Growing from Seed

Hi all, its Gill,

Many many years ago I remember walking past a garden and being gob smacked by a plant that I saw. I hadn't a clue what it was and have never seen one since until I opened my Thompson and Morgan catalogue last year and saw the seeds for sale. It was a melianthus, a honey bush.

Has anyone out there got one? It grows to about 6foot I think, and has huge fronds of brown and gold. I eagerly planted all the seeds in one pot and covered them in vermiculite and placed them in my greenhouse earlier this year. Eventually one plant emerged, then two and now I have four. They are about 8 inches tall so I guess no more will come through. They were all planted in the same pot, in the same conditions etc so I am a little disappointed that only 4 have come through.I must admit that I have bought loads of seeds from Thompson and Morgan and I think I have yet to get a full packet of seeds to grow!!!

I nevertheless go back to them because of their enormous variety of seeds that I dont see anywhere else. Last year I bought two packets of banana seeds and unfortunately not one seed grew. I have grown bananas in the past with no effort, such a shame I was looking forward to seeing them.

A couple of years or three ago I bought loads of lilies from T&Morgan, and I can highly recommend you to do so too. I open my back door and there is a heady aroma coming from my lilies, a spectacle to behold, they are stunning plants and the flowers are all much larger than my hand. I have taken some piccies and when I work out how to get them on here I will show you. Dont forget that if you buy lily bulbs to always plant them on their side on sand, then cover over in soil.

I have to tell you a story about my grandson James who was 4 at the time, but is now 7. We had just put down an indian sand stone path up the back garden. The slabs had fossils of ferns and trees etc on them. James walked up the path and on seeing a fossil for the first time, said "Look you have tattoos on your path". Isnt that wonderful!

I quite like gardens that are regimental but that's not for me, my garden just happens!!! I have tall flowers at the front of a border whilst the little ones at the back are struggling to survive. If a plant self seeds, then that is where it stays. My path that I mentioned earlier is smothered in thousands of foxgloves, poppies etc etc, I can hardly walk up it haha. Next year we wont be able to at all and will have to walk on the grass, defeting the object of having a path really! I have nowhere to replant these seedlings and I wont pull them up. My neighbour has had as many as he can take too. Nevertheless I can guarantee that a few packet of seeds will take my eye next spring, I will plant them and if they grow I will have the same dilemma I have every year - where to put them haha!!!