I'm afraid my Lapageria, which I got earlier this year from Charlie, is not going to make it through this horrid summer :( It doesn't wilt, but rather the leaves lose the green pigment and turn crispy slowly over time, which doesn't draw watering attention until it's too late. Even if it had been wa...

Stumbled upon these near Peckham Rye today: Phoenix canariensis_CIDP, Butia, and a washy behind the butia (which I didn't notice until I looked at the pics at home)? https://s26.postimg.cc/bpz7wn7rd/DSC_0456.jpg https://s26.postimg.cc/wzmu7h8mh/DSC_0458.jpg https://s26.postimg.cc/c2qm2u5gp/DSC_0457....

My brugmansia is growing better than anything else in this dry weather. It must have grown an extensive root system now. It's been in the ground for over a year. In the winter, which saw -6C, it didn't get more protection than a cloche and a single layer of fleece. They're much tougher than they're ...

My lounge is south-facing and has a large patio door covering 90% of the wall, which creates a strong greenhouse effect. Still the solar heat gain is greater in the cooler months when the sun is low - on sunny winter days it may be 26C while it's 8C outside, whereas in June-July it's 27-30C inside w...

My house has been unbearable these recent days, last Saturday I woke up at 5am to 28C in my bedroom. I haven't been able to enjoy the garden as it doesn't have any shade and just walking through it is a challenge I take on with trepidation. I've been sluggish and sick from this weather, spending muc...

I haven't noticed a scent either. They start flowering in December and finish around March. Mine died this past winter, the stem was broken at the base and I have no idea what caused it, but it seems unlikely that it was frost damage. I'm going to get a replacement, but not until this drought ends, ...

Jasminum officinale 'Clotted Cream' is joining the summer 2018 casualties list.

It worked, thanks!

Please free to delete the otorongo_ account. I couldn't find a way to do it myself.

If it was in the sun then 45C is nothing unusual, even 80C wouldn't be. Temps in the sun are more indicative of the colour, shape, material and aspect of the thermometer than the perceived heat, that's why temperatures are normally measured in the shade.

I thought the flip-flops were rubber, but on closer inspection it seems to be some kind of foam. The patio slabs get very hot, much hotter than the air or grass, and you can't walk on them barefoot, but I guess you could fry eggs :) I'm a low maintenance gardener and not one to water the garden ever...

Today I noticed some plants in the garden dying or already dead. It looks like after the killing winter we're in for a killing summer. I was going to buy some plants, buy may be better to wait until September to avoid the struggle of keeping them alive.

My flip-flops on the patio have melted again.

We have a thread on what didn't make it, so there is one for what surprisingly did. I reckon my garden saw -6C in February as the lowest low of the winter. The very sheltered Monstera deliciosa lost all of its leaves, but has produced a new one since. The thicker stems of the Brugmansia suaveolens (...

I didn't even notice there was no "View active topics", I normally open the direct URL for that, as it's in my browser's history and auto-completes when I type "ha" in the address bar.

I have had the issue with images not showing in the correct orientation, but they all seem to display okay when viewed full size. Maybe someone can chip in and help out on how to fix this? Here is an explanation of why that happens and how to fix it: https://www.howtogeek.com/254830/why-yo ... y-ro...

I've been to both Monte Palace and the Jardim Botânico. I took a bus from Funchal centre to Monte Palace and walked downhill to the other garden. They're both great. The former is more landscaped with ponds, fountains, oriental features etc., while the latter is a sizeable collection of exotic plant...