I'm Not planting another Protea

How disappointing for you. I'm struggling to get a protea through the coldest winter in the UK for 18 years I only planted it last spring. But a three year old banksia looks fine

Hi Andrew,

I have quite a few proteas growing and a number survived well but it looks as if some varieties are quite weak. I'll replace the dead ones with "Aussie Proteas" ie. Banksias. The really hardy ones are the hybrid ones like "Pink Ice". These are flowering now. I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow. BTW you should try growing "Pink Ice" I'm sure its available over there.

Hi Jeremy - yes, we have one nursery in Cornwall (southwest UK) selling 'Pink Ice'. They reckon it will take -5C and they are usually pretty realistic with their predictions. I have had -8C in the garden this winter.
I planted leucadendron 'Safari Sunset' last year and it has been wrapped in horticultural fleece since October and looks OK so far (I've just been outside to check). This should take -7C so it's just scraped through I think.
My banksia is B.marginata, grown without protection against a sunny wall although I did mulch the soil with straw last autumn. It should take -10C and doesn't appear to have suffered any damage at all this winter

Re: leucadendron 'Safari Sunset'

Yeah! got heaps of these. They line the drive way.

Pink Ices are tough. Main thing is that the like really well drained soil and full sun. Proteas need at least 6 hours of sun light, per day, to flower.

-7 degrees C ? Boy that's cold. Gets that cold in Alice Springs on some winter mornings.

B.Marginata. They are tough and when they mature they get all twisted and have real character.

Re drainage - I dug in two bags of grit before planting the 'Safari Sunset' so it has drainage, same with the banksia. Can't guarantee six hours of sunshine on ANY day in the UK though :-(