Mystery as in what the heck was it that I planted sometime last summer?
A teeny plant given to me by an allotment friend. The said friend I haven’t seen for months so can’t ask.
All I remember is that it grows tall (TICK – now over 7 feet and rising), has purple-lilac flowers (TICK – the first few flower buds are starting to open), attracts bees (hopefully a tick) and maybe grows or comes from in the Channel Islands.
So can you solve a mystery?
Oh and if it continues to keep on growing it may become a murder mystery!
Hi that is an echium it throws up a massive flower spike that the bees adore. I grow these but cant get them to come through the winter in my area, although I managed to get one through a couple of years ago and i must have had over a thousand seeds and yes one heck of alot of seedlings growing through gravel. They are extremely hard to move because they hate being moved and there leaves are covered in a very nasty hair that gives you many many splinters, so be very careful if you have to handle them. In the first year the plant will make a huge rosette of leaves and if your lucky enough to get through the winter it will throw up an enormous flower spike then it will die. Its a fantastic plant and a great talking point for the neighbours.
Relief! I don’t have to murder a nameless plant!! Seriously thank you
It has already survived a winter planted out in the garden and this Spring it has put on at least 3 – 4 foot of growth and has now started to flower. And thanks to you I now know it’s name! I also appreciate the word of warning about the hair on the leaves, I’ll make sure to wear gloves. I’m waiting for it to come into full flower so I can snap away, and hopefully for the rain to stop so the bees can come and enjoy it.
That sounds like an outrageous plant. You must really have a green thumb since it came thorough the winter. I’m looking forward to photos when it blooms.
The garden is reasonably sheltered, so I think the warmth of a walled garden and the shelter it had have helped. I think a lot of our plants die off over winter through rotting from too much rain and it being too cold, which is not a problem we’ve had this winter!
I am so glad that you got an answer to your inquiry! It is so interesting. And I agree with Karen, your green thumb is endowed with special TLC!
Great slideshow! Debra
Isn’t the internet fabulous! All these great connections, thoughts, ideas, expereinces to share – including my beautiful but crazy Echium!
What a stunning slideshow my friend – you are truly gifted in gardening
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks CCU, I think there is a LOT of luck involved (remember I wasn’t here for winter!!)
Congrats I have awarded you some well deserved awards on my blog my friend
Check them out here: http://gobakeyourself.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/the-revenge-of-the-chocolate/
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oooooo thank you ! I’m on my way over to yours to give my acceptance speech
Wow what a monster! Rather glad you aren’t going to have to murder it.
I know I was starting to get a tad worried it was an alien life form hell bent on taking over the garden
Loving the photo in your avatar
Of course it still could be an alien life form hell bent on taking over the garden and those that say it is a plant are in league with it:-)
Couldnt resist the photo…thanks for taking it xx
The alien life form is now about 8ft tall. I’m worried
Oh lordy! If I don’t hear from you for a few days I will contact the neighbours to see if all is ok. Just in case it has reached the house by that point……..
i WANT THAT PLANT!!!!! I’m off to do research about it!