Time to try something new.

Got chance to plant out a couple of plants, that I've been planning to do for quite a while, today.

Some may know I've had Strelitzia, (BOP) outside for about 5yrs now, so I've now added to this, today I planted a purple Bouganvillea and a Protea cynaroides next to it.
The Agave has been there for years, and kind of finishes it all off.

 

I didn't know you could grow strelitzia outside!! lovely plant you have there!!

Val

 

I protect it in winter Val.:WINK1:

 

looks very good! I love the architectural feel to the plants

Loopy lou

 

That's a lovely tropical border Pete I live in NW England ,and as Armandii , I am a little cautious on tropicals after the last 2 winters. But , I have also bought a small purple Bougainvillea standard , which I plan to bring into the house in winter . Do you know how long the purple bracts display for ? I know when I go to the med on holiday they seem to be in colour at anytime.

 

Thanks for the replies.
Armandii, this is experimental, but both the Protea and the Bougie have spent two winters in that position in pots.
It now remains to be seen if the extra moisture at the roots in winter has any affect.

Harry, the Bougie tends to start to flower in July, but the bracts stay colourful right into October.
I'm just hoping the extra root room doesn't result in masses of leafy growth and no flowers

 

Best of luck with them both Pete. I never succeded with Protea, even inside the house over the winter. But Bougainvillea sounds like its worth a go.

 

I have previously had Bougainvillea outside but without protection and it went after a few -5cs, with protection you may be lucky Pete.
You get more summer sun than we do here so it may get going earlier.
I presume it is one of the hardier single pink/purple Glabra types.

 

The Bougainvillea that I'm growing is I think a spectabilis variety, anyway you know more about them than me strongy.
This was last summer.


I have an orange flowered one that I might mix in during the summer this year.

I erect a wooden framework each winter and cover with blankets on cold nights, as long as its above freezing the plants get full winter rain and all that the weather throws at them.
Both the bougie and the protea have spent two winters outside now, but in pots.

The area they are growing in tends to be a real sun trap in summer.

 

Dont bang your head on the wall Armandii, just grow a bougie up it.

I'm having real difficulty separating B. glabra from B. spectabilis, so I cant really help much. All I can say is the one I'm now growing grows very long stems and wants to climb, I did have another plant that was quite bushy but that died on me in a frost free greenhouse.

My orange one, from which I've already got a cutting, so it could be another one I'll experiment with next winter.