Autumnal musings

Well, 

For me, the last summer of this millennium has finally passed and
after what has been the warmest September for over 50 years here in
the southern part of England at least, the first hints of autumn are
now becoming apparent.  We've had high winds and quite torrential
rainfall at time over the past 2 weeks, but generally temperatures
have held up very well throughout.  However, last night was the first
when the thermometer dropped below 15C for several months and there is
a slight chill in the air for the first time.  Despite this Cannas and
Hedychiums are continuing to flower and Pandorea jasminoides is still
a very cheering splash of pink and carmine.  Even Bougainvillea
spectabilis has defied recent rains to continue carrying its intense
purple bracts although now, these are starting to look slightly
incongruous in the softer autumn light. 

In one spot, Plumbago auriculata and Clerodendron ugandense have
'melded' to provide an interesting cocktail of china blue and intense
gentian violet.  This was a complete mistake that will be allowed to
develop since close by, Phygelius 'Sensation' is slowly filling out
and it will be interesting to see how its dense clusters of sultry,
waxy, deep pink flowers suspended the stems will add to this grouping.
I know Phygelius are starting to gain popularity in other parts of the
world and can only recommend that if you can get hold of this new
variety, grab it, pay whatever is necessary, but grab it.  It is a
devastatingly beautiful plant with dusky, near black stems and
candelabras of the most striking flowers.  I suspect its combination
with the pale yellow form to become almost a gardening cliche in years
to come.  Not for me - I prefer a less conventional approach.

I'm immensely pleased with the way some of the 'artificial' groupings
have worked out this year.  A splendidly compact and moderate growing
form of the pink and creamy yellow Eccremocarpus scaber that I got
from Dave Fenwick, has proved the perfect partner for Ipomoea indica
and still they are putting up a very brave show together.  A superbly
vigorous form of Solanum laciniatum (thanks Tim) has partnered
Nicotiana sylvestris with the former racing up to nearly 10 feet with
great wands of large, rich blue flowers now slowly giving way to
yellow-amber, plum like fruits which will no doubt provide a source of
self sown seedlings here for many years to come.  The Bougainvillea
and Pandorea didn't quite meet up with each other as I would have
hoped, since the Pandorea decided to grow most strongly in the
opposite direction and cold nights in June caused the Bougainvillea to
sit and sulk until mid July.  Nevertheless by way of compensation,  a
young Fuchsia boliviana 'Alba' close to the Bougainvillea has
unexpectedly burst into flower and the clusters of waxy, pale pink
'tubes' have worked well with their vividly hued neighbour.  

Late acquisitions of Isoplexus canariense and I. isabellina have
partnered the shiny, bronze green leaves and hot orange flowers of the
true Canna indica 'Purpurea' extremely well. This combination of near
terra cotta with pure orange is one which I intend to exploit more
fully next year.  In theory I have the ideal spot for Isoplexus and
can provide lightly acid, cool moist soil, lightly shaded from the
hottest sun.  Despite the border being north east facing, it is very
sheltered and should not suffer any undue winter cold.

The mediterranean Lavatera bicolor has finally outgrown its welcome
and although it has bravely outperformed many plants this year with a
constant mass of palest mauve and carmine 'lanterns' from early April,
it has to go to make room for the relatively new (to cultivation in
the West at least) Musa hookeri.  This 'banana' is being hailed as
potentially more hardy and even more vigorous than M. basjoo.
Certainly even as a young plant, its leaves are far more attractive
with a rich rose-purple flush to their undersides.  They also appear
to be significantly 'harder' as well, indicating less of a tendency to
'tatter' in high winds.  Hailing from remote and comparatively hostile
regions of the Himalayas it promises to be an exciting alternative to
its Japanese cousin. Time will tell.  Whatever, it should make an
interesting grouping with Hedychium greenii, whose glossy, maroon leaf
undersides and young shoots should carry the theme through somewhat.  

The border in question has also played host to the silver leaved,
canary yellow flowered Euryops pectinatus for the past 6 years.  It's
large daisies have been a very welcome harbinger of spring every
February, continuing well into July during most years.  Now at nearly
7 feet high, I feel it is time to wave a grateful farewell and replace
it with something rather less strident and perhaps a little more lush.
I want a more 'tropical' feel to the garden and its removal will
enable me to plant out a nice clump of the pink fruited banana - Musa
velutina which is desperate to get its 'feet' into some decent soil.
Together with Musa basjoo already sitting in the far corner, sending
up 3 foot high side shoots, these other two bananas will form a
backdrop against which purple leaved and variegated Cannas and
Hedychiums can be planted.   

An existing Yucca elephantiphes which has bravely raced up to 7 feet
in the past couple of year, will be allowed to remain even though I'm
not overly fond of the plant.  At some stage it will flower and then
branch out to form a tree.  When it does, I'll probably appreciate it
more.  It was an gift from a friend who was doing his best to kill it
on a windowsill.  After handing over to me, it was unceremoniously
dumped in its current spot and I secretly hoped that our weather would
see it off.  No such chance!  A heat loving (or demanding) Oleander
will also have to go - probably to a friend with a conservatory, since
despite a passable performance this year, it has not lived up to
expectations.  Besides, the flowers are single, silvery pink and
unscented.  I prefer the more ample semi-doubles and doubles -
preferably with some fragrance.  I'm working with a nurseryman friend
to put together an order of hardier varieties from Olivier Filippi and
will wait for these to grow on before planting them here.  

A 6 foot high Strelitzia nicolai is waiting to take the Oleander's
place and for next summer at least, this will be partnered with the
'black banana' - Ensete maurelii.  Goodness knows what will happen
after that, although there is little chance of the Ensete tolerating
our cool, wet winters well.  I suspect its enforced lifting and
replanting will help to restrain growth to a degree.  The Ensete is
one of the few plants that I'm prepared to lift and bring indoors and
I'm eager to see how it would look with taro (Colocasia esculenta)
peering out from beneath its skirts.  

A quick look out of the door this morning indicates that the time is
about right for my usual foray down onto the beach to collect bags of
seaweed for mulching the borders.  Rough seas this week have ripped
tons of bladder wrack from their holds and great mounds of it have
been deposited on the beaches at every tide.  I normally wait until
November, but am eager to get started on the changes and want most of
it to be rotted down before I get started, hopefully in early
February.  

I'm not normally a great 'fan' of the autumn months and can quite
easily lapse into a mild depression at the thought of the coming
winter.  However this year, the planned changes have me 'champing at
the bit'.   I'll tolerate the next few months more willingly this
time, happy in the hopes that the summer of 2000 could be the best
ever.

Dave Poole
TORQUAY
http://www.ilsham.demon.co.uk/gardenviews.html
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