#coolglasshouse

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 31 March 2023

In the protection of a cool glasshouse Bergenia emeiensis is producing these sophisticated white flowers on arching pink stems. This evergreen perennial forms a rhizomatous clump with large, green foliage that turns a brilliant shade of red in autumn and winter.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Saturday 23 September 2023

Viola flettii (Olympic violet) is endemic to the Olympic Mountains of the northwestern United States where it grows in rock crevices on basalt outcrops and alpine screes (talus). Here it was being cultivated on the alpine bench of Cambridge Botanic Gardens, UK.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 19 April 2023

In the cool glasshouse at Cambridge Botanic Garden the Erica canaliculata (channelled heath, hairy grey heather) was covered in flowers. This species is native to the East and West Capes of South Africa and naturalised in South Australia.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 27 April 2023

In the Oceanic Islands House, Cambridge Botanic Garden, UK, the Sonchus acaulis (giant dandelion) is blooming. Giant flowering stems can reach up to 250cm in height arising from a rosette of serrated, fleshy leaves. This species has a very limited distribution, occurring in Tenerife and the Canary Islands with a low rainfall and good drainage.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 14 April 2023

Shining out on the alpine bench in the cool display glasshouse of Cambridge Botanic Garden, UK, was a container of Primula 'Blindsee'. This is classified as a European Primula Hybrid which has long lasting flowers.

Jill Raggett 

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Friday 28 April 2023

The delicate flowers of Corydalis henrikii are fragrant and the plant is thriving in this cool glasshouse. This clump-forming perennial bulb from SE Turkey has distinctive lobed leaves.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Monday 24 April 2023

Discovered in 1903 by Ernest Henry Wilson, Corydalis wilsonii grows in China on cliffs. It is a perennial of subalpine or subarctic habitats with an almost succulent-like blue-green foliage. It needs excellent air circulation and here was growing in a cool glasshouse.

Jill Raggett

[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

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 30 December 2021

In the cool glasshouse of Cambridge Botanic Garden the Primula auricula 'Abdor' (auricula, mountain cowslips, bear’s ears) is flowering. These plants are hardy but need a well-drained compost with limited watering in the winter. In the summer shading is needed from scorching sun but good natural daylight is required in the winter and early spring. 

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Sunday 26 December 2021

The flowers of Lachenalia viridiflora (green-flowered Cape cowslip) are such an amazing colour. This bulbous perennial has two pale green leaves, and these spikes of vivid blue-green flowers in winter. They flourish in the protection of a cool glasshouse.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Wednesday 23 March 2022

This early display of Tulipa (tulip) and Hyacinthus orientalis (hyacinth) cultivars has resulted from the bulbs being planted in an unheated glasshouse. They are creating a cheery display of colour and scent.

Jill Raggett

[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

[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

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 17 February 2022

A woodland plant from China, Japan and Korea Adonis amurensis (Amur adonis, pheasant's eye) flowers in the shelter of the cool glasshouse. The yellow flowers last for several weeks and the leaves emerge towards the end of flowering. By early summer, the plant will have died back and gone dormant.

Jill Raggett

[jillraggett]

Plant of the Day

Thursday 24 February 2022

With distinctive yellow flowers Massonia citrina is only known from a small area of the Rooihoogte Pass, Western Cape, South Africa. This bulbous plant is in a cool display glasshouse and takes about 3 years from seed to flower.

Jill Raggett

[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