Hi all, I hope it's ok to post this here...... We're having a little meet for the Irish exotic gardeners on Saturday 27th July at Dhu Varren garden near Milltown, Co. Kerry. It'd be great if some memebers on this side of the Irish sea were able to make it down to this amazing new garden for the afte...

Tom2006 wrote:

Kristen wrote:The time of the Chelsea Chop too, but none of my herbaceous are tall enough to do that to, yet.

Thought that myself! Also, it looks likely that frosts will last during and possibly past Chelsea!

I went for the Hampton Court Hack Back last summer, looks like it'll be the same this year.

What's the definition of a weed? Surely if you plant it, it's not a weed? A plant growing where you don't want it. No, didn't plant them, they were already infesting the garden when my parents got the house. And they're still there, despite every effort to get rid of them. how is this nasty The flo...

You'll be wanting ones that flower in waves all summer as some of the older types flower once and then that's it. I'm not keen on the small ones as I think they look all disproportionate. Check out 'Orange Supreme', orange as the name suggests and gets to about 90cm 'Adonis', pink but shorter at abo...

I've been very surprised by the hardiness shown by my Festival Grass.
Ok, this winter hasn't been a test for it at all but it came through the bad '09/'10 winter and terrible '10/'11 one, the last of which saw off all my trunked Dicksonias.

I find that my Borinda papyrifera CS1046 defoliates every winter, even in this very mild one. It appears to be the cold wind that does the damage, as any growth below the level of the nearby six foot fence normally reamins more intact. Come spring it always leafs out again and looks lovely during s...

I find that my Borinda papyrifera CS1046 defoliates every winter, even in this very mild one. It appears to be the cold wind that does the damage, as any growth below the level of the nearby six foot fence normally reamins more intact. Come spring it always leafs out again and looks lovely during su...

Chad, mine was establishing quite well, but the winter of '10/'11 fried all the leaves and set it back quite a bit. The new fronds which then regrew in the spring were about half the length of previous ones. I do know that if it ever reaches the same proportions as yours that mine is definitely in t...

I use Soleirolia soleirolii (also known as mind your own business) as a groundcover in some areas, giving a similar look to moss.
Beware though, it can be rampantly invasive.

One Fern that will spread is Matteuccia struthiopteris, the shuttlecock fern. It will want very moist soil though. Another is Onoclea sensibilis, the Sensitive fern which will do better in a slightly drier position the the Matteuccia. Some people find that it can be a bit invasive. Neither are everg...

Hmm, could do without anything else that needs overwintered indoors, I think I'll stroke it off the list again.
Thanks Chad.

Chad, what are your thoughts on its potential hardiness?

Kristen wrote:Good one!

Cut out the middle-man and search for:

macrophylla -hydrangea

Wow, thanks! That is a brilliantly useful tip!!!

Nigel, thanks for posting these pictures. I vaguely remember seeing them in the dim and distant past, it's great to be reminded of what you'd achieved.

I lost one last winter, but then it was rather exceptional!