Schizostylis 'Major' - possibly

[Jasmine]

Hopefully the postie will deliver them this morning Barbara - it will only have been about 9 months since I offered them Must be some sort of record...I will not be trying to break it though! ;D

[Ladygardener]

Many thanks Jasmine for my lovely healthy plants which arrived this morning and are now planted and watered in the bottom border near the front where they should settle in well.
Seems like your prison sentence is postponed for now. i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/wink.gif

[Barbara]

Thank's Jas, I've just recieved the plants.

[Jasmine]

I'm so glad you've both got them!

[Auricula]

Thanks Jasmine, I'd forgotten about those.....................( almost ) ;D

[Jasmine]

Me too! ;D

[Auricula]

;D

[bobbiek]

I smile every time I read this thread. Last time I went through customs, they searched my luggage just because I bought some chocolates in England. They had to check to make sure I had no contraband food, like meats.

I can only imagine trying to smuggle some of these to me.

[Jasmine]

Oh noooo Bobbie - far too stressful!
We came back from Florida with some Oleander seeds a few years ago and the dogs were out at Gatwick sniffing luggage. Turned out they were 'doing' the flight in front of us but I was very anxious we were going to be 'sniffed' out! As it turns out seeds are ok - soil is not! ;D

[Jasmine]

All schizostylis safely with their new owners. Carol's took ages considering they all got posted first class on the same day
Just Auricula and Jilly to do now and I can rest at ease! ;D

[Auricula]

Until you remember what else you've forgotten to dig up and send ;D

[Jasmine]

Oh yes - until then! ;D

[Ladygardener]

I have a little question about mine. Many thanks again Jasmine I was delighted to see it bloom this year.
They've settled in so well and I have some babies growing alongside the orignal. The question is, they stayed green all winter but now a couple of the leaves are done, brown. Is this normal? will it happen to all of them and should I cut them off or pull them off.

[Jasmine]

I wondered the same Ladygardener when I was tidying up the penstemon bed a few weeks ago. I cut mine back after thinking about it for a bit but I didn't look anything up to see if that was right. When they were sent out they were bare root so I guess they just sprout again. I'll see what I can find.

[Jasmine]

Can't find much....some sites seem to suggest that our winters leave them leafless anyway which obviously isn't the case.

A sprinkling of general purpose organic feed won’t go amiss each spring, but is by no means essential. Splitting the clumps every three years or so can help to improve vigour and flowering – I find that this is best done in early spring and is the best way to generate extra plants. No other care is really needed other than maybe cutting back the old flowering stems once they have finished. On the pest front, they are really trouble-free – even slugs seem to leave most plants alone. Overall, they are what I would call good ‘FIVE MINUTES CARE A YEAR PLANTS’.

What do other folk do?

[Ladygardener]

Well I totally agree that they seem to be pest free, they seem to spread quite well in my border. Thanks Jasmine  I'm hoping for a good show this year. I did cut the flower stalk down when it eventually stopped flowering. I'll cut back the brown leaves I think. The soil it's in would be quite good but I'll sprinkle a bit of bfb around. I'll have a little google and see what I find. It's good to know yours are behaving the same way.

[Jasmine]

I think the previous winters must have finished off all the leaves Ladygardener as I've never done anything to them before.

[Ladygardener]

I have to update this thread and say my Schizostylis or now as it's known Hesperantha Major have given the most wonderful show this year. They started blooming in middle autumn and are blooming still. They've needed a bit of help to stay upright but are giving some smashing colour in the bottom border. I've promised Jenny some for her garden and will divide them in springtime all being well. Thanks again Jasmine.

[Auricula]

My hesperantha are still flowering well too, thanks Jasmine

[Jasmine]

You're very welcome! They multiply quite prolifically! It was a good idea to give them some support Ladygardener as mine are almost horizontal!

[Tig]

I had to support one clump yesterday, there are just so many flowers on them. Lubbly jubbly and my thanks to Jas too - for both colours

[Rosefriend]

Saw Carol Klein talking about them on GW this morning - how hardy are they 'cos they are really rather wonderful, aren't they??!! Only thing is that they walk about, don't they?

RF

[Ladygardener]

Mine have made a little line/clump but haven't strayed from where they were planted Rosefriend.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 3, 2013 19:07:58 GMT Ladygardener said:

Mine have made a little line/clump but haven't strayed from where they were planted Rosefriend.

What was carol Klein talking about then in GW?? Have I misunderstood perhaps??

Rf

[Tig]

I would say they are quite hardy RF. Mine seem to do best in the cooler, damper parts of the garden. In the winter the don't get any sun whatsoever. They are making decent sized clumps now, but they are by no means rampant, I reckon they are controllable, and seem to split up easily. I just dug a bit from the edge of one earlier in the year plonked it in a bare shady patch and it's flowering!

[Ladygardener]

No you've not misunderstood Rosefriend, just as Jasmine who has been growing them for a while now and has had plenty to share with everyone. I'd say in the right circumstances they would wander around and they may do yet in my garden but I've not been growing them for long you see, only since Jasmine sent me some of hers. Maybe this is the 2nd year for them.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 3, 2013 19:12:09 GMT Tig said:

I would say they are quite hardy RF. Mine seem to do best in the cooler, damper parts of the garden. In the winter the don't get any sun whatsoever. They are making decent sized clumps now, but they are by no means rampant, I reckon they are controllable, and seem to split up easily. I just dug a bit from the edge of one earlier in the year plonked it in a bare shady patch and it's flowering!

I'll have a look at the GC's here and see if I can get some - I assume they can be bought in Spring?? I was very impressed with the ones that Carol Klein showed.

[Rosefriend]

Nov 3, 2013 19:12:48 GMT Ladygardener said:

No you've not misunderstood Rosefriend, just as Jasmine who has been growing them for a while now and has had plenty to share with everyone. I'd say in the right circumstances they would wander around and they may do yet in my garden but I've not been growing them for long you see, only since Jasmine sent me some of hers. Maybe this is the 2nd year for them.

I think that I shall risk trying to get some LG - they really were lovely !!

RF

[Ladygardener]

Nov 3, 2013 19:16:24 GMT Rosefriend said:

Nov 3, 2013 19:12:48 GMT Ladygardener said:

No you've not misunderstood Rosefriend, just as Jasmine who has been growing them for a while now and has had plenty to share with everyone. I'd say in the right circumstances they would wander around and they may do yet in my garden but I've not been growing them for long you see, only since Jasmine sent me some of hers. Maybe this is the 2nd year for them.

I think that I shall risk trying to get some LG - they really were lovely !!

RF

I could add them to your parcel from me if you'd like. I could spare a few.

[Tig]

I think Jas has just split one of hers and was offering 'bit's RF. I've just been looking at the RHS site and they rate them as H4 - hardy, average winter. I would be inclined to google in Germany and see if there is any reports of people being successful. It also struck me that your winters start before ours, they are very late autumn flowerers and do go brown if we have a hard frost