Think about it...

I really like growing things, and especially flowers, herbs, and berries. (Not too big on "vegetables", but I'm glad my friends are.)

I like all 'trumpet-flowered' plants, but among those, one of my 'favoritest' is the floxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Normally I don't bother with growing biennials, but I found some foxgloves at the local Lowes, and decided to 'have at it' with them this year.

Here are some pictures:













There are also some new delphinium hybrids out that are very pretty. They are compact and don't need to be staked. In the following picture, the dwarf is in the front, and there are two 'standard' types in the rear.


Here are the flowers from the dwarf:




And here are some blossoms just popping out from the standards:








Of course I like all the 'standard' flowers too. Snapdragons:






Here are some mimulus:






And some dahlias and petunias:


And finally some small carnations. Very fragrant!


Pul

Dad loves Foxgloves so there are loads in the garden but none that colour. Ours are read or white and we just let the seed so there are always some. Mother like Poppies and we have quite a few of those too the big ones. I'll get some photos taken and put up.

These are an "F1 Hybrid" which means they are the first generation (F1) of a cross (hybrid) between two other varieties. Foxgloves are biennials, meaning that they live longer than annuals (one year), but not as long as the multiple years of perennials. Biennials  generally live only two years, but most significantly, they don't produce blossoms until their second year. That's why this "F1 Hybrid" is supposed to be special - it produces these big flower spikes in its first year. My guess is that it isn't really an F1 hybrid, but rather a genetically engineered (GE) Frankenstein.

I intend to let it go to seed, collect the seeds, and plant them next year. It's not a 'perfect' test of GE, but if they grow but produce some other variety, this is probably a true hybrid. If the seeds are sterile, or most of them anyway, then it is likely that it is a GE plant.

When you get around to posting those pictures, put some of those poppies up too.

Paul

Well Paul here you go.................... 2nd attempt as some how it all vanished :huh: .

Foxgloves to start:-





Beginning with White ones.





I'll let you decide upon the colour here.


Hmmm on the photbucket site those are not sideways as I edited them to be upright   have no idea what is going wrong here?







Another view of the same bed.



Slightly deeper colour here and more whites. Then onto Poppies:-





They vary on the flower design/make up.







As well as colour of course.







This is one of Mothers favourites .



This is just outside the conservatory door and patio:-





I think that will do for now. The Herb Box was knocked up severla years ago to holf the Christmas Tree but Mother then "nicked" it to put these in the rest is history ...................... as they say.

Some tank mix of 2-4D and Tordon will take care of that weed infestation . . . . . . .

Looks a lot like linaria vulgaris (dalmation toadflax) from a farmer's point of view. The foxglove that is.

Nice looking gardens by the way. My cactus, bluebells, shooting stars, butter cups and Indian paintbrush looked pretty nice this year. Only lasted about four days though. Now the white top, leafy spurge and dalmation toadflax is really blooming.

RJ

yup, 'roundup' - job done


Actually I do not need roundup, if I try to grow summat it usually is the kiss of death...

We try to avoid using sprays where possible. Old fashioned dig em up is the norm. However one bit in the front of the conservatory has "Ground Elder" so weed killer is about the only option there.

I did try to photograph the better bits :) didn't want Mother to depressed over it.

Black thumb joe, oh, me.
G and BH, as the cardinal says, "purty, purty, purty.
Our early bloom was spider wort, then coral honeysuckle , then winecups, now it is about the end of the gaillardia and the middle of the blackeyed susie crop.
Does anyone notice a trend to self sowed wildflowers and 0 maintenance in my flower selections?

Yeah, I just don't pay attention to them. Was given 4 Tomato plants, doubtless will not get near fruit...

Only thing that I have not killed is a cactus....

Our field is self regeneration growth except the most of the trees that is but some sort of willow type has appeared in several places and we have left them to grow. I have a Horse Chestnut and a small Oak in pots waiting for autumn to plant and we have a self sown Hazel in the boarder that I will dig up and transplant in the autumn.

We will be buying some more trees hopefully to fill in the gaps where others have died but we will plant them differently this time and hopefully that will help them survive. needed are some thorn like Quick thorn, Haw thorn and Black thorn. Some more Guelder Rose. We have a old type wild rose that has to be moved so that can go out on the field amongst the trees along with some Damsons that I have to dig up from the bank as they are beginning to encroach out to the road edge. Being suckers they may not fruit but they will get the chance.

I think this thread is mis-titled.  I think it should be:
Phlower  Phornography!  

Right you are, Jamie.270! (Phor those that didn't 'get it', these are pictures of plant reproductive organs - AKA phlowers. Or I suppose it could have been Plant Pohrnography for the alliterative effect. The THL censure doesn't 'like' the word pohrnography when correctly spelled.)

Great pics, BH. Thanks for posting them.

One of the reasons I don't care for growing vegetables is that they are too much like work. Perennials, herbs, berries and shrubs are pretty easy to care for after the initial planting.

I think the only thing j0e_bl0ggs plants tomatoes for is something to use his old "agricultural" ("tomato stake") rifle barrels for.

Paul

The cost of fresh produce is simply getting daft here and of course Mother loves them so we will be back to growing again next year. Might get some lettuce and radish in my little rabbit proof raised bed this season as we can still plant those.

The little long eared cotton tails wreck havoc on these unless fenced out.

Reality is that you cannot keep a rabbit out! I watched one for 20 minutes chewing at a wire fence, then I had enough watching...