What's looking Exotic 2025

Wow @strongylodon that garden looks fantastic! Is it open in the Yellow book scheme?
Their gingers are well ahead of mine - I've no buds despite masses of growth

 

@stronylodon Your Oleander are wonderful and healthy.

Mat I ask please how you rooted your cuttings please? I am attempting to root
Double Yellow 'Luteum Plenum' scented cuttings.

Thank you. Vxx

 

@CarolineL I am not sure if he is but he has a website for rare plants, his name is Mike Clifford.

@Victoria I root mine in general mpc but they go in a heated propagator.

 

Thank you ... but not what I can do, I will keep my Vxx

 

Thanks @strongylodon
And I'm not so far behind, I found buds on 3 different hedychium varieties yesterday!

 

I've got densiflorum and Tara budding up.
They are always my first ones.

He may have brought them on earlier if he knew he was opening the garden, @CarolineL
Mine always make a slow start regardless of the weather.

 

I have H Raffillii, bought from Jungle Seeds many years ago and it has never flowered and grows through my Yucca Banana Split which also has never flowered. I should have gone for Tara or similar.

 

I was given a division of Devon Cream last autumn from a newly purchased plant. It now has 4 good stems and a bud - I thought it was much later than Tara. Luna Moth, despite forming a healthy clump, still has no buds.
Like you @pete densiflorum and Tara are budding. But they were from you anyway!
I've also got divisions of Red Tara, Ganesh, Pink Flame, spicata and a big unnamed one, ready to be put in the borders! This is what happens when my friend and I go to Farmyard Nurseries. We buy and then split between us immediately.

 

I'm still waiting for three year old seedling plants to flower, that they turn out different from the parent plants.

 

@pete I'm impressed by your patience! I have hedychium gardnerium from seed. I used to have a massive clump in my greenhouse in Nottinghamshire. But I had to get them out - lack of room. A friend that had some of it took seed and was able to give me a seedling back after a cold snap took the ones outside. Still waiting for flower on that.

More generally I've realised as I get older that, if possible, I'll "buy time" ie get a plant to save a few years. For example, I want to try strelitzia again. So instead of seed, I'll buy a plant. Maybe juncea rather than reginae? Any opinions

 

I know what you mean about age and buying time.
I've got a few divisions of gardnerianum I could send you one next spring, too big to post now and unlikely to flower this year, but a good chance next year.

I bought a S. Reginae three years ago, looked like a micropropagated, it was actually 2 plants, I separated them and both flowered this year, probably only 2ft high, maybe a dwarf form

I cross pollenated it with my big one so have some seed pods on both plants now.
Never tried S. Juncea so can't comment, can't say I've ever seen one in the flesh.

 

Thanks for that @pete, but I have the seed grown one, and a small one bought from Wilko or the Range. Two gardnerium is enough (particularly with all the other varieties!).
Where did you buy your strelitzia please?

 

I cant remember. it was online dont think it was e bay.
I truly can't remember. Old age.

 

I always enjoy looking at the Bougainvilla at the front of the house with Oleander fading next to it. This Bougie blooms for months on end but the pink one over the entrance seems to go fast.

 

@CarolineL, Strelitzia bought a month ago from Lidl (and repotted), they have had them occasionally with the indoor 'green' plants.



Nanas.
Same as yours @pete, Ever Red bought recently with a small Maurelii.




Bengal Tiger.


The recently acquired Lasiocarpa.