Welcome to the may issue of our newsletter in which we feature two forms of h. 'Montana' family to see how it's characteristics have developed.
We also feature images from our themed stand at Harrogate Spring Show and hope you find them as amusing as our customers did, even those who were not familiar with Monty Python...
| Forms
of h. 'Montana' As mentioned last month, h. 'Montana' is an especially prolific branch of the hosta genus with many varied forms growing wild in central and northern Japan. Two forms, h. 'Montana Aureomarginata' and h. 'Montana Macrophylla', illustrate specific characteristics from h. 'Montana' very nicely:
Perhaps the most familar of these offspring is h. 'Niagara Falls', which has a wonderfully graceful habit and dark green leaves. H. 'War Paint' is the variegated but viridescent sport of h. 'Niagara Falls'. Given plenty of shade this cultivar will retain its variegation well into the season and is a little larger in stature than it's parent. Once the variegation fades it looks as lovely as the parent - the best of two plants in one!
This is the latest spring we have known for a few years but at long last the collection plants are breaking into leaf. The late spring has given us quite a few challenges, not least of all in our preparations for Chelsea. We are now on Plan B in the hope that Plan C won't be required, but you can never tell with mother nature. As we prepare for Malvern the weather is turning cooler again after some lovely, and long overdue, warmth. Our blackbird is again nesting in one of the tunnels and our time-share cat is permanently guarding his kitty kibbles from the cheeky bird. She is particularly keen on 'Go Cat' and hops around our feet as we prepare for shows, trying to put us off the scent of where she has decided to nest this year. |
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| Don't
Panic! Our garden grown hostas are only now showing themselves above the soil due to the prolonged cold spring. If you check just below the surface you should find buds ready to break out very soon, if they haven't already... |
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Show
updates
We will be supporting Plant Heritage displays at Gardener's
World and Tatton Park shows. More information is on our calendar.
Harrogate Spring Flower Show
The following images are from our stand at Harrogate - click on them to
enlarge:
Camelot
(ham, jam and spam!)
The Journey
(coconut transport)
Eaten Minstrels
(and there was much rejoicing)
You have been warned
That rabbit's dynamite
...but we have a secret weapon
(complete with full instructions)
| Next month: | We reflect on our first Chelsea for over a decade. |