After a busy winter travelling I find myself anxiously awaiting warmer weather to arrive. This has to be one of the coldest Springs I can remember. I have been away from the forum for a while so I thought I'd post a little slideshow from last season of my tropicals in the garden to remind us that warmer weather WILL arrive someday... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMmcgj1TbUk
Nice one Palmera, I enjoyed that!!! What is the Alocasia, I presume, about 1 minute and 20 seconds in, with the red/pink stalk?? Also what was the plant near the pole of your house about 2:30 in? It looked like an aroid... Ed
Thanks ed, I enjoy "virtual gardening" when the weather doesn't co-operate! The red stalked aroid is Colocasia fontanesii. It is in it's 3rd year. I keep it in a pot with a water filled saucer. Now it has sent out many runners which I am propagating. This guy is a favorite so I overwinter him in the garage, bearly moist. I may try keeping a pup in the ground this winter... The tall plant you refer to near my house is actually a Cardiocrinum giganteum. It was quite exciting to see it bloom for the first time last summer as they only send out a flower once every 7 years or so. There are many new little ones around the main plant so maybe in a few more years it'll bloom again.
Hi palmera, Thanks for posting your garden video. If I find the time I may do the same someday. Forecast models have La Nina hanging around for May. Improving weather is expected this coming summer and warmer than normal temps are also forecast. Cheers, LPN. (Barrie)
Oh LPN, I sure hope they're right. This cold Spring has me down and questioning the wisdom of choosing a tropical theme in my garden.:-( I hope you find the time to put some pictures together because you have some amazing plants in your garden. How did your palms fair this winter?
Palms and everything where fine. Not cold enough to do any damage. Coldest one night cold snap was -3.7 celcius (25.3 f) on January 22 wasn't even able to knock down my banana pseudostems. They're picking up right where they left off last autumn. Cheers, LPN (Barrie).
Really nice garden! That full picture with you in it definitly gave me a good view of your nice tropical plants. Do you have a banana tree in there? I thought I saw one, but I'm not sure.
Yes, I have quite a number of different bananas...the usual Musa Bajoo (which came thru this winter without any protection) already pushing a big leaf from it's 5' stems. Also a fine clump of Musa sikkimensis (as seen with me in the photo) which kept about 2' of stem this winter unprotected and is starting to push. Thanks again LPN for helping me move this clump as it is very happy in it's new location. I also have assorted bananas that are coming out of my garage such as my large red ensete maurelii that will be planted today and my 'dwarf cavendish' (which isn't so dwarf anymore!). My biggest challenge here is keeping them well watered in the summer as some years can get very dry. Good compost helps, but sometimes I am a little happy when we get rain.