Conservatory

When the days are wet or the weather turns a little chilly, I like nothing more than pottering in my conservatory.

We have had a conservatory for around 30 years now, the present one for about 12. I really wouldn’t like to be without one now. We face east so we don’t get the full afternoon sun, which I understand from neighbours across the road is a boon.

I have always wanted to be able to fill this room with lots of plants, but also be able to sit comfortably. All the furniture apart from 2 wicker dining chairs is second hand, stuff that friends, neighbours, family and even complete strangers have been giving away. I like the challenge of making something usable from someones cast offs.

As for plants, well I’ve tried everything. Had many many failures and some success.

The stalwarts for me are my Pelargoniums, they love the sun and tolerate the heat really well. I tend to bunch them all together in the winter and they seem to fair ok.

I also wanted to include climbers, so have 3 passion flowers, Pura vida and Constance Elliot both flower for me, I have the common blue but it never flowers I think it is too vigorous to be kept in a pot. This is going outside next year as I now have 6 plants growing from seed sown this year of Maurandya ‘Magic dragon’, Plant World triumphs again. This is climbing in all of the corners.

Five plants have flowered the other is showing fat buds.

 

Other plants in here include Stephanotis, Plumbago, Begonia sutherlandii, Solanium conchifolium, Plectranthus fruticosus and Streptocarpus glandulosissimus. One more plant from plant world seed, that may flower one day if I can get it to overwinter is a Gloriosa Rothschildiana. Along with several succulents, the conservatory has something in flower all summer long. 

Granddaughters making animals from corks and cocktail sticks last summer.

So you see it’s a very well used room……and a joy to find time to sit in….occasionally.

 

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New Season, a Fishy Tale and a Favour.

After ordering more seeds than I can ever use, they arrived last week.

These along side some veg seeds for the allotment, came within 4 days of ordering. Among them are some goodies to try to grow for the conservatory. In the past I have successfully grown Bomarea Hirtella which I think now needs a permanent home outside as I don’t think I can put it in a bigger pot. I have a sheltered spot for it, so that’s another task.

The climbers I have chosen this year are Dicentra Scandens, a yellow climber with ferny foliage that will scramble to about 2 metres. This should over winter as a tuber.

Elytropus Chilensis is one I have never heard of but I am always up for a challenge. This is a woody evergreen climber with purple throated flowers and a delicate perfume.

I’ve always loved the Maurandya plants that I often see when looking in the orangeries in stately homes. So seeing M  ‘Magic Dragon’ which is a hybrid grown by Plant World Seeds , I thought this was the one for me to try. Fast growing and coming in colours ranging from pink to red. I think these will fit nicely into my conservatory colour scheme.

Gloriosa Rothschildiana is another climber that I admire in orangeries, and this I am determined to get to flower. It looks so stunning and is probably one I would have to work into a textile piece.

Still with seeds, Malcolm sowed his tomato seeds last week.

They were up in 5 days….

Just a little taster of a rose to come. Rosa Banksii Lutea already showing buds. Please Please no frost ……

And now a Fishy Tale.

For a couple of years now I have been following Mobana Origami . I have been fascinated by paper folding for a few years now and found his work to be quite addictive. At present he is working on folding a life size elephant, if you want to see his progress then you can follow the link.

Sipho Mobana also folds the most realistic Koi Carp. So this I had to try. Following his tutorial I came up with these.

And I don’t think they look too bad. I used origami papers for the 3 to the right and the left one is magazine paper….I really enjoyed making them and to finish here is a photo of my fish in the pond.

A big favour to ask….Does anyone know whether I should put this in the ground….!!!!  Eomecon Chionantha…commonly called Snow Poppy..I have had it in a pot for a couple of years and I believe it is rampant….Please will someone help me out of my dilemma, or in goes in the bin. Thanks…