OKay, a list of photos showing progress in our conservatory. I am thrilled, gotta tell you, absolutely chuffed to bits. He is a clever old stick my husband...dunno what I would do without him! :-*
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/cons-1.jpg)
Framework going in, screwed to the wall.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/cons4.jpg)
Front going on, treated timbers.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/cons2.jpg)
Bamboo roll cladding, cut to size, for a rustic/natural look.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/gravel_in.jpg)
3 inches of course gravel in the base to prevent waterlogging.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/wheelbarrow_home_grown_compost.jpg)
My home made compost from the heaps in the garden, black gold! This is the filling for the trough.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/bop_split1.jpg)
Strelizia has split into 2 halves, and each of these is splitting!
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/pre_plant.jpg)
Who's that bird in there? Oh, it's me! ;D
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/BOP-spllit-1.jpg)
Ava had to saw the two halves apart. The roots are so thick and juicy!
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/mark_trough.jpg)
BOP in situ - hard work getting it in. She is the central plant, and I have now planted all the seedlings around her to create a big bush effect.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/emma_planting_banana.jpg)
Banana palm next. I took out the bigger, older plant and just planted all the younger, stronger pups. It will bulk up like mad now.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/planting_begins.jpg)
Banana's in.
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/new_trough.jpg)
Planted!
(http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a364/Mrsava/new_trough1.jpg)
Looking good!
All I have left now are a few plants that didn't fit, like a Hoya, several pineapples, ponytail palm and another small palm, orchids and my aspidistra, and loads of cacti.....sooooo....rumour has it another one will appear on the other smaller wall, and this will be specifically for cacti! Excited!!
Emma second try at a post to you (got 404 error last time!!) It all looks great and the plants look like they have been there for yonks. I hope you let Ava have a rest before he starts on the next wall ;D ;D
veritable jungle ! Well done Ava. Congrats EJ.
;D
;D
When I went to work this morning it looked like the third picture back.
Came home and EJ had obviously been busy........... ::) ::) ;D ;D
(she did 8 trips to the compost heap.........she keeps reminding me...... ::) :-* ;D)
Great job you two,now a pond in the middle with a little stream or a little waterfall,bird sounds or better take some and your jungle is finished.
......funny you should say that.......
..there is a 4ft x 1 ft x 1 ft fish tank sitting in my mother-in-law's loft.........would look just lovely as a water feature with some coldwater fish in there........
.....maybe a little water flowing over rocks too........ ;D ;D ;D
Wow, that looks fantastic, well done both of you. :)
EJ you look so chuffed in that photo ;D Happy as Larry. It looks fab!
Blimey! I thought after the first lot of pics that you were just building a shelf to put the pots on!!
That plastic liner looks nice and thick!
It looks on the finished pics like there are tiny BofP flowers around the main plant - what are they?
moonbells
Thanks......we were worried the liner might actually be too thin, so it is a double layer of builders plastic sheeting.
...and yes.......the small plants are Baby-BOPs ::) :o ;D ;D
Bought some seeds off ebay last year (or the year before).......all three types/colours.
We are well chuffed...... ;D ;D.....and best of all EJ loves it... ;D :-*
We have Juncea, Regale and....I can't think what the other one is of the top of my head.....will let you know.
Thanks for all the nice words. I am CHUFFED!
Strelitzia alba (syn. S. augusta) - White bird of paradise
Strelitzia caudata - Swaziland Strelitzia, African desert banana
Strelitzia nicolai - White, or Giant bird of paradise; Wild banana
Strelitzia reginae (syn. S. parvifolia) - Strelitzia, Bird of paradise, or Crane lily
Strelitzia juncea (Ker Gawl.) - Greatly reduced or non-existent leaves
are listed as the five species in the genus.
I think we have reginae, nicolai and juncea........
.....I think.....although EJ could confirm what germinated.......and survived ;)
Emma and Ava, that looks absolutely fabulous! Well done both of you, for what must have taken a lot of work. The results are brilliant, and your containers make a fantastic feature for your lovely exotic plants. :D busy_lizzie
I was amazed at the tiny strelitzia - they are miniature compared with the centrepiece one!
I never got juncea to germinate :( and the Mandela's Gold that grew got eaten by sciarid grubs :(
On the good side, the seeds I collected from the flowering plant are starting to germinate, so yes EJ, they are viable! Pollinating your own does work!
Have three babies now (two are probably the last of the bought seed, but the third's definitely a home-grown!). Have sown another half dozen - we shall see!
moonbells
Quote from: moonbells on September 27, 2006, 09:46:01
I was amazed at the tiny strelitzia - they are miniature compared with the centrepiece one!
.............aaahhhh......yeeesssss.....about those miniature ones.........
......am afraid to say they are plastic miniature ones the children bought as they looked like the big one we had at home...... :-[ :-[ :-[ ::) ;D.....sorry for the confusion.... ;)
that's amazing. i still can't get over how wonderful that looks. i want that!
Me too!! I think the cacti bed sounds like my idea of heaven.Love them but nowhere to put them here, Sadly. Great project.