I have been in London for the past 2 days and I was surprised to see so
many formal, public gardens with tender plants still flowering and how!
On the way back tonight, I went shopping at Lakeside on the Kent-Essex
border and found, on the roundabout at the entrance to Lakeside, that
Busy Lizzies and Geraniums are in full flower, mine in East Anglia are
already dead - is this global warming or ir is usual for those areas to
have flowering annuals at this time of year?

"judith lea" wrote ...
I have been in London for the past 2 days and I was surprised to see so
many formal, public gardens with tender plants still flowering and how!
On the way back tonight, I went shopping at Lakeside on the Kent-Essex
border and found, on the roundabout at the entrance to Lakeside, that
Busy Lizzies and Geraniums are in full flower, mine in East Anglia are
already dead - is this global warming or ir is usual for those areas to
have flowering annuals at this time of year?

No it's not. Very strange this year, some plants have died due to frost
damage like my Dahlias others seem totally untouched like my Arum Lilies
which are usually the first to turn to mush, saw a dahlia in full flower
yesterday in someone's front garden.

--
Regards
Bob H
17mls W. of London.UK

Bob Hobden wrote:

No it's not. Very strange this year, some plants have died due to frost
damage like my Dahlias others seem totally untouched like my Arum Lilies
which are usually the first to turn to mush, saw a dahlia in full flower
yesterday in someone's front garden.


My dahlias all turned black at the first frost. It's obvious that my
garden, with a vicious East wind will succumb before others but I was
surprised at Lakeside to see how vigourous the growth was at this time
of year.

judith lea wrote:
I have been in London for the past 2 days and I was surprised to see
so many formal, public gardens with tender plants still flowering and
how! On the way back tonight, I went shopping at Lakeside on the
Kent-Essex border and found, on the roundabout at the entrance to
Lakeside, that Busy Lizzies and Geraniums are in full flower, mine in
East Anglia are already dead - is this global warming or ir is usual
for those areas to have flowering annuals at this time of year?

perfectly normal.

My banana rarely collapses before xamas, and the whole trunk suvived one
winter with no protection at all.

Friends who come up from surry in the spring recko we are about 2/3 weeks
ahead of them.

pk

In message . com,
judith lea writes
I have been in London for the past 2 days and I was surprised to see so
many formal, public gardens with tender plants still flowering and how!
On the way back tonight, I went shopping at Lakeside on the Kent-Essex
border and found, on the roundabout at the entrance to Lakeside, that
Busy Lizzies and Geraniums are in full flower, mine in East Anglia are
already dead - is this global warming or ir is usual for those areas to
have flowering annuals at this time of year?

I was in town yesterday and shall be there again today. It rained all
day in Holborn
--
June Hughes

judith lea wrote:
I have been in London for the past 2 days and I was surprised to see
so many formal, public gardens with tender plants still flowering and
how! On the way back tonight, I went shopping at Lakeside on the
Kent-Essex border and found, on the roundabout at the entrance to
Lakeside, that Busy Lizzies and Geraniums are in full flower, mine in
East Anglia are already dead - is this global warming or ir is usual
for those areas to have flowering annuals at this time of year?

I've still got geraniums (pels) in full flower, also salvia and verbena,
admittedly the tagettes have shrivelled a bit and the osta's have give up
the ghost....and I'm in Lancashire!

p.k. wrote:
is this global warming or ir is usual
for those areas to have flowering annuals at this time of year?

perfectly normal.

My banana rarely collapses before xamas, and the whole trunk suvived one
winter with no protection at all.

Friends who come up from surry in the spring recko we are about 2/3 weeks
ahead of them.

I cannot believe that a banana survived outside for the winter - mine
died and it was in a conservatory! It did not throw up new shoots the
following year. You were lucky.

June Hughes wrote:
In message . com,
judith lea writes

I was in town yesterday and shall be there again today. It rained all
day in Holborn
--
June Hughes

The sun was lovely at Lakeside and today at Norwich, after a dreadful
night of wind and rain, it was mild with lots of sun. I am off to
Paris on Sunday for 2 days so I am hoping that the sun will be shining
there as I want to visit the Jardin du Luxembourg for the umpteenth
time.

Phil L wrote:

I've still got geraniums (pels) in full flower, also salvia and verbena,
admittedly the tagettes have shrivelled a bit and the osta's have give up
the ghost....and I'm in Lancashire!

Phil, my house is in a very exposed position at the top of a hill and
my nearest neighbours are at least 500 metres away.

Bob Hobden wrote:

No it's not. Very strange this year, some plants have died due to frost
damage like my Dahlias others seem totally untouched like my Arum Lilies
which are usually the first to turn to mush, saw a dahlia in full flower
yesterday in someone's front garden.


Bob, all my dahlia are black but as I have planted them deeply, they
remain in situ for the winter without any problem.

judith lea wrote:
Phil L wrote:

I've still got geraniums (pels) in full flower, also salvia and
verbena, admittedly the tagettes have shrivelled a bit and the
osta's have give up the ghost....and I'm in Lancashire!

Phil, my house is in a very exposed position at the top of a hill and
my nearest neighbours are at least 500 metres away.

I didn't think you had hills in E Anglia? :-p

My garden is protected on the North side by a fence, trees and a steep
embankment, I'm effectively in a hole facing South!

judith lea wrote:
p.k. wrote:
is this global warming or ir is usual
for those areas to have flowering annuals at this time of year?

perfectly normal.

My banana rarely collapses before xamas, and the whole trunk suvived one
winter with no protection at all.

Friends who come up from surry in the spring recko we are about 2/3 weeks
ahead of them.

I cannot believe that a banana survived outside for the winter - mine
died and it was in a conservatory! It did not throw up new shoots the
following year. You were lucky.

I think Musa basjoo is root hardy throughout the British Isles. Potted
bananas can die if they are kept moist when not actively growing, as
the corm can rot.

"judith lea" wrote in message
oups.com...

p.k. wrote:
is this global warming or ir is usual
for those areas to have flowering annuals at this time of year?

perfectly normal.

My banana rarely collapses before xamas, and the whole trunk suvived one
winter with no protection at all.

Friends who come up from surry in the spring recko we are about 2/3
weeks
ahead of them.

I cannot believe that a banana survived outside for the winter - mine
died and it was in a conservatory! It did not throw up new shoots the
following year. You were lucky.


It depends on which nana you had. Some will survive sub zero conditions,
others will die at below 50F. None will survive the winter outside in very
wet cold soil.
The two favourites for outside are Basjoo and Sikkimensis, however, others
are being trialled outside, by the nana nutters, so hopefully we may soon
know about a few more root hardy varieties within the next few years.

"Phil L" wrote in message
k...
judith lea wrote:
Phil L wrote:

I've still got geraniums (pels) in full flower, also salvia and
verbena, admittedly the tagettes have shrivelled a bit and the
osta's have give up the ghost....and I'm in Lancashire!

Phil, my house is in a very exposed position at the top of a hill and
my nearest neighbours are at least 500 metres away.

I didn't think you had hills in E Anglia? :-p

My garden is protected on the North side by a fence, trees and a steep
embankment, I'm effectively in a hole facing South!

Part of your hole must face North--think positive. What about your hole West
and East elevations :-)