Project Spring 2014

[Tahir Khan]

Spectacular display, Bee balm, double hollies and black scabiosa No words for such colourful efforts you make, truly praiseworthy

[Farhan Ahmed]

[Muhammad Arif Khan]

Sir, the resolution i am in the middle of making is to only go for F-1 species in the future and not to go for anything that i have tried before, atleast in terms of cultivar. This might enable me more joy with less effort as i forsee time will be scarce in future. For this reason many seeds i did not collect, however all those present at the moment, i will try to collect and share.

Farhan, Thank you, you may know it or not but your project is of great value to me and I have learnt a lot.

There are hundreds of beautiful plants, but I cant grow them all. A garden is for personal enjoyment so grow only what you like.
Every plant has a specific place in a garden, select accordingly.
Pictures of flowers can be very deceptive get pictures of complete plants for its impact in a garden.
Expenditure on good seeds is a good investment.
For maximum enjoyment keep rotating the annuals.
Dont be greedy limit your stock of permanent s by being very selective.
A mistake does not have to be final, remove and replace.
Grow only what is happy in your environment (Sick looking plants make me sad).
Thank you again
Arif

[Farhan Ahmed]

Farhan, Thank you, you may know it or not but your project is of great value to me and I have learnt a lot.

I am glad i could be of some help.

Pictures of flowers can be very deceptive get pictures of complete plants for its impact in a garden.

I fully agree, images by vendors are deceptive sometimes, in a way that either they are closeups/cut-flower form or healthiest possible plant which might not be possible with us, hence now i resort to goggling images of something that interests me. Images in gardens present a better perception.

Expenditure on good seeds is a good investment.

Very true. same is the case for good sowing media. I will only be sowing F-1 seeds in future of species/cultivars not tried. Its quite a effort wasting to try something F-2 and it turns out to be other than expectations.

Grow only what is happy in your environment (Sick looking plants make me sad).

Its sweeping statement, but i have come to draw a conclusion that all herbacious perennials and annuals can be tried in our cool season without an issue, atleast as an annual.


Below are some fleeting glimpses, Spring is long gone, Next is an impossible summer garden, a myth which is i will try to break


Some under-performers/Disappointments

A general reason for under-performance of these plants could be perennial nature and late blooming as May could be very hot accompanied with heavy pest activity.for instance hollies, being late bloomers suffered from wind storms and caterpillars


Agatashe, maybe because it was overshadowed by nearby plants, but still the tabular flower is unappealing. Fragrance could not be measured well due heat, however it is yet to be seen whether it behaves as a perennial. Showing positive signs.


Pyrethrum. Firstly because it was suppose to have multiple colors which did not happen secondly No of blooms. However it is important to note that perennial plants are not in a hurry to grow and bloom and this plant definitely appears to be one such plant. Maybe next season if it survives it lives upto expectations.


Candytuft, suffered due late blooming


Rudbeckias, these were from pride. Bloom quality is not upto standards(claimed to be dwarf/double), in my view these were F-2 saved seeds and not F-1s




Hetropapus/Blue Knoll....despite throwing up lot of buds, the picture does not match vendor's, even though its quite hot. Maybe it lives upto be perennial


Helenium Lollipop. Due to its smaller bloom size. It is pertinent to note that all perennials did bloom in their first six months which second my above statement. I wish to try helenium automale.


Some others

A good combination in my opinion of Scarlet and Yellow Gaillardia.


Scabiosa Oxford Blue


Some more images of Scabiosa Summer Berries for better perception





Sunflowers


Holly Celebrity



See You in summer Project then

[aykhan]

Beautiful Farhan. Late bloomers will always suffer in heat of May. Even the late blooming roses are not upto the mark.
I am looking into heat tolerant plans which bloom in pot. So far I am certain many bauhinia can be made to bloom in pot and heat doesn't bother them. Now I am looking into various varieties of acacia.
Brig Saheb incredibly valid points and all very true. Thanks.

[M Farooq]

Indeed very beautiful and brilliant colours. I never saw double hollyhocks before!

[farah fayyaz]

Excellent.... All flowers are pretty specially sunflower.

[Hamad Ahmed Kisana]

excellent blooms in this heat of may. what is flower size of scabiosa.
and what is condition of cone flower ...

[rafique]

All are beautiful and worth sharing. Scobiosa summer berries looking pretty heat tolerant plants?

[Mustansir Billah]

Extreme Beautiful blooms!!!