Friday 29 October 2010

Oxford botanic gardens

I spend many a happy hour in the glasshouses at Oxfords botanic gardens. I think that it's the combination of the heat, humidity and smells. Also helps to have some real exotics to drool over! So I figured that it would be good to share some of them. No way that I'll cover it in one post though, so I'll drip feed them to you over the course of several.
There can only be one way to start; Strongylodon Macrobotrys! Nothing could have prepared me for that day in May when I walked in and came across this! If you don't do it usually, open these pics up in a new tab!

Native to the Phillipines, such beauty is way beyond my reach in my own garden! So until such times as I win the lottery I shall be making my way to the gardens every May!

Thunbergia Myrosorensis (Clock Vine) is considered too invasive by some gardeners in places such as California - to me it would be an absolute treasure!


My last favourite for the moment is Columnea Schiedeana. This one is a native of South America, but from my research it may be a viable proposition to grow here in the UK at home on the understanding that it'll have to come indoors over the winter.


As usual though, I'm struggling to source a plant or seeds here in the UK, so if anyone has any ideas I would be grateful!!!!

Part two can be found here

2 comments:

  1. Hey Keith, I think Columnea Schiedeana is a beauty! Love the look of its flowers :-D

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  2. There are some fantastic Columnea! Check out a quick search that I did on Flickr............

    http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=columnea#page=0

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