What's looking exotic in 2019

If and when I manage to visit a flower show. I seem to be attracted to displays of Proteas like iron filings to a magnet. I have two hardbound books of cigarette cards collected by my father durin WW11. He was a Desert rat. One book contains cards,(real photos) of birds and animals. The other one is all flowers. The cards/photos are really something. In all truthfullnes I cannot explain what the attraction is, but it is like a spell.
Like most gardeners. I have tried my hand at most things. I have sown seeds, planted plants and said. ''That's nice. I like that'' As the years have rolled by, I became more scientific in my views. In short. A plant means to me to be a 'living thing'. So as much as I might want to grow it. I stop and ask myself. Be honest Mike. Can you by any chance have the means to provide all that this plant needs to survive?
This carries on when seeing stire like supermarkets and B&Q etc. Thousands of plants on offer but at the same time being so neglected. Breaks my heart.

 

Clivia, the yellow one is always later than the reds.


Fouquieria splendens, Ocotillo, New leaves after its first watering of 2019 a few days ago.

 

Clytostoma callistegioides (Lavender Trumpet Vine)


Heliconia stricta (False Bird of Paradise Plant)


Asarina erubescens (Creeping Gloxinia). I think this has has two name changes recently. I do like this as it grows up, then along, and then hangs down. I lost my original one - so this one is from seed.


Ipomea indica (Blue Morning Glory). Very free flowering.


Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns). This is an almost desert plant that seems to survive the high humidity of my conservatory quite happily.


This is my giant Anthurium, where the flower size is double that of all the other Anthuriums that you see for sale. However the picture doesn't really show its size off. I have only ever seen this giant Anthurium for sale in one place - Gordon Riggs in Walsden.


Anthurium ellipticum. This is another sort of giant Anthurium. Its not very showy so you never see it. But I love it because it's ...well ...different.


The flowers have the same form as normal Anthuriums - but are clearly not showy.

 

@PeterS I have seen some 'Health and Safety' Euphorbia millii now that are thornless!!!!!
They have genetically bred out of the plant as have Pineapple spines.

That is a big leaved Anthurium but if you want a really big/long leaved one with a stunning pattern see if you can find Anthurium waroqueanum!

Everything is looking good in there.

 

Thanks Strongy - I have just had a look - huge. And you can actually buy it .... if you live in Australia.

That's interesting about the spineless Euphorbia milii - it had to come, I suppose.

I have just dug up my back garden and am going to replace it with coloured foliage shrubs. Berberis comes in some wonderful leaf shades, but it very spiny. However I have just bought a Berberis 'Lime Star', which appears to have no spines at all - or maybe none just yet.

 

@PeterS I am off to Oz in two weeks time but I don't think I can bring one back!!!!!
I have been told that Sydney Botanical gardens is a good place to buy seeds so I may bring some back. I hope to have some good pics of tropical plants from Hongkong, Darwin and Kuala Lumpur.

 

I dont have a photo at current but we (I) planted a Clivia miniata outside in a very dry, sheltered location under a tree at Ness Botanic Gardens.. and voila, a little damage this winter but it's come through and it's growing new leaves. Quite a hardy little soul.

 

Have a great trip Strongy - I envy you.


If you can't bring back a big Anthurium - how about a Mucuna benetti - Red Jade Vine. They have that in Australia, but my local garden centre doesn't.

 

Getting one of those in the case could be a problem!!!
I hope to see a Strongylodon somewhere.

 

Sarracenia flowers in the sun

 

@NigelJ - are those sarracenias growing outside? Very nice!

 

@CarolineL They spend the winter in a cold greenhouse and then are moved outside from April through to November. They could probably stay outside most winters, certainly this winter would have been fine.

 

One for @PeterS here as it's a member of the Acanthaceae family;

Not the best photos as they were manually focusesd in poor light but I'm rather confident (90%) that my Mackaya bella is in bud