Spritzhenry's Outbox

To me. it looks like a Fatshedera from the photo. It probably has been kept too dry and hot,and has red spider mite.You can wipe the leaves clean, then it needs spraying with a systemic insecticide. After you've got rid of the mites you should mist the leaves to increase humidity. Water it sparingly in the winter and keep it in a coolish temp. Good luck!

My RHS book says ' Divide in spring' - so you should maybe wait until then to split it. It also says to feed it monthly.with a balanced liquid fertiliser. Hope this helps.

You could buy a can of Animal Repellent from B&Q, it worked on rabbits eating my Alyssum plants, also stopped our Labrador chomping on large stones from the stream!!! I don't know if it would repel foxes, but worth a try - spray it round the edge of the area where they are worst. Good luck.

I visited these famous gardens many years ago, and had the chance to go again this week. I had forgotten how beautiful they are! They are working on a new area of raised beds at present. Even at this time of year there are plenty of plants in flower, including many different Asters, Autumn crocuses, Verbenas, Rudbeckias and lovely grasses. There is a well-run Nursery on site - very tempting - and helpful staff who know their plants!

No, it was in a smallish pot with a plant label - no name though. Next time I go over to the G.C. concerned, I intend to complain! I am very disappointed. It was not cheap!

Love the curves! your hard work really has paid off...:-)

Sounds like you have an eye for bargains - how many acers have you got now? I wish I had space for a multi-colour one like Joey's.

My Bay tree is in a pot, it sometimes loses a few leaves but otherwise stays green all the year. Has it got too dry? Mine does get watered but only in dry weather, and given an occasional feed. They are pretty hardy, we had one in Kent which grew into a real tree about 20 feet tall! (That's why this one is in a pot!)

There's a plant advertised quite often in magazines, a type of coleus I think, that cats are supposed to hate. May be worth trying? There's also an animal repellent spray you can buy, it did stop a rabbit from eating my Alyssum plants! It might stop cats coming in too if it smells so horrible to animals. (As a last resort, get a dog - lol - our dog chases them out if he's around!)

It looks like one - you are right, there are lots of colour variations. However, they are all tender and usually treated as annuals. Some people plant them outside for the summer as bedding plants. I've grown them from seed, they germinate easily, and make good pot plants. Apparently you can take cuttings, but i've never tried.

I looked into the RHS 2 qualification, as I want to do a course during the winter months. The syllabus is available via the RHS website - so you can check it out, maple. You can do it via correspondence. I was put off by the content being so theoretical, like a GSCE in Biology! However, another helpful member gave me the website of a Horticultural College who will tailor-make correspondence courses to suit my interests and needs. I've even been able to buy sample lessons! So I intend to 'buy' 12 lessons on varying topics all focussed on flower gardening.(There are also veg and fruit lessons if you want them.included) I'll post details if anyone wants more info.

It might be 'Rose of Jericho', latin name 'Selaginella lepidophylla'. The description of a plant I've just come across sounds like yours.

I have just come across the description of a 'plant' which sounds remarkably like your 'Hand of Marion'. It's called 'Resurrection plant' or 'Rose of Jericho' and its latin name is 'Selaginella lepidophylla'. It's described as being like a dried up ball of moss / fronds which uncurl and turn green when placed in water, taking a few hours to do so. Hope this is the answer to your question!

That is so scary - a big dog being affected by a small amphibian. We don't get toads in our stream, but the dog drinks from any old water while we are out walking, puddles, ponds and other streams! No way to stop him, either, short of keeping him on his lead - but that's cruel. :-( Is your dog OK now? How did you know it was the toad made him ill?

My outside ones all had to be burnt due to blight, but I've still got two plants in the greenhouse! - tomatoes not really ripening now - so I'll be picking them all tomorrow to ripen indoors. Blight seems to have hit all over the country this year.

I've grown some from corms this year. Should I cut the stems down now they've finished flowering? Or leave them to look tatty?

Thanks Andrew - I knew you'd come up with more ideas! I've ruled out a Cotinus as I have 2 elsewhere already. I looked at Phormiums today, not sure about them due to potential size. I have bought some purple crocus and pack of yellow as well. I also planted Iris reticulata today - and marked where I'd put them! I've planted the Solanum and a beautiful purple Aster plus a Lavandula stoechas. My friend gave me some purple Iris to put in. You are absolutely right about the list of wants overtaking the available space! GOT to leave space for delphiniums!

Sorry to confess that at the moment my exchange posts are excess packets of seeds from seed companies! Maybe I should also try collecting from the garden...You are right about collecting and drying them in a paper bag, NOT plastic!

(Pity Peter can't spell - lol) - it's called 'Oxalis triangularis subs.papilionacea 'Atropurpurea' because it had a name change for some reason...used to be called Oxalis regnellii 'Atropurpurea'. I am looking out for one because I think it's beautiful!

We have a Cornus, it was very overgrown when we came. Our tree surgeon dealt with it in the early spring this year and cut it really hard back. It has regrown to about 6 feet since. We won't be cutting it back next year, but probably every other year as Andrew says. Good advice from Wyeboy too - leave it alone for at least 2 years!