The summer has ended, the clocks have changed and we are now in the season of dark evenings.
Posted on | October 27, 2009 | 6 Comments
The Exotic Garden in late October
The summer has ended, the clocks have changed and we are now in the season of dark evenings. Luckily, the weather here in Norfolk refuses to let go and we are still having comparatively warm days and nights, hence most of the exotics are still growing well despite the diminishing day length.
The last open day of the season at The Exotic Garden has also passed and the thoughts of brining in all the tender perennials is looming, though not as yet with such pleasantly mild weather. This afternoon I have been taking some pictures of the garden, to remind myself how the garden still looks fabulous as we approach November. It is good to know that we are only eight weeks from the winter solstice the shortest day of the year on December 21st. Although it will then be the depths of winter, from that moment on, the days will lengthen – in fact I feel the spring has almost started from that point despite whatever winter dares to throw at us.
Since my last drought ridden post we have had a few spells of welcome rain, bringing colour back into our lawns and unfurling desiccated leaves as they change into their dramatic autumnal colours.
At the beginning of the season I mentioned a new addition to the garden, a shrubby-tree I bought form Crug Farm in Wales with name Schefflera macrophylla. When thinking of Shefflera’s most gardeners would probably think of the house plant Schefflera arboricola more commonly known as the ‘Umbrella Plant’ catching dust in the corner of a living room. Luckily for us there are now several hardy species that have been introduced in recent years, such as S. taiwaniana and S. delavayi which are also very attractive and tough to boot. Visitors to the garden always ask me what is my favourite plant in the garden, a question I usually distain from answering, or, I say the plant in front of me – but now, I have to say Schefflera macrophylla is my plant of the year and I haven’t had one of those for a long time. This fabulous beast is certainly the rival of Tetrapanax papiferus the Rice Paper Plant.
Originally identified as S. Petelotii, it is a spectacular species which Bleddyn and Sue Wynn-Jones discovered in the Fan Xi Pan area of northern Vietnam, where this most architectural of the species can reach 7 meters tall (23ft) with large paddle-shaped leaflets combining to form one meter wide leaves on slender purple petioles (leaf stems). On emerging, the entire new growth is smothered in a ginger indumentum a sort of velvety fluff that is easily rubbed off so it is best not to touch as you will leave fingerprints on the stems. This is an exceptional plant that I’m sure will be more commonly seen in our gardens in the years to come.
As I write, my new kitten who is fast becoming a cat, is sitting on the back of my shoulders with his feet on the top of my head so he can see the computer screen. When I walk around the garden with my other four cats, he is invariably sitting on my left shoulder – I think he must have been a parrot in a past life!
Without further ado, here is a selection of pictures from the garden in very late October.
Schefflera macrophylla serounded by other exotics
Dweezal
Yucca Gloriosa variegata with large leaves of Alocasia below
Yucca Gloriosa variegata -flower detail
Iresine herbstii ( Brilliantissima )
Kalanchoe luciae
Iris foetidissima
liriope muscari
View from my front door
Bromeliads and October flowering Paperwhite Narcissus
Comments
6 Responses to “The summer has ended, the clocks have changed and we are now in the season of dark evenings.”
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October 27th, 2009 @ 8:55 pm
I am so fond of tropical plants.
October 28th, 2009 @ 12:17 am
Hi Will,
Some great close-up shots there! We’ve had a superb extended summer, and well-deserved, I say.
I didn’t catch Dweezals name before – he is such a cute kitten.
Seeing your Schefflera macrophylla makes me want to try one again. It was an expensive mistake, but their need for constant moisture cannot be underestimated.
Best wishes for the autumn upheaval, when it finally does happen.
Regards,
Rob
October 28th, 2009 @ 8:26 pm
Fabulous photos and brilliant blog as always.
Glad the temperatures are being as kind to you as they are here on the South Coast – this week has seen 19c day and 12c at night.
Good news for yr delicate plants before they move to their winter resting home.
October 30th, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
Hi Nell – Tropicals are great, do you grow any yourself?
Rob old chap – Yes the summer has been really good here on the east coast of England. Yesterday my shade thermometer registered 21C (70F) which is greate seeing as we had about a centimetre of snow this time last year!
Sqeezal Dweezal is a lovely cat and he loves getting into everything. He defiantly thinks he is a parrot though, as he loves to see everything from shoulder height.
I absolutely adore my Schefflera macrophylla – several people I have met have lost theirs – ouch! I agree about moisture – I think Paul lost his this way. It is going to be permanently planted on the right side of the steps leading up to my house. There is a rather tatty Cordiline Australis there at the moment, so its days are numbered! It does have nice fruit though and is one of the pictures posted here.
Next week I will begin the big pulling in of the more tender perennials; it’s just been so warm here I haven’t wanted to start.
Debbie – yes the weather has been fab, I’m not sure what the plants think of it though – so much stuff is still in glorious bloom! If only we could guarantee that temperatures never went below 0C we could just about grow anything. Well – may that will be so in the not too distant future…
December 9th, 2009 @ 7:22 am
Your pictures are amazing. I have a serious case of zone envy. I had to laugh about the umbrella plant bit “catching dust in the corner of the living room” because that is indeed the case at my house.
Cheers from Alaska,
Christine B.
December 9th, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
Hi Christine
Thanks for your comment – I don’t grow any houseplants now as I only grow them in the garden. Gosh – Alaska – you must be really cold now– what temperature are you at the moment? We were a balmy 10C (50F) today, though I think it might go down to freezing by the end of the week….
Regards – Will