The most fantabulous flowers prize goes to this Epiphyllum which was growing in a hanging basket in the conservatory at the Barbican. This was my first trip to this public access glasshouse and the Epiphyllum was by far the most exciting thing there (that and the Jean Paul Gautier expedition)
Epiphyllum is actually an epiphytic cactus and if memory serves correct they evolved from the more conventional desert cactus, which makes sense as all those adaptations for living in the hot arid desert also makes sense for living up a tree
We also made for a Columbia Road trip as them upstairs needed new plants for their troughs and the bamboo which I had thought would work well sulked and clogged the drains with their leaves. Instead there will be sophisticated standard olive treees under planted with lavender.
Im getting to be in two minds about Columbia road...I love it as the plants and flowers are great, and so cheap however it is far too crowded. The traders also seem to moan that a big chunk of the crowd is also just there to look and not to buy, which is fine but there is a danger that this can over gentrify the market and make it more about the experience than the plants. Tower Hamlets Council can you please make it so that the stalls are only on one side of the road and it goes round the block please?
Back home I thin I am riding the crest of the wave of things that need to be done, as there is so much to do! I have focused on getting all the big structural things in
(Bananas, ricinus, big Cannas) and fingers crossed most easy things are now done which is a good job as it is the Eurovision Song Contest this week which is far more important than gardening!
The Chusan palm is thrusting fourth...
A busy greenhouse...The Ensetes are leafing up but havent yet rooted properly....
Paulownias are stooled with one bud being allowed to grow
The forget-me-nots have created a sea of blue which the bees are appreciating
I think the hives actually look rather picturesque at the moment, one hive is doing well (with 4 supers on) the others are sulking/swarming which is a pain
Euphorbia pasturii
The giant Echiums are looking amazeballs....stately, majestic, exotic and HUGE!
Flushing ferns
Corner looking jungly with the banana coming back into leaf
The terrace is pots a go go at the moment. I am trying to build on what looked good last year but not have everything look the same as I would like things a bit different. The struggle being the very heavy pots which need the soil changing! I think I went through about 9 bags of compost...
Finally some Geranium maderense revelling...it is looking better and better with huge flowers and these amazing dewy droplet petioles which are almost likes Drosera leaves...
Looking good Clive and everything's rocketing up now in your garden. Thanks for reminding us about the Gaultier exhibition, and Eurovision!
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