Winter interest

Well done on the photography.
Lots of lovely pictures :o)

There could be a prize for the person who can name the plants in the 27 photos.

27 T&T I can't name 1, hahaha. Ohhh Treefern, there you go 0ne :))) Do you not protect them in winter? im worried sick about mine Fleeced in the Greenhouse..

They have a bit of fleece and some straw stuffed in the crowns. They have surrvived the last two winters like this. But obviously I have my fingers crossed for this year.

just had a nightmere, was nearly finished naming them for you and pressed wrong button and deleted!...i'll start again....

Well, number 3 is Uncinia rubra. I wondered if no. 2 was an Artemisia of some kind? I'll come back and take another look at some more.

5 & 7 are both Euonymus species - possibly Emerald n' Gold and Silver Queen.

heres what i think...

3) Uncinia rubra - 100% sure on this bought one of these myself this year - lovely plant.

5, 7, 14 and possibly 20) all types of Euonymus - not sure on 20.

6 & 16) Box - Buxus semprevinums - just cliped into different shapes.

8) Laurel - judging by the size and shape of the leaves would say 'Cherry Laurel' - don't hold me to that though! lol

10) is a Yucca

11) Osmanthus

12) Winter Jasmine

18) i think is a Cordyline, possibly 'Red Star' - there are only a few which are fully hardy in the UK, 'Red Star' is one of the most common - but to be honest this is a bit darker in colour, could just be the lighting not sure. - there is also the possiblity this is a Yucca, as it is so big, never seen an out door one this colour though.

15) looks a bit like a Yew, but not sure on that.

17) Hebe

13) Cordyline - and a really lovely variety too, sorry don't know it's name - but might not be fully hardy.

19) Phormium cookianum- proberly 'Pink Panther' about 80% sure the variety is 'Pink Panther'

20, 22, and 25 ) Phormium cookianum, 20 possibly 'Cream Delight' although there are a few that are simular, and also a P.tenex this colouring but i think this looks like P.cookianum.

23 & 26) i think are both varieties of Carex.

24) aaahhhh love this - it's Equestium (not sure if spelt right) - the common name is Snake Grass. did you know this is a marginal plant, usually grown in ponds.

25) Phormium tenex.

there hope i don't delet it this time, lol. really enjoyed this. i do love a good challenge, fortuantely you and i have simular taist, so know most of these as i either have them or they are on wish list! lol hope this helps.

does number 2 have red flowers?

You got to the end before I did, Angie! I was silly, I was going backwards and forwards editing my comment!

At least we agree on the ones I DID manage!
Yes, 17 is like mine- Osmanthus heterophyllus 'Goshiki'. I think one of the two Carex may be C. morrowii.

Ferns are pretty similar - possibly a Polystichum or a Blechnum?

hello Spritz, we must have crossed there - the competion is on i have my RHS to hand as i am sure you do lol.....gonna check out the others for you Trees, and see if i can get some of thoughs vareities aswell.

yes agree with Carex morrowii. i have 'fishers form' but bit different to both of these.

Wow youre good. No 2 has little round yellow flowers.
18 is a cordyline, 6 is a Privett, 15 is a golden Irish yew, the phormiums I dont know what variety. What about 9 and 21?

Do you have any equestium?

No, I'm not looking at my RHS at the moment - honestly, Angie! I am stuck on one - completely - number 9 has me flummoxed and I am not at all sure about no. 1.
I wondered if it was a type of Bamboo? Nice - I like the leaf shapes!

21 looks again like a Euonymus but maybe not...the leaf shape is right, though.

i think number 13 is C. austrailis 'variegata' or 'Veitchii' syn Dracaena australis AKA The New Zealand Cabbage Palm. - can be a bit on the tender side so i would give this one a bit of Fleece - a lovely tree, shame to loose it. and they can get big.

13 I believed this to be a cordyline but I could be wrong. I got it when the council were clearing out their summer bedding of the local gardens. I had a chat and managed to blag two of them two dark cordylines and several cannas. They have been outside for the last winter so I am hoping they will survive again.

21 Spritz, I dug this out of a friends garden about 6 years ago before i was really interested in plants or new a little bit of what I was doing. It was originally (6 yrs ago) varigated.

9 is a honysuckle, not sure which one. Smells fantastic during the later part of summer.
1 is a type of bamboo, not sure which one.

numbers 1 & 9 have me stumped Spriz as well, have'nt a clue on thoughs two, number 2 looks very much like a little plant i had at my last garden that had red flowers, don't think it came in yellow though Trees, and i can't remeber the name, think it was an alpine though...i'll come back to on that. and Yes my first though is Euonymus on no 21, it's the overal shape that is not quite right is'nt it. too sparce in the middle, I bet AndrewR will know all these ones we don't.

no i don't have any equestium, to be honest never grown it before, thought it needed to be grown in water, and i don't have a pond, yours looks good growing in the ground though! mind you is it new in? we have had a very wet summer, you may find it would struggle if we get a dryer one this year! Equestium is often used in flower arranging - so being a florist am very familiar with it, i like to stick wires inside the stem - they are hollow and then bend it about a bit, can make some really funky modern arrangements with this stuff.

number 13 looks just like the pic i have in my book of C.australis 'varigegata', i don't have a pic, but another vareity mentioned is 'Veitchii' which is very simular but has crimson flushes at the base of the leaves and onthe main viens beeath, hard to see this proberly from the pic, so could be either. - and lucky you! it's a really nice one!

I bought a small clump from Blenhiem flower show in 03. I now have loads. I put 3 small clumps in the garden when we moved here in 06, It spreads by runners. So I dig it up and pot it on and take to car boots.
A lot of people havn't seen it before and believe it is a bamboo. As soon as you tell them it is as ols as the dinosaurs they want it.

I also have some by my pond and I have a pot full in my pond. It does get quite damp where it is, so it absoloutly thrives.

yes i had herd it is a bit of a thug, but well worth growing bet it would look fabulous planted with Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon' - another marginal/damp loving thug lol love this plant but had to dig it all up and put into pots as this too runners everywhere i had i coming up in the grass and everywhere all in one season! - and i have loads of this, they go mad for it on ebay, ofcourse i just discribe it as spread 'indefinate' or 'easy to propergate' or there is always 'Good ground cover plant' lol! tell ya what Trees i'll do ya a swap if you like, i'll send you some Houttuynia for some of your Equestium. they really would look fantsic together!

Just looked it up, I have the idal place for it down by my pond.

I'll still go for a Euonymus for no. 21. OK, it's lost its variegation and yes, it's a bit sparse, but hmmm. I'm pretty sure.

Good idea Trees, sounds perfect. also it has a really aromatic leaves, strong scent of orange if you crush or brush past the leaves, needs a bit of sun to get the full colouring on the leaves. a really lovely plant, just make sure you contain it though lol

Does anybody know number 1??? PLEASE???

i am wondering if no 2. might be a Artemisia, what do you think Spritz, i know that some of them are much larger, but i have found reference to a couple of varieties in my Rockery plant book, that are alpine plants and sound just like this. also they flower yellow balls during July and September, - would this be consistant Trees? it says the apline varieties are not as easy to grow, and need lots of sun and very well drained soil.

no it's driving me doolally... lol

I have 2 as Artemisia. I have a couple of clumps of this, both are in small containers with plenty of grit for drainage and they do get all the sun that they can.

I am going to have to go and get all my labels out from the greenhouse tomorrow and check if I still have the right ones.

I SAID that already, Angie! yes, I thought it was, but I don't know which one.

Got to give up and go to bed. I'll look in the morning and see if anyone knows that number 1!!!! Maddening!!!

Goodnight all. XX

Was thinking maybe Cyperus, there are 500-600 spec's of this and it does bare some simularities in form and growing habbit, but can't find a match at the moment. this is what it says: sedge or grass like annuals and ever-green rhizomatous perennials, found in wet habitats. They have Umbrella like leaves, and some varieties have linear spikelets of hermaphroditic flowers. some are frost sensertive but there are some that can be grown outside in UK - bit of a long shot, but may be worth further investigation.

sorry Spritz, so you did, gues we must be right then lol. gonna keep looking for a bit, see if i can get that infuriating number 1. lol - sweet dreams xx

Wow! Spritz and Majeeka, you have both taken the bull by the horns. I couldn't even begin....I love the textured appearance of number 2....very interesting...have you 3 confirmed that number 2 is artemisia?

they should never have been allowed to go to bed until they had solved No1,cant wait to see who gets answer first, hope its one of them tho.lol

nope still not got number 1, and number 9, is still a mistery, Spritz and I are in agreement about number 2, but don't have a variety name. going to have another brouse through the RHS maual - so this could take a while lol. anyone else got any ideas?

AH-AH think i might be onto something....Think Spritz's original sagestion of bamboo may well be right...i have found a variety Sasa ramosa that sounds just like it, i have no picture of this variety, but there is another under the same spec that is varigated (white margins in the leaves) which looks very much like it, i'll do a bit more research see if i can confirm this.

another variety of this plant is S. makino. to be honest struggling to find any pictures on the net, as it is obviously used in cometic products, and just keep getting loads of them coming up......seems to be linked to another genus called Sasaella, but a lot of these are variegated.

Think i may have found number 9 - Lonicera japonica 'Aureoreticulata' apparently it has small yellow flowers that can get lost in the leaves and it is evergreen - could this be what you have Trees?

you are soooo good at this.....
now i know i have an ozmanthus....thanks xx
no 2 is artimesia nana...
no 1 looks like a bamboo to me too.
enjoyed reading this blog thanks.

LOL i just noticed Trees, you have already said that you think 1 is a bamboo, and 9 Is Honeysuckle - i have been so busy digging through my books must have missed some of the comments lol. have a look at the varieties i have mentioned see if this looks like them.. i think we are more or less there now arn't we.

I think 9 is Lonicera japonica 'Aureoreticulata' as it does have yellow flowers.

Oh good, looks like we got to the bottom of that one. But what about number 1 Trees? try googling 'Sasa' the one i thought it sounded like was S. ramosa syn Arundinaria vagans, Sasaella ramosa, - my book says this: extremely vigorous, low-growing bamboo with with slender, glossy, bright green canes producing a single branch at each node. Elliptic mid-green leaves, to 20cm long, that have yellow midribs, and wither at the margins and tips in winter H-1.5m S-indefinate...oh dear theres that word....is yours a bit of a thug? i can't find a picture of this variety but i have found one that is varigated and looks very much like the form and leaf that yours has. Have a look on google see what you can find.- i think that Sasa must also be used in skin care products, as when googling i got loads of these come up lol

I've come on this blog after majeek and spritz have done most of the spade work.
1 is definitely a bamboo of some sort but after a bad experience with sasa vietchii, I don't grow any of them
2 I think is artemisia schmidtii
9 is lonicera japonica 'Aureoreticulata' - go to the top of the class majeek!
21 I think spritz is probably right - a reverted euonymus

I am wondering about a dwarf Fargesia for that Bamboo?? Angie's suggestion also sounds a good'un. We WILL crack it!

ooohhh i am all beaming now - do i get a gold star too? lol and yes we will find it... will not be beaten. - i looked at Fargesia, but most that i saw pic's of either too tall, or thinner leaves, but so many of them i would not rule it out, and as you say Spritz, could be a dwarf vairety - warrents further investigation me thinks.

Here in the States we have a bamboo species called running bamboo. Well, it grows in many different countries. A very cold hardy variety is Phyllostachys bissetii. It grows to varying heights depending on the zone.

I think i definately deserve a gold star now!!!!.......(pause for effect).i think i have found it.......Sasa palmata......it does get to approx 6ft, - once established, and sounds like a bit of a thug, is this newly in Trees? check this picture out, looks just like yours only much, much bigger! www.thebamboogardens.com/pictures/palmata.jpg

Just got on line to see how things are and I have some news.
I've found a couple of labels (I keep them all in a pot in the greenhouse) 2 is Cotula hispida, 9 is Lonicera Japonica Mint Crisp, 11 Osmanthus heterophyllus 'variegatus'.

No 1 I have found in one of my books Sasa palmata 'Nebulosa' but still not 100% sure.

now you tell us! lol, oh well at least we have all been put out of our misery now, looks like we did'nt do too bad after all, only 1 completely wrong, and some differences on variety, and yes i would say 1 is definately S. palmata, have you checked out that web page i give you, there is a very clear photo, this should confirm it for you......so when do we get our prizes? lol

Just looked at the pic Angie, thats the one.

Prize will be posted tomorrow.

Spritz deserves a prize as well, also posted tomorrow.

Great! Thanks, Trees.

BTW - I just looked up Cotula hispida - and it only gets one star for hardiness from the RHS - so you might want to protect it in this cold weather!

ooohhhh pressie! just like christmas again lol thanks Trees, and Spritz i keep seeing 'BTW' everywhere not meaning to be a typical Essex girl, but what does this stand for?

It is in a horible little faux stone wheel barrow, by the edge of the patio by the wall. Hopefully it will be alright. I have a smaller clump in another pot in the green house if it does bight the dust but fingers crossed.

That's me, too late to name them then! Ha ha ha , like I could!
Enjoyed looking at your photo's T&T, thanks!

I would like to thank everyone who took part in helping to find/identify the plants I didn't know the names of. Some I have labels for and some of the plants people friends have just given me, with no name.

So a big thank you.
For the two ladies I shall send you both a prize tomorrow.

And there was I thinking you were going to get a piece of that bamboo majeek! :-D

Angie, BTW = 'by the way'.

Is it official yet?all plants named,well done girls I hope you get your prize.fantastic blog both pics and member participation,thoroughly enjoyed it.

eeeerrrrrrr i think i will pass on the bamboo! lol i have read far too much info about them over the last 24 hours to want to risk that in my small garden lol i am swapping some of Tress Equestium for some of my Houttynia though, so a thug for a thug lol. i think they will look fantansic together, and have no fear they will be served and ASBO in my garden, was thinking of maybe making a mini bog garden out of a large half barrel or something - then they can fight it out amongst themselves as much as they like, i may even include some of my wild white violets around the edges - they seem to grow pretty much anywhere, do you think it will work? well we will see.....and thanks Spritz, lol quite obvious really - no essex girl jokes please!

and yes thanks Trees looking forward to that, love suprizes - just as long as it is not a bamboo cutting! lol

I have now added the names to the plants above. Some I knew and some I wasn't sure about. Thankyou to those that took part in identifying.
Still have not labeled varieties for some of them as I can't be sure.

Ladies a little prize is on it's way for helping.

ahh your a sweetie Trees, a gold star would be good enough lol and glad to help :o)