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I'm in Dordogne, France, at the moment, my home. OH lives in Norfolk so I have a garden there too.

Plant sales are quite seasonal here. I went to the big plant nursery, 15 mins away, a few days ago and I bought 9 perennials, 3 big Sweet Williams and 20 violas for around 70€. The perennials are put out in March and stay there until they are all sold. There were loads, good sizes, 4.80€ each.

 

I have been looking to find and plant Mahonia 'Soft Caress' for a while and saw your post @CostasK, from January, and wondered how your plants are doing and what they look like at the moment. Have they grown much in the last few months? Thank you so much for any info.

 

Hi @ClematisDbee

They haven't grown much, but I wasn't expecting them to, considering the cold temperatures and how little time they have had to establish. As a matter of fact, I am very happy that they haven't sulked! As planting in January isn't the best. But they still look happy and healthy. I am happy both with the plants as well as the vendor. Here's a photo I just took

 

Thankyou @CostasK! Ooh they look really healthy and not sulky at all. I love what you have done with the slate - almost a river effect. Lovely shape to your M. Soft Caress. I hope to find space for one. I think they flower in late summer don't they? The orangey tones should really pop against the blue-grey slate!

 

Thank you so much

According to the Internet, Mahonia Soft Caress flowers from August to October. But I love the foliage and shape, which is evergreen too, so the flowers will just be the icing on the cake.

The flowers are actually yellow rather than orange. In the past I did buy 3 mahonias with orange flowers ("Volcano"). I had assumed they were just like Soft Caress, with only that difference in colour. Turns out they are quite different. Just one of them still survives and it has never flowered. The foliage is also less fine & pretty. I would not take chances with another mahonia variant which isn't well known after that experience. Soft Caress seems so much healthier in comparison.

EDIT: Here is a photo of the one "volcano" mahonia that made it

 

Oh yes, such an unusual shape amongst most other garden plants. A really lovely silhouette. Thankyou so much for posting your other Mahonia 'Volcano'. I did muddle them up, you are right! They are both soft to touch though I think?

I have also heard of Mahonia nitens 'Cabaret' which is more red, and just to add to confusion, has I believe been reclassified as Berberis schochii.

It is really good that Soft Caress has turned out so well for you, and that is a help to know, because I have had lots of unfortunate mistakes with shrubs in the last 3 or 4 years!

 

Most, if not all, Mahonias are actually Berberis, the taxonomists just haven't got round to reclassifying them all.
Most of the Mahonias I've bought recently have actually been Berberis.

 

Just had two rhubarb delivered the Stockbridge Arrow was bare rooted and the Timperly Early was in a pot with a 4 ft bamboo cane, shoots were all of two inches..

 

I want to get a rhubarb crown @NigelJ . Can I ask where you got yours from and are you happy with the quality?

 

@Butterfly6 Ashridge Trees Ashridge | Online UK Tree, Hedge, Plant Nursery: Top Delivery & Advice
Yes I'm happy with the quality.
What I would say is I would normally have got both as bare roots, but it's late in the season and most of the other places I'd use were out of stock. That's why one was bare rooted and the other in a pot. You should be able to find rhubarb potted plants at most GCs I've even seen some in B&Q, who have been known to have rhubarb roots bagged up like dahlia tubers.

 

No problem Yes, they are both soft to touch, but the leaves of Soft Caress are a bit narrower and that gives it a nicer, more exotic look.

Based on my personal experience, I wouldn't recommend Volcano - even though the instructions suggested that it likes a bit more sun than Soft Caress, the new growth got fried in the sun. Then the cold weather the following Winter finished off two out of the three plants. I think they would probably only be happy in a sheltered position in dappled shade.. in a country with more moderate climate

I don't know much about Cabaret I am afraid.

 

Thanks @NigelJ I’ve used them before for snowdrops and they were always good but you are right they are probably appearing in the localGC now. Will take a look there first, any excuse….

 

Yes I got my rhubarb as one of those bagged-up jobs from B&Q, half price at the end of the season too. Don't know yet if it's made it through the winter - I was worried it had rotted away, but I think I now see a hint of pink in the middle of it.

Rhubarb has become very fashionable amongst the foodies which will be pushing prices up, so definitely a good idea to grow your own.

 

Thanks very much, @CostasK, that is helpful to know. It is a shame about M.Volcano. I think I will give that one a wide berth.