Spring.. er Winter.. er Spring photos. Nature you so crazy!

[stephenprudence]

Photo of my garden *growing* at the moment.

Schefflera arboricola still looking pristine!


Fuchsia still in leaf and putting out new flower buds.. really good to see


Same


Verbena 'Aztec' bedding plant still in leaf and putting out some flower shoots


Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise) enjoying the sheltered part of the driveway.. soil is very dry despite all the rain.


Gazania still flowering.. in fact most of them are.. one managed to open all the way thanks to the increasing light!


Ajania pacifica (in the Chrysanthemum family), native to California.. nice colourful sight in Winter.


Bougainvillea glabra doing well in what is a cool season.. managed to retain its leaves.


Euphorbia mellifera, getting large now, no set back means it's developed a tree habit.


Jasminum polyanthum (Pink Jasmine/Indoor Jasmine) trying to flower in February.


Yucca elephantipes/gigantea/guatamalensis - been on the doorstep all Winter, and is even growing!


Similarly this Washingtonia tri-seedling has been out all winter as well.. looking happy!

[stephenprudence]

next lot:

Chamaedorea or Neanthe elegans.


Viola orange


Rhododendron simsii (Indian azalea/Indoor azalea) growing well this winter.. flower buds appearing.


Opuntia spp looking very good despite the rain.. no idea what type.. also Agave americana


General back garden view


Echeveria looking content


Helleborus orientalis surprisingly with no flowers yet.. I presume it will flower next winter.


Crassula sarcocaulis in a pot


Helleborus foetidus.. again no flowers


Brugmansia sanguinea, starting to grow more rapidly


Easter cactus

[callin]

Stephen your plants look like there was no winter there.
Strelizia, beautiful Schefflera planted in the ground, wow... you must have no negative temperatures this winter, lucky you.

[stephenprudence]

In much of the garden it hasn't been below 0C, for instance in the front garden it's not been below 1.0C all winter, however, in the back garden it's been down to -0.7C, but it's naturally north facing and sheltered to acts as a little frost hollow.

In the driveway where the Schefflera/Bird of Paradise is it hasn't gone below 2C this winter.

[cheshirepalms]

All looking really good there, very impressive!

[cordyman]

Trachycarpus looking better, is that the one which was slowly dying? and the rest of the garden, well...... what winter? Cracking !!!

forgot you had so many great plants, the way you talk I build up an image of a swampy arid dead patch in my mind

[GREVILLE]

I think Stephen is talking up (down?) his winter climate to make his photos even more impressive

Trust me, Stephen, you don't need to

I'm sure everyone whose seen the pic of the variegated Scheffy has just picked up their jaw off the floor and retired to bed weeping

[flounder]

Never realised the Costa del Heswall had such a neutral climate
My baskets from last summer are looking better than the winter pansy ones I planted, osteospurmums going strong in the ground albeit a little wet....might try an indoor scheffie outside.....in the summer

[otorongo]

I had a variegated Schefflera (same as in Stephen's pic) year round on a balcony when I lived in Hackney, London.

Great shots!

[RozDevon]

Think you must be living on another planet to me.
Can't believe your plants in such good condition.
Defoliation in progress here. Again!

[kata]

Beautiful plants Stevie!

I adore that brilliant Orange Viola. Looking forward to seeing your garden mid-summer if thats how it looks now.

[stephenprudence]

Thank you, at the top here my climate is quite cool in comparison to coastlines around Wirral.. but still a little warmer than inland from here (ie Chester).. Lower Heswall is somewhere Id love to move to if I could afford it, as the climate there is 1.5C warmer than up here (mean).. potential.

I can understand any pessimism about the Schefflera although to be fair it is super sheltered, and they seem rather tough to our inclement weather conditions as long as it doesn't get frost on it, it'll be fine. (Highly unlikely for that to happen, as it's tucked in between a retaining wall and the house wall)

Fortunately it tends to warm up sooner here in Spring than most places in the north (and midlands) so it should get off to a good start in March/April.

Cordy I have lost a Trachycarpus a few years ago, I decided to replace it, and put it in the arid border instead to help against potential water problems.. it's ok for now, but it's still wet under there but not as wet as I though maybe - this wet spell has made me realise it's not so bad as waterlogging.

[Blairs]

Do Washingtonia need a sheltered spot? Mine is quite exposed and though in full ''sun'' is quite pale, whilst yours looks dark green.

Rhododendron simsii are hardier than the RHS say they are (they have them as tender). Mine is flowering now and has been out since 2010. It did lose leaves after the late sharp frosts of last spring though. I reckon it can take quite a low temperature.

Schefflera arboricola variegata would be great if it where hardier. It can take a light frost, perhaps -1C if dry and brief.

[stephenprudence]

Do Washingtonia need a sheltered spot? Mine is quite exposed and though in full ''sun'' is quite pale, whilst yours looks dark green.

Rhododendron simsii are hardier than the RHS say they are (they have them as tender). Mine is flowering now and has been out since 2010. It did lose leaves after the late sharp frosts of last spring though. I reckon it can take quite a low temperature.

Schefflera arboricola variegata would be great if it where hardier. It can take a light frost, perhaps -1C if dry and brief.

The Washy gets morning sun.. but to be honest Id normally take this into shelter (shade) but the truth is I forgot about it. I suspect yours will darken in summer as that happens to even my trachys (they go light in Winter and darken in the summer), probably something to do with available daylight.

yes Rhodo simsii are in leaf hardy to about -8C but should tolerate to about -12C before they die. Not tender as they tend to be able to leaf up quicker if they lose their leaves.. I had one defoliate in 2010, but it greened up quickly after

Schefflera arboricola can lose their leaves/stems up to about -4C and still leaf/stem up again and they don't need warmth to do so. It's a good plant for those who live in mild area which get the odd moderate frost and don't mind a herbaceous/deciduous shrub.. not sure how it would affect the health of the plant to be defoliated every Winter though.

As you can see the Schefflera variegated is working nicely for me where it is.. I presume the dark green is hardier than the variegated. I only picked up the variegated because at the time it was reduced as a small plant at a local garden centre.. I would have got dark green if that had been there instead.

[Blairs]

I only picked up the variegated because at the time it was reduced as a small plant at a local garden centre.. I would have got dark green if that had been there instead.

The variegated version is far more pleasing on the eye though.