News &c
Malvern springs π¬π§ The lineup for the Malvern Spring Show's houseplant festival from May 9-12 has been announced, and it's a stonker - not just because I am going to be there! If you want to meet me there, I'll be around all day on May 11 and 12. Details here.
Crisp pods πΊπΈ π¨π¦ π¬π§ I'm delighted to say I have a backlog of planty podcasts to listen to right now: top of the agenda are Darryl Cheng (aka @houseplantjournal) on American garden writer Margaret Roach's podcast A Way To Garden, where he's talking about his new book The New Plant Collector. I am also downloading Hoya grower extraordinaire Doug Chamberlain's interview on episode 41 of the Let's Talk Hoya podcast. I also heard about a new podcast The Underground - although it's not specifically about indoor gardening, it's worth a mention. It's aimed at the professional horticulturist, and described as "a place where the disparate world of horticulture and marketing collide".
Full house π¬π§ North Wales Begonia and Streptocarpus specialist nursery Dibleys has joined UK growing collective Horti House. You can read more about the new relationship here. According to its website, Horti House is "on a mission to make British, peat-free plants the gold standard": it's interesting to note that peat isn't mentioned in the presser about Dibleys, though lots of Dibleys' other admirable sustainability credentials are, including planting trees and a biomass boiler. I believe Dibleys' commercial substrate has - up to now anyway - been peat-reduced rather than peat-free. I am a massive fan of Dibleys but I have been hoping they are moving towards a peat-free growing regime. That said, I am aware that switching to peat-free is not the same for a large commercial nursery as it is for you and me: years of research and experimentation are required. It will be interesting to see where Dibleys go next.
Gone, wild πΊπΈ Wildewood plant shop in Madison, Wisconsin has announced plans to close after six years in business. Owner Kate has not listed a date for the closure yet but encourages customers to pay a visit while the store remains open.
Small claims ππ° How annoyed am I that Saxifraga stolonifera - a plant I have been championing for years - is finally getting some traction via a variety I do not own and know very little about? Only a little. Saxifraga stolonifera 'Micro' has been popping up online for a while now and I had rather dismissed it as a scam but on further investigation, it does appear to be a miniature form/variety/cultivar of the strawberry saxifrage. It's seemingly not available in the UK at present but can be bought from My Home Nature in Hong Kong. I am not that bothered about a tiny strawberry saxifrage because terrariums aren't my thing but I am desperate for 'Shichihenge' which is at least being propped by UK nursery Growild at the moment. I have asked Growild if they know anything about the micro Saxifraga and will let you know what I find out. If you want to find out more about Saxifraga stolonifera generally (it's one of our oldest houseplants, interestingly) there is a whole chapter in my book Legends of the Leaf. As a side note, perhaps I should have realised that the strawberry saxifrage had 'made it' because IKEA seem - according to this reel from IKEA US anyway - to sell plastic ones.
Green learning πΊπΈ I've got nothing against terrarium workshops, but I am glad to see that some houseplant businesses are offering something else in the workshop line. For instance Sprout Home Chicago is offering a series of five houseplant lectures, covering houseplant basics, orchid care, carnivorous plants, cactus and succulent care and propagation how-toβs. Details here.
Delicious devil? πΉπ Monstera 'Devil Monster' is the latest unicorn aroid to come out of Thailand. Its skinny, skeleton-like outline and super pale variegation may appeal to some - and those with deep pockets, given that it reportedly sold for nearly $40,000 - but I think it looks bang average. I'd rather have the plain green species any day. What do you think?
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