BCSS - Forum

This Tuesday 19th March, Paul Spracklin is talking about gardening with succulents! Hopefully it will inspire us all to try growing more out of doors. There is a £2.50 charge to attend which includes free tea and biscuits. A great chance to share experiences and learn more. Regular monthly meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month (except December’s meeting). All visitors welcome.
7.00pm for 7.30pm start at:

Winterbourne House & Garden
University of Birmingham
58 Edgbaston Park Road B15 2RT
(In classrooms behind...entrance immediately beyond Winterbourne carpark entrance)

We dont show plants at present but you are always welcome to bring plants to show off...perhaps something in flower.... or ask questions about. I am bringing a few cuttings to give away and have a few large bulbine plants, hottentot fig, aloe arborescens and lampranthus to sell. The first two are hardy (ish).
Plant sales are a bonus and we also have a great cacti library that can be used by members.

Are you going to share any tips on social media? We put our plants outdoors for summer. I'm about to start a thread for suppliers of hardy succulents that can be planted out all year. We have some already but need a lot more as we have replaced our cottage garden with an arid style / Beth Chatto gravel style garden.

Hi...Ill take notes and Ill ask Paul if we can share some of his key ideas on what works for him.

Paul Spracklin's talk about Gardening with succulents was really informative and he had some very good slides. His Essex garden looks amazing. The list of hardy plants that he grows is lengthy. Some of the oldest plants have a cover of some form as they are of historic value, decades old. Most are uncovered but are grown in free draining substrate. (Covered from snow)Some of the cacti are very large. Groups include barrel type cacti,(Soehrensia); Echinoosis oxygona, trichocerous tarijensis and pasacana, bromeliads, opuntias eg scheerii, agaves eg montana; aloes eg hercules; mesembs such as delosperma and lampranthus, nolina and yucca. I was surprised about Faucaria being hardy. Some aenoniums eg simsii and spathulatum.
He was keen to emphasise try growing plants that come from cooler parts eg high altitude, have good drainage..eg 80% grit, air circulation and winter protection especially from UK soft wet snow.

thanks.

And thank you!

A big thank you to everyone at the branch. You all made me feel very welcome when I visited last month for the talk by Paul Spracklin. All things being equal I will see you again next week for the talk on the Rebutia group.

Thanks Tim