Any sweet surprises this year?

[alp]

This year, I have found out that Salvias are a joy to raise from seeds, to take cuttings and they also resurrected themselves from near dying state.

Water and heat can make your bamboos jump 3 feet over a few months.

Jiffy pellets are ideal for cuttings as most of my camellia cuttings have died in pots whilst those in jiffy pellets still have green leaves.

What are your sweet surprises please?

 

[JBtheExplorer]

What are your sweet surprises please?

Found a Tulip Tree sapling growing in the yard, so I dug it up and have it growing in a pot until I decide where I want it. It's a host plant for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail caterpillars, so I'm happy to have it. Neighbor has one, which is how this one ended up in my yard. It was a nice surprise.

 

[alp]

How you people's sweet surprises are more exciting than mine! Good neighbour you have! I have never seen a tulip tree in real. Would love to have seen that. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are gorgeous. Would love to have them both!

 

[alp]

Is this weed, @JBtheExplorer ? Or is it Butterfly weed please? I nearly pulled it out as a weed!

Thank you in advance!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

4 summers ago we took out 8, 120 foot trees on our property. in the process I knew my fragrant hosta had to be moved, which relocated perfect and doing well. two days ago, discovered a little baby coming up in its original spot. Lucky me, will pot it up soon. the smell on this one is like a gardenia. nice to have another one for place unknown. my other surprise is that, I have a lot of thinning and some relocation to do, as my jungle did too well.

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Is this weed, @JBtheExplorer ? Or is it Butterfly weed please? I nearly pulled it out as a weed!View attachment 38372 View attachment 38373 View attachment 38374

Thank you in advance!

It's butterflyweed, though as you're in the UK, I imagine that also makes it a weed.

 

[MaryMary]

It's butterflyweed, though as you're in the UK, I imagine that also makes it a weed.

She won't get Monarchs, but it is a pretty orange flower!!

 

[Zenj]

Monarchs are seen in the south of England fingers crossed alp hence ,Monarchs This species is a rare migrant to the British Isles. Although there are records from many areas, sightings are concentrated in the south and west of both England and Ireland. There is a particular concentration in Cornwall and the Scilly Isles.

 

[alp]

It's butterflyweed, though as you're in the UK, I imagine that also makes it a weed.

Thank you very much. I bought the seeds and the germinated like weeds and there were about 9 of them dotted around and this is the only one alive! So pleased. Now, that's a sweet surprise. I nearly pulled it out, thinking it was a weed.

 

[alp]

4 summers ago we took out 8, 120 foot trees on our property. in the process I knew my fragrant hosta had to be moved, which relocated perfect and doing well. two days ago, discovered a little baby coming up in its original spot. Lucky me, will pot it up soon. the smell on this one is like a gardenia. nice to have another one for place unknown. my other surprise is that, I have a lot of thinning and some relocation to do, as my jungle did too well.

Esther: Please upload a photo of this fragrant hosta please! Any stock pic will do. I will hunt for it. I am a sucker for fragrance!

 

[alp]

This morning, I saw a mother blue tits feeding a small one on my dead peach tree branch. This is the 2nd time I have seen this. I was so thrilled as the bird-feeders have attracted so many more tits and now they more or less ignored me and continue feeding. So lovely to see mum tits feeding titlet! But by the time I took the camcorder out, they disappeared.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

will get you a shot @alp this weekend. probably have a shot on my other computer in the download area.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

its the one in the foreground. green and white. wonderful scent. also a late bloomer , that could help you find it also. @alp

 

[alp]

It's lovely. Saw quite a few in gardening programmes. Some of them have lovely leaves. Apparently, an old presenter says you have to plant with gravels. My SS problem has receded a bit. Thank you, Esther!

 

[Esther Knapicius]

says you have to plant with gravels.

Never heard of that? None of mine are. been coming up strong these past 20 plus years.