Maxgarden's Inbox

autumn at its best........................

lovely pictures...................

a wonderfull picture.......................

very well planted.......................

a lovely garden so neat and tidy................i love the shape of the lawn

This pic makes the plant I found last month, and which you so kindly gave me info on, seem much more attractive, many thanks!

Wow.! A very unique looking hellebore. I would have guessed it to be euphorbia.
I'm sure it's very rarely seen in cultivation. I'd love to have one.!

My cosmos have also shot up. think this is normal - they do this every year! I don't think you need to keep them in the heated propagator now they are up and growing - put them where they will get plently of light (so they don't have to stretch for it) and just keep them frost free. Mine are in an unheated greenhouse, but I do bring them indoors when the nights are frosted.

Yes - I got some for the first time this year. I haven't planted any yet. We will have to compare notes as to how we do.

I have also just sown some of the `Cosmos bipinnata` in a cold greenhouse, I think they should be ok although I too wasn1t sure if it was too cold, but I`m sure I grew them the same last year.
I got the seed from the RHS site in January along with lots of other seeds which I am trying, does anyone else take advantage of the seeds availbale from RHS?

I grew these last year and found that I had to prick them out much sooner than all the other seedlings. They were fine once I'd done that (in an unheatedgreenhouse by the way) and I ended up with so many that I was practically begging people to have a few! I am about to sow a different type - red/orange in colour and not as tall as the usual ones. I am looking forward to seeing how they do!

I don't know the answer, but thoght it might make you feel better when i say that mine have done exactly the same.

Mine germinated quickly, they are very tall and weedy looking as if too much heat and light. I havent anywhere cooler than the present north facing conservatory to move them to...unless I pop them into a cold frame but that seems too chilly doesnt it?

I'll be interested to hear what others say!

Are`nt Bridges over water a WONDERFUL SITE ?

What lovely colour reds/browns&greens :D

Love lookn at Landscape pictures this is Fantastic

OMG your garden is BEAUTIFUL Max :)& all done in 4years you mustv worked very hard every day :)

When I went to our local Nursery on Saturday i noticed that their Photinias had the same problem - they wouldn't be selling them if it were a major problem, they are a reputable outfit.

My photinia has sustained black/brown patches during the winter from frost damage. This might be different from your problem, difficult to tell.

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/plantdiseasefs/450-609/450-609.html see if this helps!Difficult to see on your photo,but it may be a match?

Poor Buddleja! All you can do really is what you have been - and IF we have a hot summer, give it a drink! At least you have the consolation that it recovers each time. What colour is it?

I've had one on acid soil too so I don't think that's going to be the problem. If it's only been the last couple of years, it might be lack of water and then too much! - lol

My RHS Encyclopaedia says that Buddleja davidii prefers alkaline soil. I am just wondering what Ph your soil is - do you know? Just a thought. It also says 'grow in fertile well-drained soil', so I don't think that your soil will be too rich...

Is this the Villa in Italy? Wouldn't like to mow their lawn!!

to be honest it is sometimes hard to say, it looks to me as if it has been overwatered and/or has a virus. judging by the white on the top of the soil, i would say that it has possibly been over watered at some stage, even if it has now dried out this can cause fungus in the soil that may cause a virurs, which could have this effect. sometimes you get this white stuff on the soil if it is just old and needs replacing. or if the plant is around too much dry heat (radiators) it could be one of the above reasons or a combination of all of the above. is the soil damp and slimey to touch? if so this would mean it has been overwatered and sitting in water at some stage that has gone stale.

my advice is this; you can do one of two things, if you think it is just a case that the soil is old and needs replacing i would remove all dead and dying bits and dig out the top layer (about an inch should do) and top dress it with new house plant compost, and give it a good feed and keep well away from radiators, then repot it in the spring once it has finished flowering..

if you think it is one of the other things i have said virus and/or overwatering, i am affaid you have little choice but to remove it completely from the pot shake off as much of the old soil as poss and repot it in to fresh and take care not to overwater. if you do this i would also cut off any damaged bits and any flowers damaged or not, so that the energy goes into re-establishing the root system in the new soil. but there is a risk involved in this because it wont like being repotted in the winter but it will die if you don't. good luck.

Andrew is absolutely right - you'll have a job moving them and more little ones will pop up from where you dug! I have great problems keeping mine under control due to the 'babies' it has! Why not start again with babies planted where you want them, then get rid of 'Mummy' plants?

Acanthus have very long tap roots and do not generally take to being moved once established although small seedlings move OK (I use this method to pot up some for plant sales). Also, like dandlions, the smallest piece of root regenerates so you will probably not get rid of it in one go (I spent all summer painting systemic weedkiller on emerging leaves of removed plants). Given the method of propogation is by root cuttings, you could try digging one up, taking a few pieces of root as insurance and replanting the rest. Good luck

Hi, it is certainly Albizia julibrissin or Silk tree, it flowers during the summer time. With pruning, the crown can have beautiful umbrella form. It is very nice specimen deciduous tree.

I have one in my garden (Devon) and it is growing well - about 8 ft but no flowers yet - roll on spring!

They also grow in the Southern United States. I remember their incredibly sweet scent as a child.

What the British call Bucks Fizz we call a Mimosa...orange juice and champagne.

I wonder whether they can grow in the UK.

Common names - Mimosa tree or Silk tree