Never got myself an Anderson's holly fern. And while I now have a variety of proteas, a Ginkgo biloba and an Equisetum hyemale, the bumper pack of cycads failed to germinate and the rest remain on my to-buy list! That's it for the reposts now. All on to original stuff from this point on.
A few weeks ago, Hubster and I went on a trip to RHS Wisley (where I became a proud member of said Royal Horticultural Society). I of course was in my element, and even Hubster (who normally only appreciates my plants for their success in stopping me from buying clothes and shoes) really enjoyed himself (a bonsai workshop and associated bonsai garden helped matters). On our way back to the main entrance we walked through a walled garden, and spotted a particular species of fern:
It was called Polystichum andersonii. Well, being an Anderson good and proper, I'm quite taken with the idea of having an Anderson's holly fern. And Polystichum is a good, solid, generally hardy genus, much like my dear husband.
But it's not very common, to all intents and purposes. Fernatix and Trevena Cross don't have it. Rickards Ferns list it in their 2007 catalogue but nowhere on their website (must actually give them a call and see if they have it for 2008). I will have to wait until I get paid at the end of the month, but I'm now a woman on a mission. Don't know if Hubster will be overly impressed if I present it to him as a second wedding anniversary gift though!
It's rather exciting having things to search for - the pursuit of/lusting after new plants for the garden is often more satisfying than the reality of having them in the garden, especially as so many of my plants are really low maintenance. I love seeing the box/tube/parcel from the mail order catalogue arrive. It worries me, but I am continually amazed at how tolerant plants are of having all their leaves stripped off and being dumped in a dark box and transported halfway across the country. I can't wait to get them home and plant them up. Incidentally, the Metasequoia is doing really well now, and I have to stop myself from stroking a leaf every time I walk past.
My bookmarks now include a section entitled "Plants - to buy list". As of today, I'm after Araucaria bidwilli (had to really - would it be a proper Mesozoic garden without a bunya tree?), the bumper pack o' cycads, Equisetum hyemale (although I know I MUST keep them well containerised), Ginkgo biloba (yes, I want that variety purely because of the name, and yes, I want two of them), Lycopodium clavatum (*looks sheepish because she thought they were extinct until a few weeks ago*) and Sciadopitys verticillata. Quite a few Lazarus taxa in there, which will be good fun. I'm also intrigued by proteas, and figure if I have Magnolia and Camellia I may as well have some proteas too. Wonder how many of them will be hardy...
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