Cold and Frost-free Glasshouse Gardening

 Presentation on cold and frost-free glasshouse gardening by Peter Williams

Peter gave us a most interesting talk on the history and usage of greenhouses.  Starting about 30 AD before glass was invented when the Roman emperor Tiberias wanted cucumbers out of season, the need for the plant explorers to keep the tender plants they brought back to Britain and the removal of the glass tax in the 1850s all influenced the growth and design of glasshouses.

We saw how the glasshouses developed over time and how they can be used for cuttings, alpines and overwintering plants.

Peter brought keys from the Acer tree in his garden and showed how to choose the best seeds and treat them.  It will be interesting to see the results from our members.

Display Table

Ann brought this from her Eriobotrya japonica Loquat tree which she planted from a stone brought back from Turkey or Australia, planted in 1990s and is now 15 – 20 ft.  The Loquat originates from China and Japan where it can grow to 25 ft and produces orange/yellow edible fruit in the spring. The flowers have a lovely fragrance and the autumn leaves are an attractive brown.

Peter’s Mimosa

Amanda says frequent deadheading has kept these plants in flower:  Cornflower, Rosemary, Nemesia, Alstromeria Silvester, Penstemon Just Jane , Chrysanthemum and Spiraea

Kate’s Salvias are still flowering:  Amistad, Confertiflora, Nachtvlinder, Mystic Spires and Leucantha.

Judith’s orange Bidens

Margaret H’s Winter Jasmine

Gill A’s Christmas Cactus in full flower which thrives on neglect and goes unwatered from May to October

Next Meeting

November 18^th Presentation - Ben Cooper followed by Paxton AGM

 

 

Harvest Forum

 

We were treated to a real feast including chutneys, cakes and fruit in today’s meeting

Norma demonstrated how to make an attractive hanging basket using Heuchera after seeing one in an RHS magazine.  The following trailing Heucheras were used:  Solar Power, Solar Eclipse, Copper Cascade and Cherry Truffles.

Display Table

Kate’s purple bouquet comprised Salvia Amistad, Verbena bonariensis, Callicarpa “Profusion”, Asters frikartii “Monch” and “Violet Queen” and Euonymus alatus

Kate also brought Salvia “Mystic Spires”

Norma’s Euonymus with seeds splitting to show orange pips

Maggie’s  pink Japanese Anemone and “Wild Swan”, Heuchera “Bronze Beauty” and Tulbaghia violacea “Silver Lace”, Persicaria affinis and “Golden Arrow”, Aster “Monch”, Calar mintha nepeta

Judith also brought Tulbaghia violacea “Silver Lace” (Society Garlic)

Ann brought Dahlias, Liriope muscari, Hesperantha, Persicaria affinis, Chrysanthemum “Dixter Orange”, Tithonia, Corydalis ochroleuca an Amicia zygomeris

Amanda’s Salvia Amistad plus Asters and colourful flowers, names unknown

This extra long parsnip which will make a hearty soup was a reject from a recent show!

Next Meeting

4^th November – A talk by Peter Williams.   The meeting on the 18th November will be followed by the Paxton AGM.

 

 

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." -Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Talk

Don Witton’s useful and interesting talk was entitled Late Herbaceous Perennials.  It gave us lots of ideas on how to extend the season in our gardens.  A handy list of plants was distributed and we saw illustrations of how they looked in various gardens.

Some of the plants discussed in Don's talk were available to purchase.

Display Table

Dorothy’s Ananas comosus (part of the Bromeliad family)

Carole’s Echiveria Topsy Turvy

Judith’s auraelia foliage and phytolacca laka boom

Next meeting

October 21^st – Harvest Forum. 

A single gentle rain makes the grass many shades greener.- Henry David Thoreau

 This Forum was about drought and, if this becomes a feature of the British Summer, what changes do we need to make in our gardens.

 

Kate’s Fern with an interesting history.  This polypody fern with its deeply divided foliage lies dormant in Summer, making it an ideal candidate for drought conditions.  Discovered by Richard Kayse on a cliff outside Bristol in 1668, the fern is sterile so can only be propagated by division.  Centuries later in 1980, the fern expert Martin Rickard rediscovered the plant growing on the same cliff, so it must be part of the same plant.  A piece of the rhizome was split and can be bought today in nurseries.  The plant in the photo could therefore be part of a plant between 400 and 1000s of years old!

Kate also brought some plants from her garden which have done well in the dry weather:  Aster, Kniphofia Mango Popsicle, Salvia Amistad, Helenium autumnale and Peroskia Blue Spires

Liz brought a picture of the late Queen at Chelsea and the David Austin Jubilee Rose.  A fitting tribute

Liz also brought some scented sweet peas which weren’t doing too well until she administered a seaweed feed

Liz showed how the same plant reacted to sun and shade during this dry spell.  The plants included Hydrangea, Crocosmia, Fern and Astilbe

Judith brought plants which will grow in dry conditions:  Heuchera, Perennial Stock, Variegated Erysimum and Senecio

Norma brought Crocosmia, Sedum, Phlomis bailanica,  Physalis, Convovulus, Statych and Catmint

Norma brought a book by Beth Chatto, the queen of the dry garden which has a list of suitable plants.  Also a book on propagation.

Ann brought a tray of succulents which are kept in the greenhouse.  No water is given between October and March. They include Sedum, Old Man’s Beard and Echiveria

Ann also brought Crocosmia Star of the East, Sedums telephium and Seduction Cherry, Brunneras Jack Frost and Sea Heart

Peter brought a variety of Salvias including Clotted Cream, Griggii, Wind n Roses, La Mancha, Nuchi and Royal Velour which he overwinters in the greenhouse

Elizabeth brought a drought and winter hardy ground cover plant Campanula portenschlagiana

 

Amanda’s indoor plant Achimenes, the hot water plant

Many tips for coping with dry spells were shared such as ice cubes in hanging baskets and gravel gardens although we didn't go as far as getting rid of our lawns.

Next Meeting

October 7^th:   Presentation – Late Herbaceous Perennials – Don Witton

 

And so we reach meteorological Autumn

 Presentation

Joy Van Rensburg of the Canals and River Trust, Yorkshire and North East areas gave us an interesting insight into the history, workings and scope of the 2000 miles of navigable waterways.  We learnt how blacksmiths were sited along the route to shoe the horses used to pull the barges and how, today, the importance of these waterways in providing activities for people and boats as well as the projects undertaken by volunteers and their role preserving wildlife.  We also heard of the effects of  storms and droughts.

Maybe we won’t be kayaking or paddle boating anytime soon, but the website does give details of towpath walks and bat walks.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/

Display Table

The following are plants brought from the gardens of our members:

Margaret H’s Astrantias

Ann brought Arum italicum mormoratum with its bright red berries, Liriope muscari, Colchicum autumnale (distinguishable by its 6 stamens whereas Autumn Crocus has 3) Colchicum agrippinum, Scilla autumnalis, Acis (Leucojum) autumnalis.

Ann also brought Water Ferns – the half hardy salvinia natans and Azolla filiculoides which overwinters as resting buds.  Invasive so take care they don’t end up in the waterways!

Ann has counted more than 20 goldfinches in her garden attracted by the sunflower hearts in her feeders.

Gill J is delighted with her orchid.  The first time she has got one to reflower

Liz brought Anemone Frilly Knickers, Persicaria Black Field, Gaura, the bright pink Clematis Giselle, Verbena hastata, Achillea Cloth of Gold, Aster Monch, Scabious, Thunbergia, Clematis Mrs Cholmondeley, Geranium Rozanne, Althaea cannabina

Carol brought Rudbeckia and  Argyranthemum Jamaica Primrose

Peter brought Fuchsias:  Vibrant Thalia and pink Jasper’s Lightning

Sue G’s ornamental Chicory, Catananche, Campanula Pritchards, Kniphofia Popsicle, Asters Monch and Rudolf Goethe, Crocosmia River Limpopo, Verbena bonariensis brought

Judith brought Althaea cannabina, Miscanthus malepartus which is 6 ft high and Salvia Amistad

Kate brought Helianthus Lemon Queen, Heleniums meranti, autumnale and sahins early flower Rudbeckias Goldsturm and deamii

Garden Matters 

York Gate Garden is displaying stunning Autumn colour plus Jack Ogg’s tropical garden is looking good.  Luckily they have their own bore hole to access water.  Remember that you can use café and plant sales without paying entrance fee.

 Paxton Autumn Show is on Saturday 1st October.  More details to follow.

Next Meeting 

Next meeting on 16^th September is a forum about drought.  We would appreciate your input about drought resistant plants, your plans going forward, watering regimes etc.  Examples of plants that did well or badly especially welcome.