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"Chip Shop Plants"

david

By david

20 comments


This blog is dedicated to my favourite houseplant (and now outdoor summer foliage plant for shade or shine), the humble Coleus. Over 40 years ago, this was the very first plant I grew from seed at school, under instruction, and was taught how to pinch out and grow more plants from cuttings. My Mum liked the first few, I remember, but she must have been at her wits’ end as every available surface became a space for a Coleus!

“Chocolate Mint” grown by us last year

The title of this blog comes from a personal perceptioin of these, uttered rather derisively by a work colleague recently. It does make me smile for, back in the ‘60s, they were, really, the favoured display plant in fish ’n’ chip shops here. I remember this, for that was when I was amassing my childhood collection. They were “fashion accessories”, if you like, much as Chinese takeaways and restaurants favour “Money Plants” and Bird’s Nest Ferns.

Today, I unexpectedly found myself with a half-day off work and, with 3 hours to “kill”, made a slight detour on the drive home to my favourite park, with its glasshouses filled with “exotics” and tender specimens. Alas, i forgot that it, too, has a half-day on fridays, and so had only 25 mins!. I decided, therefore, to focus my attention on the underplsanting which, in summer, is largely made up of (yes, you guessed) Coleus! Or, as I am now grown-up (I think?), Solenostemon scutellaroides, to give it its “grown-up” name.

Here are some of the beauties I saw in my quick walk round………………..

S. scutellaroides “Peter’s Wonder”

“Mrs Pilkington”

“Winter Sun”

“Bronze Pagoda”

“Picturalis”

“Lemon Chiffon”

“Pink Chaos”

“Roy Pedley”

With the attendant sighing heavily just behind, I realised that I had pushed my luck a bit far, so felt compelled to leave, but not before snapping this one (unknown) by the doorway…..

I just had time, too, to notice that many Coleus and other plants were being set out on table tops with price tags of £1 on them. As the attendant was locking me out, he told me to come back tomorrow, as surplus plants are sold off on last Saturday of every month. Am now trying to schedule a re-visit for tomorrow, as noticed some of the varieties seen (above) among those plants. I wonder how many cuttings I can get from one plant in a 6" pot?

Will my house become nick-named “Dave’s Chippy”???

:-))

Our first outdoor-grown Coleus, from the “Wizard” series, for our “Wizard of Oz” themed garden, June 2007.

PS. 31 July. Made it to the plant sale today (pics in my gallery now). The unknown variety, I now know, is “Saturn”. Spotted another 2 varieties in the undergrowth………………….

“Dazzler”

“Red Angel”

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Comments

 

Over 40 years ago David ?
Grew these in your pram did you ? ;o)
Great blog :o)

30 Jul, 2010

 

They are all beautiful David, especially that Mrs Pilkington beautiful. As for your house name, sing along, well there s a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis, well he's a liar and I m not sure of your house name lol.

30 Jul, 2010

 

My Goodness, Tt! - you're so quick!!!

Ah...my pram, it was the height of fashion!!! Silvercross with deluxe chassis, upholstery and embrodery. My Dad spent hours lovingly whitening and keeping the pressure in the pneumatic tyres (well, he didn't have a car, then, lol!). Would be unthinkable, even with my keenness for re-use/recycling, to ever turn one of those prams into a planter. :-))! But threw myself, and my toys, out of it in 1962! Grew my first Coleus in 1968.

Glad you enjoyed this! Hope you are all keeping fit, and getting a lot of pleasure in the garden! :-)) XXX

LOL, 6d!!!!!! I'll be singing this all night now!!!!!!!!! Grr....... (just kiddin'!)

30 Jul, 2010

 

Lol David sorry hehe

30 Jul, 2010

amy
Amy
 

A great selection there David , I hope you make it back tomorrow for some of the bargain plants , you could have been locked in and first on the doorstep in the morning ... :o)

30 Jul, 2010

 

brilliant blog David,i too like Mrs Pilkinton and (unknown ) i am sure you will be buying a few tomorrow, you can post some pics for us if you do :o))

30 Jul, 2010

 

Great blog I'm not a great fan of Coleus as I don't plant out annuals - just my baskets - but can see it's merits for underplanting and there are so many lovely colours, the bronze leaved ones are really nice. Loved the observation on plants in eating establishments....... they do though don't they!! Hope you manage to get there for your bargains tomorrow :o)

30 Jul, 2010

 

Nice blog David, You certainly get a lovely selection of colours from a packet of seed don't you. Hope you get the ones you want tomorrow.

30 Jul, 2010

 

I love these plants David. Being "new" to flowery things I don't think I've seen them before but I know I'm going to see them again! lol

30 Jul, 2010

 

No wonder 'Peter' is wondering!!! That's stunning. I remember growing one of these (not unlike Picturalis)on an office windowsill - until it grew so large it was blocking out all the light, lol. I was politely asked to take it home.

31 Jul, 2010

 

I'm not a fan of Coleus but have to say some of these are attractive. Perhaps the chipshop confused coleus with coley-fish !

31 Jul, 2010

 

I grew these ( probably Mrs Pilkington) last year for the first time David, for underplanting in my Tropical Borders, and same again this year, they make just the right impact amongst all the green of the other plants..(mmm lovely :) i must admit i haven't thought of cuttings! Puh, Thanks for reminding me, and a great blog, I love the *Unknown* by the doorway...

31 Jul, 2010

 

Enjoyed your blog David,.. ive not grown these before... but hav ehad them as indoor houseplants over the years....

31 Jul, 2010

 

Many Thanks, all!

I did get to the plant sale this afternoon (was first in as arrived before it opened, lol!). Got one each of 5 varieties; "Roy Pedley", "Red Velvet", "Bronze Pagoda", "Pineapplette" and "Saturn". Turns out that "Saturn" is the name of the "unknown" one pictured above. Have posted pics of them in my gallery, and updated this blog, as found another 2 varieties today lurking in the undergrowth. :-))

Coley fish, Shirley - very good, lol! :-))

Dee, you will have to take cuttings to overwinter. Great idea for underplanting in a jungly planting scheme! :-))

31 Jul, 2010

 

I have never seen a Lemon Chiffon before. I want one. Well, I guess you know what I'm doing today. Thanks for the inspiration :0)

31 Jul, 2010

 

You are welcome, Southerngal! Happy Hunting!! :-))

31 Jul, 2010

 

Lovely blog David. I'm taking a 'leaf' out of your book and I'll be taking cuttings of mine for underplanting next year. Like you I remember them as 'chip shop plants' but having been given some earlier this year for the garden I decided that I like a red one with green edges ........... and seeing as I won't be buying any then propogation is the only thing to do. Thank you for the inspiration.

2 Aug, 2010

 

You are so right about the money plants!! I loved all of those David, they are so colourful! I've never taken any notice at all of these Coleus plants before, although I think I have one in a pot outside with begonia and dahlia etc. They are lovely, I shall look more carefully at them in future! Hard to choose a favourite from them, but Saturn is spectacular!

5 Aug, 2010

 

You're welcome, Silverbelle. There is a "red withgreen edges" one available to buy as seeds in the "Wizard" series, named "Scarlet", but not sure just how red this might be. Good Luck with the cuttings. :-))

5 Aug, 2010

 

lol had 4 gotten i had these all over the garden last year haha ,tried to save sum ,but no luck gud blog , lol seem to remember them in shops here to lol.

6 Aug, 2010

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