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Flowers in the greenhouse.

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I could NOT believe my eyes this afternoon – we’ve had blizzards here. It’s white outside, so I started thinking about something far more cheering.

I’m going to tell you about what plants I grew in the greenhouse last year, and kept there for various reasons.

Do you remember these?

I grew Gazanias from seed in 2009, and as they were flowering so well when frosts were forecast, I dug a potful up, and kept them in the greenhouse over the winter. They surprised me with some flowers in late winter, and I kept them under glass all last year. They’re still there now!

These Pelargoniums were also over-wintered in the greenhouse. As an experiment, I thought I would try not cutting them back, and lo and behold, they produced flowers in all but the coldest period. They went out in pots for the summer, but they’re back under glass now – and hopefully, they’ll show their bright faces this winter, too.

These primroses in a basket were a freeby from the Garden Centre – and I had them in the greenhouse, too. There they kept blooming until the spring, without being damaged, until I planted them out in the garden.

This Iris is I. danfordiae. I grew these and I. ‘Katharine Hodgkin’ in pots last winter. That was because the wood pigeons – I call them ‘Jumbo Jets’ -had wrecked the fragile blooms in the previous spring. They didn’t peck them – they sat on them! It didn’t do them any good at all, as you can imagine! Being able to watch the lovely flowers open and stay perfect was a great pleasure.

I also bought ‘George’. Who’s he? He’s just one of a number of named Iris reticulata, but so beautiful that I decided to keep him in safely under glass until he finished flowering – and then plant him out. Can you blame me?

The prettiest plant I grew in the greenhouse was this one – Corydalis solida ‘George Baker’. This grows from a bulb, which I started off in September, and the flowers eventually appeared in March. I know they’re hardy, but they become dormant after they’ve flowered, and vanish under the ground. I do have three more in the flower bed, but it was so lovely to be able to enjoy this one every time I went into the greenhouse.

Do you grow Zantedeschias? I have two tender ones that I’ve kept from year to year – ‘Z. ’Captain Safari’- and I keep one in the greenhouse and the other goes out into a container for the summer. I also bought a new cream one last year, which I kept under glass as well.

Z. ‘Captain Safari’

Cream Zantedeschia

They were lovely during the summer – and so were my ‘Poor Man’s Orchids’. Their latin name is ‘Schizanthus’, and they’re easily grown from seed. They can be grown outdoors as annuals, but I kept pots of them under glass because their flowers are such a pleasure. They flowered well, and for longer, too, as did some Godetia I kept in pots – also grown from seed.

In the autumn, I had some fuchsias in flower that I couldn’t find a home for outdoors, and that was lovely – I enjoyed their beauty on the benches, too.

So here we are, back in the winter. It won’t surprise you to hear that I do have some flowers in the greenhouse at present – I have three bowls of Cyclamen. They prefer a cooler place than in the house, so I keep them in the greenhouse all the year round. I dry the corms off when they’ve finished flowering, and start watering them again in the autumn.

I expect you’re wondering how the plants survive in my greenhouses during the cold weather – well, I have fan heaters on a thermostat in there – and one is kept just above frost-free, while the other, where my collection of Coprosmas is kept with other tender plants, is slightly warmer. The flowers are the icing on the cake!

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Comments

 

so many beautiful plants. i love those callas ~ i shall be looking for that Cream Zantedeschia and i wouldnt mind trying out those very lovely Schizanthus
what a treat to look at these ~ thanks spritz

3 Jan, 2011

 

loved them all Spritz. my greenhouse is a very sad sight everything is dead. the heater packed up, and i couldn't get to have a look with all that white stuff.never mind spring isn't far away.thanks again for showing yours, lovely.

3 Jan, 2011

 

How lovely, that must really give you a lift upon entering your greenhouse, I took your advice and potted up three Osteospernums in September, fingers x, so far all seems to be ok, I know we have a long way to go but one has to be hopeful, like you I have set my heater to come on automatically.....

3 Jan, 2011

 

Now that's unfair to have blizzards after seeing green grass! Sweep a path to the greenhouse and admire the colourful flowers each day. I've loved seeing them, especially George, he's very handsome.

3 Jan, 2011

 

Now I can see the benefit of having a heater in the greenhouse. Gorgeous pics Spritz . . . I love that Godetia, and what a brilliant idea to keep just a few in the greenhouse to enjoy at close quarters. My cold greenhouse was doing well, and my geraniums and Tibouchina were fine - until that sudden temperature drop, and now they're a sad sight. Ah well, maybe my cuttings will have survived, and there's always the cheering thought of Plant Retail Therapy come March. :)

3 Jan, 2011

 

Lovely photos Barbara...I found myself smiling after seeing them all....:o) Like you I've saved some of my Pelargoniums and they are budding up on my kitchen windowsill. Love the Godetia it's one of my favourite annuals for tubs. My greenhouse has been left to the elements this winter, but there are Rudbeckia seedlings still fighting their corner in there and fuchsias under the staging....roll on Spring!

3 Jan, 2011

 

Lovely lovely flowers B! Thanks for cheering us up! Also, I must tell you, I found Ger.Phaum Margaret Wilson on Beth Chatto site at a very reasonable price, so I ordered it! :)) hurray! Took me ages to find it. Obviously I had to buy some other things too as their min. order is £20....sigh...oh well.....;)) btw, I love that godetia!

4 Jan, 2011

 

More snow ? Oh no ! How distressing. I'm so sorry to hear that :o(( I hope it doesn't last too long.

I love Gazanias. I lost mine in the cold weather. You have some lovely flowers. It's nice to have them in the winter like that.
Cyclamen are another you have that I must try. I love them - leaves and all. I think they'd grow in my conservatory. It has a radiator. (but they'd have to share it with my cacti. I don't think they'd mind though....)

Thank you for showing your flowers. They're very uplifting :o))

4 Jan, 2011

 

I think you have special powers! Lol. You always have lovely colourful blooms when our gardens are drab and pale (well at least mine is! Lol)

Come on admit it you're the queen of nature, aren't you?

4 Jan, 2011

 

I brought my pelargoniums into the conservatory and they have flowered non stop. I havent heated the greenhouse this year.

I remember the pigeon incident :o) but they are beautiful flowers and deserve to be cossetted.

I woke up to snow this morning:o(

4 Jan, 2011

 

Thanks, all - I'm pleased to read your lovely comments. Of course we've all lost plants in the last bitter spell - but you have to try to look at it positively if you can - there's not a lot anyone can do about it!

Sorry to hear about your heater, Tulsalady. :-(

Yesterday's snow went - but we've had a little more this morning. The sky's looking a bit ominous, too!

Hywel - yes, I'm sure Cyclamen would like that. Once you've got them, they're not difficult to keep.

4 Jan, 2011

 

Lovely, cheering blooms here, Spritz. Many thanks for this! Am looking forward to seeing our "George" and "Pixie" irises, again, and may get some other varieties this year. Hope the snow hasn't settled in deep - again!

4 Jan, 2011

 

Happy New Year Barbara! I have enjoyed seeing all your lovely flowers the Shizanthus bought back lovely memories, they were one of the first flowers I grew from seed so very pretty, couldnt believe my eyes. We had just moved to a house with a greenhouse and I was smitten, sadly I havent room for a greenhouse in my present home just a mini one where I have put my Day Lilies I grew from seed last year, just hope they have survived, got upto yet another blanket of snow this morning;0(

4 Jan, 2011

 

No, thank goodness, David - yesterday's went, and today we only have a light sprinkling - so far.

I can see little spikes appearing where I planted my I. reticulata - can you yet?

4 Jan, 2011

 

I do hope the snow doesn't get worse for you Barbara
:o( Enough's enough !
We have drizzle. Miserable but better than snow.

I have been thinking of getting some house plants for myself. I had lots at one time, but the old cottage was too cold for them I think.
I'm going to include cyclamen on my list :o)

I remember my landlady when I was in college used to grow them. She had several, and I remember buying one for her as a Christmas present lol

4 Jan, 2011

 

Hi Pp -Not more of the white stuff! I'm sorry to hear that. You'll have to grow some Schizanthus outside or in pots, if you haven't room in your little greenhouse. They're so pretty! :-) I hope the Day Lilies are OK.

4 Jan, 2011

 

Good morning Hywel - you can imagine how my heart sank in those blizzards yesterday! At least there's only a tiny bit today.

My M-i-L used to grow Cyclamen on the windowsill of her dining room, which was barely heated. They seem to enjoy a cool room. I tried, but our house in Kent was too warm, and they just flopped. The greenhouse seems much more suitable for them. :-)

4 Jan, 2011

 

Looking at all the lovely plants in the pictures cheered up my first morning back at work after Christmas & New Year.

Thanks a lot, and they are very lovely plants. I don't blame you for keeping some under glass, when they look that stunning.

4 Jan, 2011

 

Thanks Barbara . I'm going to try them in the conservatory. It is heated but doesn't get as warm as the other rooms because of all the glass.
My landlady had them in the living room aswell but they had a coal fire and it was cool enough by the window for them. My centrally heated living room will be too warm I think.

4 Jan, 2011

 

Lovely colourful Blog Spritz and arose this morning to the same, but now turning to sleet, lets hope it goes as quick as what it came:o))

4 Jan, 2011

 

After seeing GOY irises in pots last year, I decided to pot up some Iris bulbs myself and keep them in the greenhouse. They aren't showing any signs of pushing up yet.....are any of yours?

4 Jan, 2011

 

I have iris poking their noses through in the pots out side :o)

I have many cyclamen in the house but the general temp is around 17-18 degrees. So I suspect that is cool to many people. I have the C neapolitum in the unheated porch and I found some were fragrant too. So when we walk in the back door we can smell them.

4 Jan, 2011

 

Hi Karen - only one tiny green shoot in the pot in the g'house, which is strange when I can see quite a lot of shoots outside!

Sbg - I'd be c-c-cold at that temperature - I'd be wrapped in bubblewrap. LOL. I'm such a chilly mortal. :-(((

Thanks 6d and Alex -I'm glad you liked my flowers! I'll have to grow something different this year just to see if I can. Unfortunately, I've just spotted a tempting advert in the paper for 5 different Zantedeschias - one is PURPLE! How can I resist that? lol.

4 Jan, 2011

 

Just one word....BEAUTIFUL! Nothing else needed!:-)))

4 Jan, 2011

 

My irises are in little pots, Spritz, and I can't even see the pots, yet. They are just a vague outline underneath frozen snow. :-(( I'm sure that I'll be able to get them out, soon, however. Glad to read that your latest snowfall hasn't been too bad. :-))

4 Jan, 2011

 

What a charming selection each and everyone of them.......oh for a greenhouse, still we have the garden room and the pelargoniums are all flowering and the succulents too. Left the Zantedeschia out....oops there goes another one and the Callas!! cannot do without those!!

4 Jan, 2011

 

I have two Cyclamen with SMALL flowers that have been flowering on my kitchen windowsill for about six weeks. I think it must be the large-flowered ones that wilt in the warmth(?).

Spritz, your Schizanthus are so pretty, I would like to try them from seed, but I promised myself I wouldn't try too many this year as I'm not very skilled at getting seeds to germinate. So I have already bought 8 packets from Chiltern, and 6 more from Special Plants!! Must stop there! :)

4 Jan, 2011

 

My medium sized Cyclamen flowers its head off, it's in the unheated smallest room in the house!

4 Jan, 2011

 

Sheila, did you see the comparison of peat-free mediums in the Garden magazine this month....clearly shows by photos how much more successful peat is as a growing medium than anything else! I've been using peat free whenever I can, but they don't always tell you it has peat in do they?....anyway, what I'm trying to say here is perhaps you would do better with your seeds if you used a peat-based compost, which is considered very non pc these days....or get a better quality substitute! I find I have very variable results. Usually ok, but sometimes a total disaster!

4 Jan, 2011

 

lovely and interesting blog as usal . and the pics are very inspiring ..... carnt wait 4 spring ;0))))

4 Jan, 2011

 

Thanks Karensusan. I'm afraid I've let my RHS membership lapse, so do not see The Garden any more. What a strange thing for them to highlight, seeing as peat use is frowned on! But I'll keep your advice in mind, and look out for a (non pc!) peat-based compost. I tried multipurpose last year, as had so little success with seed compost.

4 Jan, 2011

cos
Cos
 

More snow in Somerset? Sounds very bad but we must not forget we are still in the beginning of the winter and snow in January and February is very common even in the London suburbs where I live.
Beautiful flowers. I hope you do not loose many of your lovely plants. Happy new Year.

4 Jan, 2011

 

What a pleasure to see all these beautiful flowers,Spritz..a real tonic on a cold day.I especially like the Schizanthus,and the Zantedeschias are fantastic..A definite buy for this year...thabks for sharing..:o))

4 Jan, 2011

 

How lovely to see your beautiful flowers, it really lifts the spirits. I didn`t realise Schizanthus are so easy to grow, I have a packet of them from our holiday in Canada so I`ll give them a try this year. :o)

4 Jan, 2011

 

Shirley, you're obviously making your Cyclamen very happy!

5 Jan, 2011

 

Indeed, Sheila, it took a while to find the perfect place for it. : o ))

5 Jan, 2011

 

Interesting about Cyclamen, isn't it. They just don't seem to like warmth - you have to get the temp. and light just right.

Schizanthus are very easy to grow - and so pretty when they flower. I'd agree about peat-based compost. I did try some with a coir base, but it was far too coarse for seedlings. I do know that some areas are 'regrowing' peat, so it's sustainable, which makes me feel a little less guilty for using non-pc compost.

Cos - yes, I agree - I bet there's more to come before the winter's over.

Thanks all for your comments. :-))

5 Jan, 2011

 

lovely pictures, particularly like the iris and fuchsia! :-D

6 Jan, 2011

 

Thank you. It is a pleasure to have flowers to look at, any time of the year. :-)

6 Jan, 2011

 

Schizanthus, such a lovely flower Spritz...i'll have to give it a go...The Zantedeschia is beautiful too, though i never seem to have much luck with them.....I was looking through the Beth Chatto site as Karensusan mentioned it....I was getting a bit carried away until i came to the checkout...£18.90 postage to N Ireland....that brought me back to earth with a BANG!!!!

15 Feb, 2011

 

Oooh - unless you could find someone else to place a joint order and share the postage, that's way too high, Motinot! :-(

16 Feb, 2011

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