Whisley glasshouse

Discussion in 'Tropical Gardening' started by PeterS, Nov 23, 2017.

  1. PeterS

    PeterS Total Gardener

    Joined:
    Mar 18, 2005
    Messages:
    6,662
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Retired
    Location:
    N Yorks
    Ratings:
    +4,013
    A short while ago I passed Wisley and visited their glasshouse. Its an inspiration in its own right, and I took pictures to show friends at Ripley Castle, who are in the process of redoing their own glass house.

    2017_10270004.JPG
    Succulent/cactus bed. Whilst the picture doesn't show it, its not flat but pleasantly undulating.

    2017_10270006.JPG
    Musa sikkimensis 'Red Tiger'. Wisley is a wonderful combination of height combined with lower plants and ground cover. There is essentially no bare earth.

    2017_10270007.JPG
    Amorphophallus titanum - the giant stink flower. Even when not in flower it is a really impressing plant.

    2017_10270009.JPG
    Heliconia schiedeana. This is said to be the hardiest of all Heliconias and might even survive outside in the mildest of areas.

    2017_10270011.JPG
    An example of the ground cover.

    2017_10270013.JPG
    Fafugium

    2017_10270015.JPG
    Irescine lindenii. The variety of different ground cover was very impressive. But you just don't see Irescine plants or seed offered.

    2017_10270017.JPG
    Nice range of shapes with a Strelitzia (Bird of Paradise)in the foreground

    2017_10270018.JPG
    Justicia rizzinii. A lovely bush, the flowers are small so the picture just doesn't do it justice. This normally flowers for me in the spring - so I was surprised to see this in the autumn.
     
    • Like Like x 9
      Last edited: Nov 23, 2017
    • Gail_68

      Gail_68 Guest

      Ratings:
      +0
      Fantastic shots and I do adore the first picture peter :thumbsup::)
       
      • Agree Agree x 2
      • Like Like x 1
      • Friendly Friendly x 1
      • PeterS

        PeterS Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Mar 18, 2005
        Messages:
        6,662
        Gender:
        Male
        Occupation:
        Retired
        Location:
        N Yorks
        Ratings:
        +4,013
        2017_10270020.JPG

        2017_10270021.JPG
        Musa velutina producing small pink bananas. I understand that it only grows to about 5 feet so is quite practical.

        2017_10270022.JPG

        2017_10270024.JPG
        Pseudorhipsalis ramulosa. An epyphitic cactus with stems up to 70 cms, which can turn bright violet red in full sun.

        2017_10270025.JPG

        2017_10270026.JPG

        2017_10270027.JPG

        2017_10270028.JPG
        Senecio harworthii - I have discovered there are some spectacular Senecios ( and some awful ones - Ragwort).

        2017_10270029.JPG
        This won't last long :smile:. Ravenala madagascariensis - Traveller's Palm. Its a truly spectacular relative of the Bird of Paradise plant, but it will be 30 feet tall and through the roof within a couple of years.
         
        • Like Like x 6
        • Agree Agree x 1
        • Informative Informative x 1
        • Gail_68

          Gail_68 Guest

          Ratings:
          +0
          Peter there's some terrific plants there..what a lovely place stroll and take in beauty at it's best :)
           
          • Agree Agree x 2
          • Friendly Friendly x 1
          • PeterS

            PeterS Total Gardener

            Joined:
            Mar 18, 2005
            Messages:
            6,662
            Gender:
            Male
            Occupation:
            Retired
            Location:
            N Yorks
            Ratings:
            +4,013
            2017_10270030.JPG
            Pachystachys lutea. This made a lovely display. Its a member of the Acanthus family and flowers for a very long period. The flowers themselves are white and not that long lived, but the bracts are yellow and stay for a long time.

            2017_10270031.JPG
            Strongylodon macrobotrys - Green Jade Vine. This has to be the pinnacle of every glasshouse. It normally flowers in the spring, so I was surprised to see a small amount of bloom in the autumn.

            2017_10270032.JPG
            Polyscias guilfoylei. Wisley had so many plants I had never heard of before.

            2017_10270033.JPG
            Thunbergia mysorensis (thanks @longk for my introduction to this).

            2017_10270109.JPG
            This picture was taken on holiday in Italy, but I have to show it here as its Thunbergia grandiflora. Its a climber and normally covers a wall with flowers. But in this case the flowers had the same hanging habit as the mysorensis - I had never seen that before. I understand that when flowers hang down in racemes like this they are usually pollinated by bats.

            2017_10270034.JPG

            2017_10270035.JPG
            More Thunbergia mysorensis. I loved the feeling of being enclosed by overhanging foliage, but at the same time being spacious.
             
            • Like Like x 7
              Last edited: Nov 23, 2017
            • PeterS

              PeterS Total Gardener

              Joined:
              Mar 18, 2005
              Messages:
              6,662
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Retired
              Location:
              N Yorks
              Ratings:
              +4,013
              2017_10270036.JPG

              2017_10270038.JPG
              Heliconia latispatha. I have only recently taken an interest in Heliconia, which has to be one of the most exotic of tropical plants. Going round Wisley I was amazed to see that they had 4 or 5 different species. Outside of Wisley and Kew you will very, very rarely see one.

              2017_10270040.JPG
              Schaueria flavicoma Golden Plume. Its a small shrub from Brazil. Another member of the Acanthus family with white/yellow flowers, and yellow wispy bracts that last a long time. Totally new to me - but no chance of ever finding it on sale.

              2017_10270042.JPG
              Helicoia stricta. This is quite a practical one (if you can provide the heat and humidity over winter) as stricta only grows from 1 to 5 feet tall. There was a bed of these- only one foot tall. You can see why Heliconias are called False Bird of Paradise Flowers.

              2017_10270044.JPG
              Another Heliconia. There was no label for this, but I think it is H. psitticorum, which is another practical one that grows to 5 feet or less. There are many different cultivars and I am growing a couple in my conservatory. I have an orange one that has been sending up a series of flowering shoots for months now.

              2017_10270045.JPG
              This is a fun one. Strophanthus preussii - the Poison Arrow Vine. It's a climber from West Africa, where local tribes will coat the tips of arrows with the sap from the stem. I gather that they use more than one plant, and this one will put you to sleep rather than kill you. Who said gardening isn't dangerous :rolleyespink:.

              2017_10270048.JPG
              This was outside and is an annual. Amaranthus 'Garnet Red'. I must see if I can get some seeds as this one was over 8 feet tall - now that's impressive and exotic.
               
              • Like Like x 10
                Last edited: Nov 23, 2017
              • Verdun

                Verdun Passionate gardener

                Joined:
                Oct 16, 2012
                Messages:
                7,475
                Gender:
                Male
                Location:
                West Cornwall
                Ratings:
                +17,486
                Fabulous pictures PeterS. Most of those are new to me :). Esp the haliconias; they are amazing :wow:

                The tropical biome at Eden, not too far from me, has a huge collection of rare and unusual glasshouse plants. Worth a visit :)
                 
                • Like Like x 4
                • PeterS

                  PeterS Total Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Mar 18, 2005
                  Messages:
                  6,662
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Retired
                  Location:
                  N Yorks
                  Ratings:
                  +4,013
                  Thanks Verdun. What a lucky man to be so close to Eden. I would love to go back there again, and again. You learn every time. My only complaint about Eden is that there weren't many plant labels telling you what they are. But then I think it has decided to be a place of entertainment, rather than Wisley which is very much a place of learning
                   
                  • Friendly Friendly x 2
                  • Agree Agree x 1
                  • Verdun

                    Verdun Passionate gardener

                    Joined:
                    Oct 16, 2012
                    Messages:
                    7,475
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Location:
                    West Cornwall
                    Ratings:
                    +17,486
                    Think they have improved that side of it Peter.....I went in the summer and labelling was pretty good I thought. Amazing growth of things we only see in our homes :)
                    You have encouraged me to take a pen and notebook next time though :)
                     
                    • Like Like x 2
                    • Friendly Friendly x 1
                    • Irmemac

                      Irmemac Total Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Jun 11, 2017
                      Messages:
                      1,027
                      Location:
                      West of Scotland
                      Ratings:
                      +1,686
                      How kind to go to the trouble of posting all those lovely photos Peter, and for the comments with them. I feel like I have just been on a trip there, and am grateful you posted them. Thank you.
                       
                      • Agree Agree x 3
                      • Like Like x 1
                      • Friendly Friendly x 1
                      • longk

                        longk Total Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Nov 24, 2011
                        Messages:
                        11,381
                        Location:
                        Oxfordshire
                        Ratings:
                        +23,089
                        I need to go there @PeterS !
                        Strophanthus preussii is especially nice :blue thumb:

                        Just go back in the spring and lift some of the self seeders - they will be over-run with them!
                         
                        • Like Like x 1
                        • Informative Informative x 1
                        • PeterS

                          PeterS Total Gardener

                          Joined:
                          Mar 18, 2005
                          Messages:
                          6,662
                          Gender:
                          Male
                          Occupation:
                          Retired
                          Location:
                          N Yorks
                          Ratings:
                          +4,013
                          And a camera, I hope. :smile:

                          Good point LongK - it does self seed everywhere.

                          Stropanthus speciosus.jpg
                          I did try to grow Strophanthus preussii from seed - but it died after a while. However I do have a good sized S. speciosus (picture above from the internet). Hopefully mine is close to flowering size - its another pretty weird flower, and also known as the Poisoned Arrow Vine.
                           
                          • Like Like x 3
                          • Informative Informative x 1
                            Last edited: Nov 23, 2017
                          • Verdun

                            Verdun Passionate gardener

                            Joined:
                            Oct 16, 2012
                            Messages:
                            7,475
                            Gender:
                            Male
                            Location:
                            West Cornwall
                            Ratings:
                            +17,486
                            Yes, camera too PeterS:)
                             
                            • Like Like x 3
                            • Mark56

                              Mark56 Super Gardener

                              Joined:
                              Apr 26, 2017
                              Messages:
                              393
                              Gender:
                              Male
                              Location:
                              Windsor, UK
                              Ratings:
                              +957
                              Great pictures, I am a big fan of RHS Wesley and often visit as it's not too far.
                               
                              • Like Like x 3
                              • strongylodon

                                strongylodon Old Member

                                Joined:
                                Feb 12, 2006
                                Messages:
                                14,754
                                Gender:
                                Male
                                Occupation:
                                Retired
                                Location:
                                Wareham, Dorset
                                Ratings:
                                +28,240
                                You saw me there @PeterS!!:biggrin:
                                It seems to be much improved since I went last and 'I' wasn't in flower. I will try to get there next year.
                                 
                                • Like Like x 2
                                • Funny Funny x 2
                                Loading...

                                Share This Page

                                1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                                  By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                                  Dismiss Notice