Tulips from Amsterdam goes the song, but where did they originate?

Presentation: Tracy Foster – The remarkable story of the Tulip

We learnt some fascinating facts about the origins, trade and types of Tulips. Originally from Southern Europe to Central Asia, tulips were brought to Turkey and then to Holland in the Golden Age. Tulip bulbs were prized and changed hands for extortionate sums. Now Keukenhof in South Holland showcases 7 million tulips each Spring. We all know a lot more about Tulips and the best ones to choose for our gardens.

Display Table

 

Judith brought Mimulus gullatus, Senecio vira vira, Phytolacca Laka Boom, an annual Hibiscus; Triornum, Rudbeckia, Tithonium, Agastache with yellow leaves and blue tip.

 

Suzanne brought Salvia ‘Pink Lips’, Anemone ‘White Swan’, Verbena bonariensis, mophead Hydrangea macrophylla hortensia, Salvia ‘Nachtvinder’, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Aster frikartii monch, Lysimachia clethroides (goose neck loose strife), Oxalis Deppei (lucky clover), Crocosmia, Eurybia divaricata farnley known as Aster divaricatus, Heuchera ‘Amethyst Mist’ which has crimson foliage with blue veins, Ferns: the evergreen Polystichum Makinoi which has formed a clump 2ft x 2ft, a deciduous fern, the semi-evergreen Dryopteris atrata and the evergreen Polystichum tsussimense

Liz brought Echinops, Dalias, one was ‘Edge of Joy’, Rudbeckia ‘Rudy Fire’, Salvia ‘Saigon’, Aster monch and a yellow Scabious 

 Dorothy brought wo varieties of Phlox, Kerria, various Dahlias, Antirrhinum, Fuchsia tryphylla Thalia, Vipers Bugloss and Mirabilis jalapa

 

Ann brought Itea illicfolia, Gentiana asclepiada, Liriope muscari, Fuchsia ‘Denise’, Persicaria affinis, Eucomis bicolor, Crocosmia ‘Harlequin’, Ceratosticma ‘Desert Skies’ and Tithonia

 Kate’s Fern with an interesting history: Polypodium cambricum ‘Richard Kayse’

Around about the time that Vermeer was finishing his painting ‘The Astronomer’, and in the year that Spain recognised Portugal as an independent nation, a man named Richard Kayse from Bristol discovered this beautiful fern growing on limestone cliffs near Cardiff.

Two centuries later it had disappeared from cultivation, and it was not until another 200 years had passed,in 1980,that fern expert Martin Rickard set out with a pair of binoculars and rediscovered it in the exact same spot, in an area which is now an SSSI: Site of Special Scientific Interest.

This beautiful, slowly spreading fern is easy to grow even in quite dry soils, and as polypodium do not really start to make new growth until late summer, they then reward us with their fresh green fronds at a time of year when everything else is looking a little tired.

Being sterile, the only way to propagate it is by division, (polypodium means many little feet which makes this quite easy)so my polypodium, whose shimmering green foliage looks so stunning during this rather dark and dreary month, is directly descended from that original plant

Kate brought an article by Val Bourne from the Guardian about watering the garden during a dry period. She says that while many plants will look after themselves, Geum and Astrantia will suffer, plus new roses, clematis and hydrangeas and will benefit from a bucket of two of water a week. I’m sure some of our members did this as soon as they got home.

In the vegetable garden, cabbage beetroot and carrots will do fine but suggests growing beans up a wigwam shape.

 

Norma can just be seen behind the plants of the Friday Forum sales table which is always very popular

Upcoming Flower Shows

13^th September: Cookridge Annual Show, Cookridge Village Hall LS16 7ER, 2 – 4 pm with Raffle, Plants, Tombola, Cacti and refreshment.

Amended date:  *Sunday 28^th September*: Paxton Autumn Show, OPAL Community Centre, 55 Bedford​​ Drive, Leeds LS16 6DJ, from 1.30 pm, Tombola, refreshments, further details to follow

Next Meeting: 5^th September – A presentation by Friday Forum member Suzanne White on her visits to gardens in Japan.