Summer Holiday !!!

The Musa family are away on their summer hols.
Luckily we once again have the services of our regular banana waterer, Liz. She has kept the garden going during many of our holidays and for her sake, I hope it rains a lot whilst we are away. Having said that some of the plants like the Tree Ferns will need watering even in damp weather.
Anyway, I might try posting some updates on our holiday via my trusty itouch, if I can find wifi access.

Back in a couple of weeks . . . . .  

Update: Small delay on Air Musa flight but sitting here in 1st class lounge with free drinks, food etc. Trying to resist the champagne till after midday!

Update: sitting having breakfast by the beach in the shade. Great flight and arrived at hotel in time for a couple of beers!

Colocasia esculenta – and varieties

I’ve written about Colocasias or Taro many times before on this blog. But I’ve had a bit of a Colocasia morning today.

The bog standard form of Colocasia esculenta has become too ‘at home’ in a couple of places in my garden. Despite the past 2 winters it comes back stronger each year and is gradually spreading by its runners. It particularly like to get up-close to my Ensetes (Bananas), I guess because these get well watered and fed. So, this morning I’ve been pulling out clumps of it from around the bananas (Ensetes). I don’t like doing this as it seems such a waste to trash such beautiful exotic plants. Oh well! The photo below shows some of the remaining ‘bog-standard’ Colocasia leaves after my clearing work. On the left is a Ricinus communis and on the right an Ensete ventricosum:

Colocasia esculenta:

The basic form of Colocasia esculenta is good but there are some different interesting species and varieties.

Below is a picture of the leaf of Colocasia fontanesii, it has almost black stems and large, dark green, shiny leaves. It spreads by runners but is not as hardy as the basic Colocasia:

Colocasia fontanesii:

Below is a picture of Colocasia ‘Burgundy Stem’. You may notice that I’ve taken the picture of just the leaf and not the stem! Oops! As the name suggests it has reddish stems and I find this variety has taller stems than others:

Colocasia ‘Burgundy Stem’:

A new (to me) variety of Colocasia I’m trying this year is ‘Chicago Harlequin’, I bought it from Amulree Exotics – they are an excellent online source for exotic and tropical plants. The leaves are supposed to be “blotched with 2-tone random green sections” but I’ve not noticed much blotching yet. I still have it in a pot but will have to make the decision to either plant it out or use a much, much bigger pot. It is going to be a monster! I’ve put one of my famous gardening shoes next to the pot in the photo to give an indication of size (so far).

Colocasia ‘Chicago Harlequin’:

This year, I also bought from Amulree Exotics – Colocasia ‘Black Beauty’ – it has very dark, almost black leaves with perhaps a hint of blue.  I think it looks a bit sickly and am not sure if it has too much or too little sunlight. I’ve grown a similar variety – Black Magic – before with similar disappointing result. Perhaps it will improve.

Colocasia ‘Black Beauty’:

Hydrangea aspera

This is probably my favourite shrub! It has large furry, grey / green leaves and, for a Hydrangea, understated but beautiful flowers:

I grow it in quite shady conditions, jammed in amongst a large clump of black bamboo, Phyllostachys nigra, and a large Tree Fern. Not forgetting Hostas and a Gunnera.

This evening, it is cloudy and beginning to get dark, its 9.00 pm but the flowers of Hydrangea aspera really stand-out in the gloom. So I had to take some photos!  I also grow the more common Hydrangea but they are gaudy show-offs in comparison to this aristocrat of the genus.

Acanthus mollis . . . or . . . Bear’s Breeches

I’ve grown this very common garden perennial for some years now. It lives at the bottom of the garden in a large flower bed under a huge poplar tree. The soil is dry and quite shady – a plant has to be tough to survive here! (Bindweed manages very well!). I am, therefore, quite surprised that my Acanthus mollis has not flowered for the past 3 or 4 years as it is supposed to be ‘tough’. I’ve tried watering it but that seems to just induce mildew. So, this year I’ve just given-up on it. And . . low and behold . . . It is flowering!
I love the flowers and glossy leaves and am really pleased that its back!

Tree Fern and Poppies from Kevin

Kevin, a regular viewer and contributor to this (great) blog has sent in the above photo of Poppies growing under a Tree Fern, taken last year. I think it qualifies as an 'underplant' photograph. It is also the first post by a guest contributor to this blog.

Crocosmia Lucifer

I hate Crocosmia, also known as Monbretia. It is one of those plants that can spread around your garden so easily. If you try and pull it up, the little bulbils get left behind or worse end-up in your compost heap. I never compost the stuff but will through it in the waste bin.

An exception is Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’, it has tall stems with brilliant, large, crimson-red flowers. And it is not rampant -  like its cousins!

The photo below shows the blur of red:

Apology

 

I’ve been racked with guilt for not having posted anything for a couple of weeks. However, I feel far more guilty about having not replied to some of the comments recently – If you’re reading this – Sorry Wendy and Kevin.

I have no real excuses other than: I’ve been decorating; any spare time has been spent watering the garden; work has been crap. But most of all, I seem to be incapable of taking any half-decent photos, this problem might be helped by a new lens being delivered tomorrow.

Anyway, the garden has been doing fine despite the shortage of rain. Stuff like Bananas & Colocasias are gradually beginning to shrug-off the harsh winter but they are far behind in terms of their usual stature for this time of year.

Below is a picture of the pond taken yesterday evening:

There is a very large Hosta on the far side of the pond. In fact, it’s too large and, if I get round to it, I must divide it over winter.

Kniphofia caulescens or Red Hot Poker

I’ve never thought much of Red Hot Pokers . . . . . Until I discovered Kniphofia caulescens!

Caulcescens is a species that has evergreen grey / green strap-like leaves . In fact, I quite like it just for its leaves. It has stout greyish flower stems that look a bit like they are made from tubular steel and the flowers . . . . . Well the flowers are a bit OTT but the way they are held high above the foliage gives them a sort of majesty. I grow this plant in full sun in quite a dry soil and I do find it needs some watering to get the best flowers.

The following 2 photographs were taken yesterday evening (29/6/10):

Pondlife

This evening, I want to talk about the joys of having a pond.

I dug my pond about 10 years ago and added a water lily. Since then I have battled with this beast in an effort to control its desire to completely take-over the pond and probably the whole garden. On Sunday just gone, I undertook another round in the battle. You see, my pond is not exactly big but it is big enough to prevent me from reaching the depths at its centre where the beast of the water lily has its main headquarters. To overcome this problem I used a ladder (on full extension) and dropped this across the pond. Having laid a plank across its rungs I then crawled out to the centre of the pond and from there plucked out the excess growth of lily pads. Success! Although I will have to perform this task several more times this summer.

The photo below shows the pond this evening with clear water visible and lily flowers. (I must apologise here to all the readers of this blog who have lost their tree ferns due to the cold winter – as, in the shot you can see a rather healthy tree fern!)

You might be asking why I didn’t just wade into the pond to attack the water lily? Well, the answer is simple – Wattle!

Wattle is a large goldfish that lives in the pond along with a breeding herd of minnows (one is called Kylie), lots of newts and various frogs. Wattle is the last survivor of a pair of goldfish given to me by my late father. Wattle’s partner – Daub – died a few years ago. I would not wish to upset Wattle by wadding in his pond. Below is a photo of Wattle taken a few days ago:

The photo above (taken underwater) probably shows the best side of Wattle. A couple of weeks ago he had a nasty brush with a Heron, at least, I think he did. I saw the Heron early one morning standing in the pond and a few days later I noticed that Wattle had bruising to his hind quarters and (dare I say it) a bit of mould! I have feared that Wattle might not be long for this pond but he seems more chirpy lately and I hope he is recovering. It is probably true to say that Wattle is my only true friend! He is a bit slow these days but he is old for a goldfish. I need to drop his food pellets close to his mouth because he is a bit adverse to swimming far. Mrs Musa things I fuss over Wattle too much! I think she is just jealous! An example of this occurred the other week in the pet shop:

I said to the Pet Shop man:

“A bag of your finest pond-fish food please”

“Certainly Sir. This is the best pond-fish food. . . . Koi Carp? He said

“Well . . . Carp” I said

Mrs Musa said to pet shop man: “It’s only a goldfish and he’s only got one!”

How embarrassing! She never misses a chance to ‘have a go’ at Wattle.

Such is my fondness for Wattle that last week, when I feared that he might die, I investigated the possibility of getting him stuffed. Do you know that specialist fish taxidermists charge £25 an inch to stuff a fish! I reckon that Wattle must be at least 10 inches long so that would mean at least £250! I wonder if anyone has ever had a goldfish stuffed before?

 

Managing a pond requires a certain amount of dedication. In the summer I have to net-off the fine threads of pondweed and/or use a stick to wind the weed onto. This is an almost daily task. Last year, I noticed that a dollop of this weed that I had accidentally dropped onto the paving stones had dried into an almost paper-like green substance. This gave me an idea and I invented ‘Pondlife Products TM’. As a prototype I gathered a good amount of pondweed, washed it, drained it, and not having the patience to wait for the sun to dry it, ironed it with the electric iron (don’t tell Mrs Musa). The result was almost cardboard-like not unlike beer mat material. So, using a sharp knife and template, I fashioned the stuff into a beer mat or coaster. I even produced a brochure to which I attached my prototype. The brochure extolled the eco-friendly, green credentials of ‘Pondlife Products TM’ and suggested that it could be used to fashion cardboard and paper products, brake linings etc. etc. I shall make some more samples and perhaps post a photo of them!

Ponds are always fascinating! Mine attracts frogs, newts, bathing birds, kingfishers, herons, dragonflies and all sorts of bugs.

Summertime Blues

Looks like summer has finally arrived! Even went to the pub tonight without the need for a coat or jacket! Of course, my trip to the pub was purely for a small glass of medicinal beer.

At last we have lost the cold northerly winds that have afflicted this part of the coast for what seems like months. Actually, most of my traditional garden plants have done well this Spring / Summer, it has been the more exotic plants that have been slow to get going, the bananas, Colocasia etc.

Why the summertime blues you may ask? Because, I am engaged in a massive scheme of decorating following the installation of new kitchen and bathroom stuff. So, rather than a leisurely weekend of pottering in the garden, I've had to be a contortionist up a ladder trying to get paint into the most hard to reach nooks and crannies of the kitchen etc. I don't like it!!

I have interesting (?) news of Beshornaria yuccoides, various bananas and hops to give to my avid readers and as soon as I can get rid of the paint brush, I will add some new posts. Life seems too busy at the moment and next weekend we are off to see Bob Dylan play - I don't know when I will get the chance to just spend some time in the Musa garden.

Otherwise . . . . things are good!

Rudbeckia occidentalis ‘Green Wizard’

This really is a plant for grown-ups! Its common name is Coneflower but the ‘Green Wizard’ variety is very understated.

Rudbeckia occidentalis ‘Green Wizard’ flowers just have green bracts around a black cone. It does have a small circle of tiny yellow flower petals around the cone but these are not exactly striking. The leaves are bright green and, I’m afraid, very attractive to slugs. The flower stems grow to about 3ft but I have never needed to stake my plants. I grow my plants in semi-shade and full sun and they seem to do best if the soil is not allowed to dry out. I’ve grown these plants for the past 12 years and have never done anything special to protect them over winter.

The plants are flowering now (June 22nd). I grow one clump by the side of a path just so I can admire their beauty and feel grown-up!

The following photos were taken on June 20th 2010: 

Campanula persicifolia

Campanula persicifolia has seeded itself all round my garden and can be a little 'weed-like'. The flowers are amazing though and I get all shades between the standard blue / violet to pure white. This is certainly the best time of year for this plant. A useful tip from this non-expert gardener: most people advise you to cut down the flowering stem after the blooms have faded as would be the case with many plants of this type. But unusually, if you 'pinch-off' each faded flower from just behind the flower head then a fresh flower bud will appear on the flower stem.

I start of each summer on a mission to pinch-out each faded bloom but I soon get fed-up and after a while just pull the whole plant and its faded blooms out of the ground! The other slight problem to the pinching-out regime is that the sap of all Campanulas is a sticky, milky-white stuff - a bit like UPVA adhesive - and you find your fingers start sticking together. They grow about 3ft tall and are apt to fall over unless staked. I'm too lazy to stake them and in the weather we have had recently, many are laying down.

On the whole, a useful plant that requires little attention . The added bonus is that they will self-seed.

Photo above taken 20/6/2010