Would someone be kind enough to identify this for me;

http://www.twango.com/media/Muddymik...e.10028?sort=5

I found it rolling around by the gate in the wind a few weeks ago, not in a
pot but with a perfect rootball and undamaged. I stuck it into some compost
in a pot in the greenhouse and it has now flowered. Can I plant it in the
garden?

Mike

On 7 Mar, 12:26, "Muddymike" wrote:
Would someone be kind enough to identify this for me;

http://www.twango.com/media/Muddymik...e.10028?sort=5

I found it rolling around by the gate in the wind a few weeks ago, not in a
pot but with a perfect rootball and undamaged. I stuck it into some compost
in a pot in the greenhouse and it has now flowered. Can I plant it in the
garden?

Mike

Skimmia Japonica, perfectly hardy, and on sale ay B & Q today for
£5.95 so a nice find.
see http://www.rainyside.com/features/pl...Japonica..html

David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

On 7 Mar, 12:26, "Muddymike" wrote:
Would someone be kind enough to identify this for me;

http://www.twango.com/media/Muddymik...e.10028?sort=5

I found it rolling around by the gate in the wind a few weeks ago, not in a
pot but with a perfect rootball and undamaged. I stuck it into some compost
in a pot in the greenhouse and it has now flowered. Can I plant it in the
garden?

Yes, you can plant it in your garden. However, they prefer a rich
moist soil slightly acidic and don't like too wet and heavy. Having
said that, in pot would be much better (I've always grown mine in
pots) because it is far more easier to control the ph this way. If you
have in a part of your garden some acid loving plants, like
amelanchier, rhodos, peris or gentiana (and many more) then it would
be safe to plant your skimmia near them.

"La Puce" wrote in message
ups.com...
On 7 Mar, 12:26, "Muddymike" wrote:
Would someone be kind enough to identify this for me;

http://www.twango.com/media/Muddymik...e.10028?sort=5

I found it rolling around by the gate in the wind a few weeks ago, not in
a
pot but with a perfect rootball and undamaged. I stuck it into some
compost
in a pot in the greenhouse and it has now flowered. Can I plant it in the
garden?

Yes, you can plant it in your garden. However, they prefer a rich
moist soil slightly acidic and don't like too wet and heavy.

Thank you and thanks also to Dave Hill I have a very suitable home for my
new Skimmia Japonica.

Mike
www.farend.org.uk

They have separate male and female plants, and it is common to plant them in couples to get the persistent red berries on the female plant during the rest of the year. They need to be quite close together, my lone female (the male was found dead suffocated by overgrown conifers when I bought the house) is only sparsely pollinated by next door's male plant a mere 25 yds away.

I find it pretty tough in the garden. We live in a dry area. It is growing close to mature conifers and doesn't get any fertilizing or direct watering from me, though it probably benefits from watering/ferts to nearby rhodies.