Desfontainea spinosa - 2012

This is a nice bush when in flower, Yours seems to be still young , Andrew?

How strange....it looks like a holly bush. I thought in flowered in the summer.

It has a holly-like leaves and flowers in October Linda.
I believe that the leaves are narcotic and used in medicines.... in Chile.We sometimes call it Chilian holly. but the flowers are different from the ones of Ilex. Much prettier.

Klahanie - yes, it's only two years old

Linda - this one can flower at any time from mid summer to late autumn, but it can be a bit fussy so I'm keeping my fingers crossed I've got it planted in a pace it likes

Love these I lost mine 2 years ago in the bad winter, i've just planted another so hoping for a kinder winter.

PH - I have seen these growing in the wild - they tend to grow in damp but sheltered woodland which gives a clue to the conditions they prefer

I love this photo... and would love to try the plant. But I am still trying to get my head round "what grows where" in a garden (all that acid-alkaline-neutral-someplantsdon'tcare, stuff!) though I seem to have spent a lifetime's trying. Some of my plants have flourished despite the books (perhaps they're illiterate?) and others get feek and weeble even though on paper they are where 'they ought to like to be' ! I guess that's one of gardening's toughest lessons!

Would this particular one (have a chance to) grow where camellias and rhododendrons flourish (my patch)? I have among other areas, "damp but sheltered woodland" but some of it's REAL woodland so probably not suitable (unless round the edges?)

I am trying to ressucitate a garden but not slavishly follow my predecessor ...

Monjardinira - as I said above, this one can be tricky. To quote from one of my garden books by an eminent plant hunter:
"The key to success with desfontainea spinosa is seemingly providing bright shade in draining yet evenly moist, slightly acidic soils, which sounds eerily similar to the conditions under which I have killed this species numerous times"
And just remember - plants can't read

They must look fantastic in the wild A, mine was/is near a north wall on the edge of the wood, it was just the severe winter that did for it along with many other evergreens :-(