Newsletter– JUNE 2008

What a busy month May has been, as normally happens the greenhouses were full to bursting and I had to take a chance with any late frosts and plant most of the fuchsias into their outside containers. I was lucky as no late frosts appeared. The weather here in France is hotting up, but we also get a fair share of thunderstorms which can make watering more difficult.

I have now installed the new roller blind on the south side of the house, and it has created a nice shade area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                    New shaded area

Jack Lamb has asked me to include some travel information as follows:

As you know I have been to Ecuador two times. Neblina Forest the travel company I use, with some help from me have now the facility to organise botanical trips to Ecuador and Peru with fuchsias in mind. Trips of not only botany but of Birding, geography, culture, history etc. all thrown into the same trip, giving anyone a true Andean experience, (Jack Lamb).

 

On our links page, there is a link to Jack and Joan Lambs web site, where you can contact Jack if you require information about the above trips.

Thanks Jack for sending it to me.

 

In France potting composts are not as I was used to in England. They are very hard in texture with large pieces of wood included. I have now started to make my own compost. I have a good supply of loam, which I put through a sieve (a quarter of an inch). I add peat at a 50% basis, I also add perlite 2% , Also  I add sharp sand  5%.  To each 40 litre bag I mix in a cup of Osmacote slow release fertiliser. It all makes for a nice crumbly compost and I seem to be getting good results from it.

 

Don’t forget, take photos of your plants when they are at their best, to enter our online show in September.

 

I have a few photos from around my garden, to show how plants are progressing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                            

 

 

 

Quarter standard of Eva Boerg starting to come into flower, and in the background a large pot of Annabel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a large old ornamental well planted with a white climbing rose on the right hand side, also planted with geraniums and hanging in the middle is a eight inch hanging pot of Eva Boerg.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tennessee Waltz in an old stone urn.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Phyrne, a large red and white double. Not easy to shape but I grow it for the amount of flowers it produces. It seems to produce more flowers than leaves. (I have placed a photo on our photo gallery page)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A six inch hanging pot of Windhapper. This variety would make a large basket or a half standard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A view down the garden towards the house, on the house wall on the left hand side there are various hanging pots of fuchsias and a row of pots on the floor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A neighbours thatched house with Iris’s planted along the apex. When they were in full flower, they were an amazing sight.

 

If you have pictures of your gardens and would like to share them with us, please send them to me and I will put them in the next newsletter.

 

 

I have started my hybridising program so I will have to hope I get some good results.

 

I Will leave you with the picture below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                         

 

                                      

 

 

 

                                      

                         

 

 

                    

FUCHSIA-INTERNATIONAL.COM