#alpineglasshouse

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Sunday 20 February 2022

In the cool glasshouse a native of Iran Dionysia mozaffarianii is flowering. The plant forms dense, deep green cushions of columnar stems clothed with marcescent (withering but remaining attached to the stem) foliage.

Jill Raggett

#Dionysia #alpine #coolglasshouse #purpleflowers #containerdisplay #alpineglasshouse #plants #horticulture #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #evergreenperennial

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Sunday 24 October 2021

On the bench in the Alpine House it was Crocus goulimyi (fall crocus) time to shine. This cormous perennial flowers in the autumn as the leaves begin to appear. The species is from southern Greece.

Jill Raggett

#crocus #fallcrocus #autumncrocus #purpleflowers #cormousperennial #corm #plants #alpineglasshouse #coolglasshouse #writtledesign #gardens #horticulture #garden #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #botanicgarden #botanic

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Saturday 8 January 2022

In the a cool alpine glasshouse at Cambridge Botanic Garden, UK, the Saxifraga berica is covered in starry white flowers. This species is only found in the wild in the Veneto area of North Italy, where it grows on very shady cool rock faces and plants cannot cope with strong sunlight. The species is threatened with extinction.

Jill Raggett

#saxifraga #whiteflowers #coolglasshouse #alpineglasshouse #plants #gardens #horticulture #writtledesign #garden #botanicgarden #botanic #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 9 February 2022

In the cool glasshouse of Cambridge Botanic Garden, UK, the rosette of Saxifraga longifolia (long-leaved saxifrage, Pyrenean saxifrage) leaves look like a sculpture. This plant has been described as “the most spectacular of all of the encrusted saxifrages” as after the rosette has grown for several years it produces a stem making a huge waterfall of white flowers. A constant succession of plants need to be grown from seed as the plant is a monocarpic perennial (dies after flowering).

Jill Raggett

#saxifraga #long-leavedsaxifrage #Pyreneansaxifrage #monocarpicperennial #monocarpic #leaves #rosette #coolglasshouse #alpineglasshouse #alpine #plants #writtledesign #horticulture #garden #botanicgarden #botanic #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Monday 18 October 2021

In this alpine house there was an autumn display from Oxalis melanostica with these yellow flowers. The pots of plants are grown in another glasshouse and plunged into sand on the display bench when it is their time to perform.

Jill Raggett

#oxalis #yellowflowers #alpineglasshouse #alpine #plants #coolglasshouse #gardens #horticulture #writtledesign #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #botanic #botanicgarden

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 24 November 2021

On the Alpine House bench a container of Oxalis palmifrons (palm-leaf false shamrock) displays its wonderful foliage that resembles miniature palm trees. This slow growing South African plant is dormant during the summer and comes to life during the cooler months. It requires a free-draining soil mix to avoid the plant being waterlogged.

Jill Raggett

#oxalis #palm-leaffalseshamrock #falseshamrock #tenderperennial #alpineglasshouse #coolglasshouse #foliage #leaves #plants #horticulture #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #botanicgarden #botanic #summerdormant

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 10 November 2021

In the Alpine Glasshouse at the Royal Botanic Garden Kew, London, the cheerful, bright red flowers of Jamesbrittenia bergae (crimson phlox) looked great against the grey rock work. The plant is a short lived (2-3 years) herbaceous perennial that forms a spreading mound. In South Africa the species is considered threatened in the wild and is listed as ‘Vulnerable’.

Jill Raggett

#Jamesbrittenia #crimsonphlox #redflowers #alpineglasshouse #shortlivedperennial #plants #gardens #horticulture #writtledesign #botanic #botanicgarden #garden #kewgardens #kew #london

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Monday 2 March 2020

In the cool, airy, alpine glasshouse of the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Wisley, Surrey, the Lithodora zahnii (Zahn's gromwell) was in full flower. This small, evergreen shrub from Southern Greece requires a loose, well-drained soil, with full sun.

Jill Raggett

#Lithodora #Zahn'sgromwell #gromwell #plants #evergreen #smallshrub #alpine #alpineglasshouse #coolglasshouse #writtledesign #mhort #gardens #horticulture #garden #rhswisley #wisley #blueflowers

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 6 November 2018

Though they will grow outside in Britain this Beesia calthifolia was in the shelter of the Cambridge Botanic Garden alpine glasshouse. It comes from mountainous forests in China, having glossy green leaves and upright spikes of starry white flowers followed by these sculptural seed pods. This plant thrives in semi-shaded moist, well drained soil.

Jill Raggett

#beesia #plants #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #herbaceousperennial #woodlandgarden #shadegarden #mhort #botanicgarden #coolglasshouse #alpinebench #alpineglasshouse #writtledesign #seedpods #whiteflowers

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Tuesday 29 May 2018

The National Saxifraga Collection has come into full flower and is being displayed in the Alpine House of Cambridge Botanic Gardens, UK, including the elegant plume of flowers produced by Saxifraga 'Superba' (Saxifraga callosa subsp. callosa var. australis). 

Interestingly scientists at the Sainsbury Laboratory Cambridge University, based in the Botanic Gardens, have found that the mineral vaterite, a form of calcium carbonate, is a major component of the protective silvery-white crust that forms on the leaves of Saxifraga. This rare mineral may have the potential to provide a new material for industrial and medical applications. 

Jill Raggett

#saxifraga #alpinebench #alpineplant #alpineglasshouse #alpinehouse #alpine #whiteflowers #nationalcollection #mhort #horticulture #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 23 March 2018

Solaria atropurpurea is a winter-growing, summer-dormant, perennial bulbous plant from an area near Santiago, Chile, where it grows in free-draining, poor soils on rocky slopes, and in dry forests. The star-shaped flowers are produced in winter and early spring, and when mature can have an unpleasantly smell.

Jill Raggett

#Solaria #bulbous #perennial #blackflowers #alpinehouse #alpineglasshouse #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #horticulture #mhort #wucplant #writtledesign

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Saturday 24 March 2018

The sculptural 'shepherd's crook' flower stems of the South African bulbous perennial Cyrtanthus falcatus (falcate fire lily) attract attention in the cool glasshouse at this time of year.

Jill Raggett

#Cyrtanthus #falcatefirelily #firelily #alpineglasshouse #coolglasshouse #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #horticulture #mhort #bulbous #bulb #perennial #wucplant #writtledesign

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day Thursday 22 March 2018

The bold red flower of Tulipa greigii (Turkestan tulip, Greig’s tulip) is only half the story as it also produces attractive broad, glaucous foliage with reddish streaking along the leaf. This species has produced many hybrids, which flower in early or mid-spring.

Jill Raggett

#tulipa #tulip #tulips #alpinehouse #alpineglasshouse #redflowers #foliage #cambridgebotanicgarden #cambridge #mhort #horticulture #wucplant #writtledesign

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 16 March 2018

In the sheltered but cool conditions of an alpine house Bukiniczia cabulica is about to flower from a rosette of blue-green leaves with white veins. The plant is monocarpic (dies after flowering), though it can produce offsets especially if seed production is not successful. It is native to Pakistan and Afghanistan. 

Jill Raggett

#Bukiniczia #alpineplant #alpinehouse #alpineglasshouse #monocarpic #horticulture #mhort #wucplant #writtledesign

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Saturday 17 March 2018

The unusual flowers of Gladiolus uysiae (sword lily), a plant native to South Africa. They have a brownish purple colouring with dark veining and a fragrance. This species is grown as part of an alpine glasshouse collection.

Jill Raggett

#gladiolus #swordflower #alpine #alpineplant #alpinehouse #alpineglasshouse #rhswisley #wisley #wucplant #writtledesign #mhort #horticulture

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 2 February 2018

A container full of early spring promise with Iris reticulata ‘North Star’ in bloom. This beautiful hybrid, from Alan McMurtrie in Canada, has creamy flowers with touches of yellow and deep turquoise. As well as the colourful appearance it has a strong fragrance. It is best planted in a sunny, well drained position and here was protected by an alpine glasshouse.

Jill Raggett

#iris #irises #bulbous #alpine #alpinehouse #alpineglasshouse #yellowflowers #kew #kewgardens #fragrance #fragrant #scent #horticulture #mhort #wucplant #writtledesign