Keeping in Touch, May 9th 2020 Hello everyone, Hope you are enjoying the sunshine and warm weather, but don’t put your tender stuff out yet, its

going to be cold tomorrow again ☹ PLANT IDENT Last edition Pam Hodgson and Jim Chandler sent in a photos of shrubs to see if anyone recognised them. Thanks to Jayne Conquest, Barbara Dygnas, Kay Keeton, Jean Marshall, Judy Coulson, Jill Gorvett and Judy Reid for sending in answers. The overwhelming opinion is that Jim, yours is Exochorda x macrantha ‘The Bride’ and Pam’s daughter-in-law’s is Spirea arguta commonly known as bridal wreath. Next question from Julieanne Porter, does anyone know what cultivar this white anemonella is?

And Charlotte Swain asks “what is this vibrant, sweetcorn/bulb type plant. It comes up vigorously each spring but in 4 years has never flowered, is it planted too deeply or something? Do I just dig up/get rid of it?

Janet Boulding has sent in photos of two geraniums she would like to know the names of. She says “the first is a very lax grower with greyish foliage, the second has a label saying Ankum’s Pride but that is supposedly cerise pink which mine is obviously not, both are in flower now.” Anyone know?

PLANT AGONIES SHARED Charlotte Swain also sent in this photo of her mahonia, she says “What is going on with my mature/ish Mahonia? It flowered beautifully and suddenly - boom - it is losing all leaves and not growing the olive type berries that become such great bird food. On closer inspection it seems a very

delicate spider like web is on the flowers, preventing the dead petals falling to the ground.” Anyone any ideas? Charlotte thinks its attacking her ceanothus too.

PLANT PHOTOS Pam Hutchison’s sent in this pic of her camassias, which were just 2 bulbs not long ago

Today we have three erythronium. Decie Needham sent in E. ‘ Harvington Snowgoose’, she says that and the camelia I featured last time are among the later flowering in their genera. Then we have E.’Joanne’ from Don Witton.

Jean Marshall sent in a couple of lovely white flowering plants Ipheon ‘Alberto Castilleo’ and Trilium ‘Snow Bunting’

Tricia Fraser has a lovely Penstemon 'Six Hills'. She says it's a rock garden penstemon, which flowers much earlier than the border varieties and is very hardy. She bought it from Pottertons nursery a few years ago and moved it to Bourne garden where it has flourished. Love the colour.

Julianne Porter sent in another anemonella, this is a pale pink-purple Anemonella thalictroides 'Amelia'.

We’ve featured several plants grow form seed. Irene May says “this is smyrmium, Kay Keeton gave me the seed years ago and I have struggled with it but it’s come up trumps in the back and front of my garden this year, I am delighted.” Perhaps this is another plant which likes a good wet winter.

I’m going to sneak a couple more in, blue meconopsis from Pam Hutchison and Janet and Richard Lister. Gorgeous!

NEXT TIME I promised some rare trees in flower last time but couldn’t fit them in, so will send out next time plus some lovely azaleas and Elaine Blair’s Euphorbia pasturii in flower.