Wentworth Castle conservatory

I first saw Wentworth Castle conservatory last autumn having heard that it had just had a £2.7m revamp. The planting was fabulous and blew me away. So I had to see it again today. Its just north of Sheffield, off the M1, and entry is free to RHS members.

The planting is split into Geographical areas.

Americas

Cobae scandens from Tropical America, including Mexico. It normally flowers in the autumn, but had a couple of blooms today. Last autumn it had reached 40 feet. 20 feet to the roof and then it hung down again to the floor.


Cuphea hyssopifolia from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.


Russelia equisetiformis from Mexico and Guatemala. I think this is really beautiful.


Kohleria eriantha from Colombia. I have grown Kohleria before, but the size of this really surprised me. It can get up to 4 feet high.


Fuchsia arborescens from Mexico and Central America. Always lovely. Down south it can be grown as an annual.


Fuchsia boliviensis from, yes, Bolivia. With its alba counterpart, this is often said to be the most beautiful of all the Fuchsias.


Salvia leucantha from Mexico. This is quite an easy one to overwinter in a cold greenhouse. But it won't be looking this good so early.


Lapageria rosea, the Chile Bell Flower. There is 10 feet of wall of this, and it was in full flower last autumn and a wonderful sight. So I am amazed to see a few blooms now.


Rhodochiton atrosanguinea from South Mexico and Guatemala. I think there must be several plants all of which have been overwintered. I understand its not easy to overwinter it. I have tried and failed.


A couple of Agaves. I am not sure exactly what these are - but they look so healthy.

 

Africa

Strelitzia reginea (Bird of Paradise Flower) with Zantedeschia aethiopica (Calla Lily) in front. Both from South Africa.


Thunbergia alata from Eastern Africa. How do they do that so early in the season? I don't think it was there last autumn, and its difficult to overwinter.


Geranium maderense from Madeira. It must have looked spectacular but sadly is mostly over now.


Isoplexis canariensis from the Canary Islands. This was an amazing 8 feet or more tall.


Aeonium arboretum from North Africa and the Canaries. They were huge.

Australasia

Anigozanthos flavidus


Sollya heterophylla - both from Australia itself.

But what is this ?

Could it be a Protea about to flower?

All in all - well worth a visit.

 

Cracking post

Very beautiful indeed!

Surprised me too. Mind you, the ones that we grew are easier to house.

Mine won't as it died.

I'm still thinking about splashing out on one. They are stunning plants.

Not easy at all. I don't even try any more.

Have they got supplementary lighting?

I'm sure that I remember Charlie saying that two metres is common in Cornwall.

Such a cool genus.

Both of mine are dead

You mean this...............


It is most probably Lobelia tupa (although I wouldn't rule out L.excelsa completely just yet). My clump is about 1.5 metres in diameter now....................

 

I have plenty - just let me know it you want a bit.

No, I am sure they don't. I have been thinking about the awesome size of their Thunbergia alata and the only conclusion I can come to is that they must be plants that have overwintered in situ. I just don't remember seeing them last year. However I am still amazed that they have survived the winter. I had 4 plants that I tried to keep over the last winter and only one survived. By comparison T. gregorii, grandiflora and battiscombei all sailed through the winter without losing any leaves.

That's very tall - most sites say 4 to 5 feet. But 8 feet is even taller.

I don't think Lobelia tupa was on their plant list. I will have to keep that one in mind. Whilst its some distance from me, Wentworth is such a good conservatory that I will be returning later.

 

Yes please! I have a few things from seed that may interest you.

Deffo a Lobelia. The orange in the bud is interesting though.

 

Last photo.
Not sure what it is, but it's not a protea.

Nice photos

 

It is without a doubt a Lobelia. Compare it to the photo of mine. But I do wonder if it is L.excelsa - if it is I'll expect Peter to go back and snaffle some seeds

 

longk,
I am clueless when it comes to Lobelias

 

I have seed for Lobelia tupa if you want to learn.


Hardy if you follow a couple of basic rules and it quickly forms a large clump. This plant was just three years old last year...............


Peter - do you want some seed too?

 

Gorgeous plant longk " hardy if you follow a couple of basic rules" like moving South?. Would have loved to grow it but not a hope in snowballs I fear. In another of your photos I think I spy your smelly Daylily? which you kindly gave me. Mine has got a good sized flower spike but not flowering just yet. I have the nostril poised for when it blooms.
Sorry Peter, somewhat gone off your original post's topic. Great photos by the way.

 

It's hardier than its reputation suggests.

That one you cannot lose to the weather. You'll be cussing me in a few years!

 

LongK - I will let you have some Salvia leucantha. Thanks for the kind offer of seeds for Lobelia tupa. I grew some from seed a couple of years ago. I gave one to my sister, who lives in Devon, and I think I binned the other plants not long ago. Its a lovely plant - but its really too big for my small garden as well as being borderline hardy.

You are probably right about the mystery picture being a Lobelia. I only said Protea as Protea was on their plant list and I couldn't see one anywhere.

Silu - as LongK says Lobelia tupa is probably hardier than you think. Two or three years ago there was a huge one, at least five years old, growing in a public park just outside Leeds. Then suddenly it disappeared. So in Yorkshire it is probably hardy for 4 years out of 5 - the problem is the fifth year.

 

I was so impressed by the Wentworth conservatory, that it set me thinking what could I do to make my own conservatory look a bit better. So I have come with a few ideas/rules.

1) Lay the plants out so that it is a conservatory with a pleasant display, rather than a greenhouse that looks a mess.

2) Reduce the number of plants so it doesn't look cramped and to a number that can be easily reached and looked after. In the past I have tended to keep so many plants that I couldn't always get at them to water them and look after them properly - and they tended to suffer.

3) Use plenty of manure. The Wentworth plants looked so good and had grown so huge that I asked them their secret. I was told - plenty of manure. This may have to be dropped at some time as my conservatory is not as big as theirs - but its worth trying it.

4) Mist the plants three times a day in hot weather to keep the humidity up. One of the gardeners at Wentworth told me that they went on a course at Sheffield, where there were taught to look after conservatory plants which included misting. I have already seen one plant that has responded. My Spanish Moss (Tillandsia usneoides) always looked white, but with the misting it has started to go a pale green - which I am sure is more healthy.

5) Regularly, once a week, feed, spray and preen - ie tie in, remove faded flower and yellow leaves etc. It doesn't have to be the same day for each process.

6) Keep some spare plants to fill any gaps, when plants stop flowering or get too big etc. This is a really difficult one as you need somewhere to keep more, tender, plants.

 

They all seem very sensible. However this......................

Fat chance! You're a plantaholic!
Just to whet your appetite I have a Clerodendrum paniculatum coming from someone in Germany..............

 

I have tried all the cures - but nothing works.

That Clerodendrum paniculatum looks fabulous - it took my fancy a long time ago with the post below - pictures of some different Cleredendron's. One of the most beautiful of all Genuses. I still have my C. thomsonae, which has only just woken up - but its a slow grower.

http://www.gardenerscorner.co.uk/forum/threads/tender-climbers.60770/page-2#post-779041