centres.

There are also plenty of websites giving learned advice on this plant. Please remember – I know nothing! (much)

By the way, my foray into this blog writing lark has now taken me to try Windows Live Writer for the first time so this is a test run with it.

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Colocasias

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Ahhh . . . What can I write? Colocasias are one of my favorite plants. It is a member of the Aroid family and is also known as Taro in the tropics where their rhizomes have traditionally been a staple diet for some. Warning: do not try it yourself, it needs careful preparation to remove the toxins.

The best thing about Colocasias is the sheer size of the leaves which can be 18 inches across. They do well in sun or shade but I think perform best in partial shade. They need plenty of water and feeding to get the biggest leaves. I think they look great amongst ferns and bamboos.

They grow from rhizomes and, as you might expect, usually need protection during UK winters. You are supposed to keep the rhizomes somewhere cool but frost-free over winter. I must admit to having trouble getting these conditions right and lose quite a lot to rotting. I do keep some in pots in a cool greenhouse over winter with mixed results. However, despite all the garden writers saying they will not over-winter in the UK, they have done so in in parts of my garden over the last 5 years. This winter might be different, it's been so cold. As I said, they like a lot of water and a few of the rhizomes have found their way into my pond where they grow happily although not that big due, I suspect, to a shortage of nutrients. Strangely, whilst the cold weather is still with us, there is no sign of any Colocasias yet in the garden. Yet, a rhizome in the pond is throwing up it's first leaf now.

There are a few varieties available but I started with the basic Colocasia esculenta, the rhizomes of which I bought from the Jungle Seeds website. It is quite easy to start off the rhizomes in a pot in a warm place in the spring and then plant into the ground once the risk of frost has passed. I have other varieties including 'Fontanesii' and 'Black Magic'. Some varieties such as Fontanesii' send out runners at the end of which a new rhizome develops. On the basic Colocasia esculenta the plant develops clumps of rhizomes which can be split in Spring.

I have loads of photos of Colocasias uploaded to Flickr, use the link on the right and then search Colocasias within the photostream called 'emagen'.

I think that is enough for now. There is plenty of info on the web from experts which I am not. But if a lazy gardener like me can grow them then anyone can.

More Frogs!

OK, I promise not to upload any more pictures of frogs. But . . . I just find them so fascinating and there are so many this year and . . . . Well sorry!

Sun shines this morning but for how long? Got to go to Canterbury now, to the book shop. I expect when I get back the weather will have worsened as per the forecast.

SPAWN

I've become rather preoccupied by watching the dozens of frogs active around and in the pond. The first spawn has been laid and I suspect there will be a lot more.

I'm feeling a tad guilty of doing very little today apart from frog watching and a stroll to the town. But my excuse is that I'm tired after a week at work. Also I prefer not to tidy up the garden too much until we are free from the possibility of cold weather. The dead plant stems and general thatch of dead leaves etc provides roots and shoots with some protection against the cold. Excuses!

The 'stroll' to the town is something I enjoy on a Saturday morning particularly when the sun shines as it did this morning. Our town has a market every Saturday (and Tuesdays and Fridays) and there is a really good stall selling plants. Spring must be here judging by the number of people buying spring plants such as violas etc. We bought the ingredients for lunch from the variety of stalls selling pies, cheeses, bread etc. There was a book fair in the town hall and we bought a 1898 copy of 'Flowers of The Field' by Rev C. A. Johns although we already own a later printed copy. Whilst browsing the books, I realised I was standing next to Bob Geldof. (just to name drop!)

I'll try and do some garden work tomorrow.

Tree ferns - Dicksonia antarctica

The photo above shows 2 tree ferns, Dicksonia antarctica, taken last summer. Today the fronds are frost burnt and dead but I'm hoping - no, I'm confident that they have survived and will make new fronds.

I think tree ferns make some of the best architectural features of the garden and do particularly well in shaded areas. They require little maintenance other than frequent watering into the top of the trunk in dry weather. Actually, the watering is quite a chore as on the tallest fern, it requires holding a watering can above your head and letting a slow trickle of water be absorbed into the trunk. A good daily spray of the trunk using a hosepipe is easier and I believe some people use automatic watering gadgets.

The tree ferns make an impressive sight through most of the year. Even now the dead fronds are quite attractive.

I have 2 tree ferns, one has a trunk about 1 metre (3 ft) above ground and the other 2 metres (6.5ft) above ground. Both play their part in the garden but my advice is to buy the length of trunk you want and try not to worry about the cost! My largest tree fern was given to me as a birthday present (by my wife) and probably cost about £150. It was delivered as an 8ft long trunk of about 12 inches diameter and it looked dead. However, once stuck in the ground (no easy task) and watered new fronds started to appear within 2 weeks and after a month had a 'full head' of fronds. Sounds expensive but what other plant gives that immediate impact for the money!! So, if you want a tall tree fern - go for it! It's a good time of year to order one for planting in the next couple of months in the UK.


By the way, there was a frost early this morning but it has been a lovely sunny day and is, I think, getting warmer. The frogs, ducks and other birds have been very active doing Spring-like things. And . . . It's Friday!!!

Quick blog or 'bloggette' as I have little time this evening.

The photo above shows the red leaves of Ensete ventricosum 'maurelii' with Musa sikkimensis beyond taken last September. There is also a Canna, Magnolia grandiflora and a palm in shot.

The Guardian newspaper today has a big feature today entitled: "Get back into your garden". The feature is obviously to do with it being Spring and it is a particularly magical time in the garden. But the great thing about growing bananas, Colocasias, bamboos, Cannas, palms etc is that late summer and indeed right through to November ia also a magical time as all of these plants reach their peak in terms of size and colour.

I should add that with all this talk of Spring and tropical plants that there was a covering of snow early this morning and tonight temperatures look like going well below zero!

Frogs

The pond is an orgy of frogs (could this be a new collective noun!) a sign that spring has sprung. I hope!

Ensete ventricosum - by post

I have just received 2 young Ensete ventricosum plants (pictured) delivered by the postman. I bought these via eBay from 'The Lost World Nursery' for £6 each. I'm quite surprised how well these plants survived being boxed and posted.

Ensete ventricosum (sometimes referred to as Musa ensete) is also known by the common name: the Abyssinian Banana.

I've grown this banana for more than 10 years and, up to now, always from seed. The seeds, available from the 'Jungle Seeds' website are not too difficult to germinate but you have to sow very early in the year to get a worthwhile plant for the summer. The plants will become enormous by their second year, I get them through the winter by digging them up and putting in my temporary plastic greenhouse. I have, in the past, managed to get them through winter in situ wrapped in fleece. By the third year the plants are just too big to dig up.

Due to my own laziness this is the first year that I do not have any overwintered plants so I hope by buying plants rather than planting seeds that I will get reasonable sized plants by the end of the summer.

I think the plain green Ensete ventricosum is my favorite Ensete mainly due to its sheer size. There is a red leafed variety: Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii', this plant cannot be raised from seed and was quite difficult to find but recently B&Q have begun to stock it! The red leaf variety, Maurelli, is a very spectacular plant although not as fast growing or as sturdy as the plain green variety. I must admit to being a little sad that Maurelii is now so freely available, I used to think I had a fairly unique plant!

We will see (on this blog) how my new plants progress and I will be posting some more pictures and information on the Ensete ventricosum varieties.

Echeverias in winter

Cold and very windy outside tonight and it has been a particularly long and cold winter. But against the odds Echeverias seem to survive very well. The photo above was taken a couple of days ago of Echeverias, Sempervivums and even an Aloe planted in a raised bed in the garden. Admittedly I usually keep a a sheet of plastic covering them in the worse weather. (Actually I use an old hamster cage lid - the hamsters long since having expired.)
I've kept the basic Echeverias (including 'peacockii') going in the garden for the past 12 years without any protection but these larger varieties such as Perle von Nurnberg (centre) I thought would be less hardy.
I'm going to grow more Echeverias!

First time getting home from work before it got too dark to take photographs. Spring must be here and to celebrate, a herd of starlings take to the pond for a communal bath.

Spring may be here but I still had to scrape the ice from the car this morning!

Efes at The Chill House, Adrasan, Turkey

Efes at The Chill House
Originally uploaded by emagen
Summer 2008 - Some shade and a bottle of Efes beer at lunchtime are what holidays in Adrasan (Cavus) are made of! Truth is that there is not an awful lot to do in Adrasan which is a great reason to take time to enjoy a leisurely lunch after an hour or so on the beach and then have an afternoon nap.

Actually the scenery is stunning and there are some great walks - not that you would attempt these at midday in August! More active days can be spent on one of the local boats that set sail everyday for nearby coves and small islands. Or you could go up into the moutains - perhaps to Arikanda, someone will offer to take you for little more than the cost of the petrol.

Or just have another Efes!

Map of Adrasan, Turkey (also known as Cavus or Cavuskoy)

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Arikanda River Garden, Adrasan 2008

James
Originally uploaded by emagen
Another example of the lazy life in Adrasan (Cavus). Lunch at the Arikanda River Garden, the restaurant and hotel run by Vahit and the 'Dream Team'. (James, Akif and Eleanor in this photo).
This is such a 'cool' place to be - sitting at tables built over the river. The food's good too!
http://www.arikandarivergarden.com/

Technorati Tags: Adrasan

Ramasan's Bar, Adrasan 2004

Adrasan 2004
Originally uploaded by emagen
Sunday, after visiting the market, Ramasan's Bar in Adrasan Village.
Ramasan is standing at the door while his daughter plays dominoes with mine. Happy Days!

Feb Night Garden

Feb Night Garden
Originally uploaded by emagen

I'm still playing with night photography! This shot, taken in the final hours of February 2008, shows the pond with an olive tree and a tree fern reflected in it. The tree fern's fronds are entirely dead after quite a harsh winter but I'm confident the plant will survive.
I bought, on Ebay, a wireless remote shutter release for my camera (only £17) and this is great for triggering the shutter on long exposures without getting any camera shake.

Musa Dag from the Chill House, Adrasan

Musa Dag from the Chill House
Originally uploaded by emagen
The view of Musa Dag and the beach from the Chill House restaurant / bar. A light lunch, a couple of bottles of Efes, some shade, good music - can't wait to be back there!

Boat Trips, Adrasan

Dazler
Originally uploaded by emagen

Taking a boat trip is something nearly everyone does who visits Adrasan / Cavus. Regular visitors have their favorite boats / captains and there are probably about 6 to choose from although they all follow similar routes, all provide lunch and all are quite reasonable in terms of cost. It is, of course, pot luck as far as who you will be sharing the boat with.
The photograph shows Captain Ali's boat, 'Dazler', anchored off Water Island. Ali also runs 'Ali's Bar' a good place for a beer particularly if you share his love of blues music.

Chill House Menu, Adrasan

Chill House Menu
Originally uploaded by emagen
Possibly one of the best things about being on holiday somewhere hot is that you don't need to feel at all guilty about having a long, light lunch somewhere in the shade and drinking a couple of cold beers.
As I've said before, the Chill House has a great situation with views over the beach, sea and mountains and is slightly quirky. The menus are inserted in old LP sleeves as the photograph above shows and Musti who runs the place is just such a 'laid back' character. The music's good too.
I wish I was there now!
(photo taken in August 2008)

Chill House for lunch, Adrasan 08

Chill House for lunch
Originally uploaded by emagen
The best place for lunch (or anytime) in Adrasan. Cold beer, chilled glass, good food. BUT best of all . . . . . great location, great views and great staff. Thanks Musti!
I should also say that there are many other great places to have lunch. Perhaps even better is the Arikanda River Garden - but for a place on the beach it has to be the Chill House.
Our flights are booked for this summer!