PERFECT PELARGONIUMS

Monday, 13 June 2011

Pelargonium "Paul Crampel" famous old variety.

Zonal Pelargonium "Paul Campel"

Tell someone you have a "Red Geranium", and almost always that person will know you mean "Paul Crampel". Even though they may not know the name, it will be referred to as the "one grown outside Buckingham Palace every year".

It is actually a hard to beat pelargonium (I really don't like using the name "Geranium" when referring to Pelargoniums). "Paul Crampel" is a large and vigorous basic zonal pelargonium with huge umbels of bright scarlet single flowers. It was introduced in France by Victor Lemoine in 1892/3.

I have just been given a plant of "Paul Crampel", and it has not yet flowered. My photo. was taken at Fibrex Nursery, Nr. Stratford upon Avon, home of the National Collection of Pelargoniums.

For several years I have had growing in the conservatory a succulent which hangs down from a pot on a high shelf. It is Sedum morganianum, or commonly called Burro's tail, or Donkey's tail (much to the amusement of my grandchildren). It gets a bit scrappy from time to time and last year I re-potted it, or rather I broke good bits off and re-potted those. It re-roots very easily, and in fact the 'leaves' that fall off will root, but take a while. This week I noticed that one of the 'tails' had flowers. In all the years |I have had this plant, this is only the second time I have seen flowers. Small, but oddly quite beautiful.

Wednesday, 8 June 2011

Wordless Wednesday - 08.06.11 "Derek Lee" Coloured leaf Miniature Stellar Pelargonium

"Derek Lee" coloured leaf Miniature Stellar Pelargonium

Tuesday, 7 June 2011

Unique Phyllis - and a visit to a wonderful nursery.

Unique Pelargonium "Phyllis"

One of the most attractive pelargoniums, I think, is "Phyllis", an Unique pelargonium. She certainly is unique because I don't think there is another variegated Unique pelargonium, although I stand to be corrected on this - I just haven't come across another one. "Phyllis" is a sport of the old variety, "Paton's Unique", and introduced by Hopley Nursery. The stuning bright pink flowers with white 'eye' and feathering on the upper petals look fabulous against the green leaves edged in cream.

Leaves of the Unique Pelargonium "Phyllis"

"Phyllis" is quite difficult to propogate, so I was amazed to see these two standards at Gosbrook Pelargoniums Nursery when I visited on one their last Bank Holiday Open Days.

"Phyllis" Unique Pelargonium grown as standards

Gosbrook Pelargoniums is a family run pelargonium nursery selling plants by Mail Order only based at Shrivenham, Oxfordhsire, but fairly close to Swindon.

Some views of the nursery:-

Sunday, 5 June 2011

Regal Pelargonium "Georgia Peach" lives up to her name

Regal Pelargonium "Georgia Peach"

Popular the world over, Regal Pelargonium "Georgia Peach" is a real 'peach' of a Regal Pelargonium. The flowers have a slightly frilled edge and are the most gorgeous shade of peach with a paler throat. Introduced by William Schmidt of California in 1968. A good show plant, but apparently not easy.

Brian and I had a couple of days away in Bournemouth again last week. The reason for our second visit was because I wanted to visit Knoll Gardens and Nursery, just outside of Bournemouth. Our previous visit had been at a weekend, and Knoll Gardens and nursery is not open at weekends. We visited on Tuesday morning before the drive home. I have to admit that I was a tad disappointed in the gardens, and both gardens and nursery were much smaller than I imagined. The garden had a slightly unkempt look about it, particularly the pond area, but as we visited in Chelsea week and Knoll Gardens had just been awarded their tenth Gold Medal, the gardens were probably not a priority.