Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

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Paul in Essex
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Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Paul in Essex »

As many of you will know my interest in cacti and succulents is using them in the context of the garden and landscape, which I have been doing in my current and previous gardens for around 30 years.

I volunteer at Hyde Hall and for many years have been badgering the staff there that they should up the spiky plant levels in the dry garden. They already have a scant few and, seeing those, my thoughts have been 'if you grow X then you can grow W, Y and Z, too'. My naggig paid off and a couple of years ago - possibly just to shut me up - the curator and some of the head gardeners agreed to visit my garden.

Suffice to say it blew their minds and the curator Rob Brett is now really keen to try some more succulent plants and I am thrilled that they have asked me to come on board for some guidance based on what I have been doing here. Although the winter temperatures there are a little colder compared to mine I am familiar enough with the climate there over the years to make some confident suggestions.

Of course then COVID happened, staff were furloughed, funding was drastically cut, everything was side-lined.

However, last week we had a meeting and will be slowly picking up where we left off. Change is something that happens at a glacial pace within the RHS but there is one particular area they are keen to plant up in the short term. There are some lovely new buildings on the hill top that are configured in such a way as to give a rectangular courtyard open to the south and with deep overhanging eaves – especially on the south-facing wall. The microclimate there is excellent, the overhanging eaves keep the bed really dry, even in heavy rain, light levels are great and – with a heated corridor just behind – the cold is mitigated to a large extent.
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HH2.jpg

The plan is to start sourcing some plants over this coming year, change the growing media in the planting beds autumn/winter 2022/23 for planting spring 2023. I am so excited by this. Especially that the staff there are completely up for it – growing such unusual plants, pushing some boundaries and planting for a changing climate.

My input is mainly with regard to plant choices – I have a list of things to look out for and specifically on the list are Trichocereus terscheckii and pasacana. I have grown both of these here successfully for many, many years and believe that the sheltered south facing border at Hyde Hall is just the perfect spot to grow one (or more!) alongside some other equally exotic but contrasting succulent plants.

One of my other tasks is to help source plants so, with that in mind, I am posting here to see if anyone has – or knows someone who has – any large columnar cacti that have outgrown their greenhouse and would be prepared to find them a new home at RHS Hyde Hall? These would be the hardest plants to find commercially. Do please ask around, it would be fantastic to see an otherwise struggling plant given a new lease of life!
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Patrick
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Patrick »

You can find things like that in garden centres in the Algarve sometimes, but I know that isn't what you were thinking of....

There are though obviously places in the Iberian peninsular to source large plants but that's a different story for the budget.
Patrick. Small varied collection of North American, Mexican and Andean Cacti. Variegated Agaves and Echeveria. Developing a succulent garden in Portugal. Joined Somerset BCSS and forum in 2007.
Davey246
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Davey246 »

Cacti would be a stretch, but succulents that have outgrown their welcome come up infrequently but regularly on all of the usual sites - FleaBay, Gumtree, Freecycle etc. etc. etc.
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juster
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by juster »

This sounds a marvellous project Paul, and the location sounds ideal. Well done for generating such enthusiasm in the RHS. I’m sure there must be suitable columnar cacti available in various collections, I will ask around locally.
Croydon Branch member, growing mainly cacti and Echeverias
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Paul in Essex
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Paul in Essex »

Thank you - yes, do please ask around. They would be going to a good home.

There are several places in the Netherlands where it is possible to buy large specimens off the shelf but post Brexit the whole process is so much more expensive. I think an elderly plant from a private collection is the best way to go - I've been the lucky recipient of two huge old Trichocereus pasacana that outgrew their respective homes. :smile:
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Tony K
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Tony K »

That is really exciting news Paul and good luck with the project.

I had wondered why they had not tried more such plants as the few they have, Agave, Dasylirion, Aloe striatula for example have done very well indeed in the dry garden. I did wonder if behind the scenes it was the fruits of your persuasion that had resulted in the Dasylirion for example having been planted a few years back.

Even based on a tiny fraction of what you have cultivated so well in your own garden, the scope to add more similar plants into the expanded dry garden area is pretty big. The initial spot you mention is ideal as you say for pushing that border experiment a bit further, very sheltered by the new building.

Can't wait to see how this develops and best of luck sourcing plants for what would be a good home that you can still go and see the plants you might have donated in future years.
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Paul in Essex
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Paul in Essex »

Thanks Tony!
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Patrick
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Patrick »

Paul, I saw a rather nice pachycereus in a garden centre in the Algarve this morning, at least 2.50m tall and €450 :eek: i. Something like that would look impressive, a shame the budget isn't there :wink:
Patrick. Small varied collection of North American, Mexican and Andean Cacti. Variegated Agaves and Echeveria. Developing a succulent garden in Portugal. Joined Somerset BCSS and forum in 2007.
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Paul in Essex
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Paul in Essex »

Nice. Sadly it wouldn't look impressive for long, either, as they are pretty tender. In our climate, anyway. I lost one just last winter in a covered bed - so dry - that didn't go below around -2.5C.
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Paul in Essex
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Re: Columnar cacti for RHS Hyde Hall

Post by Paul in Essex »

Just giving this topic a little nudge to the top in case anyone hasn't seen it :)
www.oasisdesigns.co.uk

Exotic garden design.
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