What are your all-time best plant achievements?

[longk]

So what are the plant achievements that you are proudest of?

Probably the top of my list is getting Tacca chantrieri to bloom...............
Tacca chantrieri - Bat Flower by longk48, on Flickr

Not just into bloom but two stems as well..................
Tacca chantrieri - Bat Flower by longk48, on Flickr

I'm rather proud of my seed grown Strelitzia reginae too...........
Strelitzia reginae by longk48, on Flickr

I am rather pleased when Mackaya bella blooms as it can be a tricky plant to bloom here..............
Mackaya bella by longk48, on Flickr

 

[zigs]

Cor, nice one Lonk

Not as good as yours but pleased with these

 

[Sean Regan]

Probably getting this acer palmatum to survive for thirty-three years. Not much more than a "stick," when we bought it, (the left of the two just beyond the little pond, it's still in that position)
In its time it's been trained, pruned and generally neglected. It cost only a few pounds in a garden centre.

Not quite total neglect, it gets a feed of water contaminated with koi poo, (as does the other one and our acid loving azaleas and rhodos each week), when I have to use a wet n' dry vac to clear the dregs in the bottom of the adjacent pool pump sump, (the cover is visible in the photo below), This after purging when the drain pump won't clear the last couple of gallons. It also gets a mist spray of water, mid-day in very hot weather.

I was aghast a couple of years ago when we saw one of a similar age and size though not as well trained, in a big tub in Bent's Garden Centre, marked up at £3,000. Ours must be nearly 10ft in diameter.

This other one, half its age (cost £50 in B&Q) is also doing well, so I must be getting something right!

Come to think of it, that wisteria I trained isn't doing too bad either.

 

[Tetters]

@longk I'm in awe at some of the plants you have shown us, and haven't even heard of some of them. The Tacca chantrieri is amazing

I think my best achievement was the flowering of the Davidii in my avatar. I really didn't expect to see it happen in my lifetime, as it is supposed to be so very slow growing. When I first noticed the bracts I was like a five year old at Christmas.
I bow to your expertise.

 

[Daren]

really love the look of them black bat plants well done on flowering it longk last year. I was really Happy to Flower a red rocket Echeim

I've Always loved crocosmia Lucifer In my Garden As it just flowers in mass every year & I now seam to have close to a 1000 of bloomes and all from one small pack of corms about 10 years back

Roses on the back of my van when I Tie them back are nice some years

Too other achevments I'm always pleased with is getting my Bannana plant through winter & Getting Caster oil plants to germinate from last years seed They end up taller than me in a matter of month's as I just feed them Like crazy (more fun than Sunflowers

 

[longk]

Not as good as yours but pleased with these

It's impossible not to love Echinopsis! Mine only went into the greenhouse for this last cold spell.

I was aghast a couple of years ago when we saw one of a similar age and size though not as well trained, in a big tub in Bent's Garden Centre, marked up at £3,000.

It's amazing what they can get away with in some of the large GC's!

I think my best achievement was the flowering of the Davidii in my avatar. I really didn't expect to see it happen in my lifetime, as it is supposed to be so very slow growing. When I first noticed the bracts I was like a five year old at Christmas.

Davidia involucrata is one of my favourites! They have a large one at Oxfords botanic gardens which looks fantastic in bloom.

I was really Happy to Flower a red rocket Echeim

The only Echium that I've ever flowered was E.candicans.

I'm always pleased with is getting my Bannana plant through winter

I can't even get them through the winter in the garage!

 

[longk]

I was as chuffed as punch with my Swainsona formosa in 2017. It was doing fine in the greenhouse until the Beast From The East arrived..........
Swainsona formosa by longk48, on Flickr

Swainsona formosa by longk48, on Flickr

 

[Tetters]

Ah hah @longk - that's the ''Sturt's desert pea'' I've seen on one of your previous posts somewhere or another ennit ??
(The Australian plant )
I did manage to grow some Kangaroo paw a few years ago, but wasn't too successful with the desert pea

 

[longk]

Ah hah @longk - that's the ''Sturt's desert pea'' I've seen on one of your previous posts somewhere or another ennit ??

It is and you did see it elsewhere!

I did manage to grow some Kangaroo paw a few years ago

I had a couple of nice potfuls of A.manglessii and A.flavidus in 2017. The winter saw them off with powdery mildew.
I must sow some more.

 

[Daren]

longk that Swainsona Formosa was a lovely plant sorry you lost it. I can see the attraction in growing them. I've never Grown one But one day when The opportunity arises I want too lovely plant.

 

[alp]

I was as chuffed as punch with my Swainsona formosa in 2017. It was doing fine in the greenhouse until the Beast From The East arrived..........
Swainsona formosa by longk48, on Flickr

Swainsona formosa by longk48, on Flickr

Amazing - so different, exotic! Wow!

 

[longk]

longk that Swainsona Formosa was a lovely plant sorry you lost it. I can see the attraction in growing them. I've never Grown one But one day when The opportunity arises I want too lovely plant.

Easy from seed. Order fresh seed from Oz if possible and at all times avoid root disturbance as much as possible.

 

[Arden Sage]

Wow and WOW!!! No wonder you feel so proud of your achievements; stunning, I say!
Not being an established/learned gardener, I remain proud of my humble grass growing! Mock ye not ... that is no small achievement when you have hens and a dog.