I've admired exhibition chrysanthemums since I encountered my first ones as elements in my sister Kathy's wedding arrangements in 1969. To my young eyes, these bodacious blooms were amazing in their size and complexity. (They were creamy white irregular incurves and I always think of Kathy when I see them.) There was no local florist so flowers were flown in for special occasions.
It would be 8 years later that I first saw spider mums.
Perhaps when I have more time, like in retirement, I'll have a go at growing some of these in pots.
In my experience, the blooms on a lot of mums bought at nurseries/hardware stores for late summer/autumn decoration tend to ball up and get moldy when the autumn rains start. The benefit of growing these in pots would be that the blooms can be kept dry.
On the second Sunday of each month, there's live music at the conservatory.
Do you grow mums? Have you ever tried the exhibition types that require disbudding? Do you have a favorite form?
Of course there were other plants in bloom as well.
That's it for this month's Seymour stroll.
There are some mums that are hardy here but I don't think I've ever grown any. I would love to grow some of those spidery varieties; they are just glorious.
ReplyDeleteI've never tried growing exhibition style mums like these, but I used to have some Sheffield Pink mums with single pink daisies in my garden.
ReplyDeleteI love chrysanthemums. I want to try some of these. Thanks for these mouth-watering photos. Bottom picture, color of those in the back, you wouldn't happen to know the name, would you?
ReplyDeleteIt might be Crimson Tide. https://www.kingsmums.com/phpapps/km_showCultivars.php?subgrp=IIC&subgrpdesc=Irregular%20Incurve
DeleteYou are so lucky to have this conservatory close by. Oh, and I can't wait to see how many more projects you take on in retirement!
ReplyDeleteWe don't ever see exhibition-quality mums like those here, and I can't say why. Maybe those varieties do require a lot of coddling but you'd think we'd still see them in cut flower arrangements. I don't even recall seeing many in florist's shops.
ReplyDeleteThe link to King's Mums was overwhelming: so many varieties. Pacificum was the only one I ever tried to grow, unsuccessfully.
ReplyDeleteUntil you asked, I didn't think I had a favorite form, but I'm pretty sure that it's the spiders. I like the ones with fewer but thicker petals, curled at the ends. (Examples in the Kings listing: Coral Reef, Senkyo Kenshin.)
ReplyDeleteFor the garden, hardy singles all the way. I used to grow 'Sheffield Pink', and an un-named but beautiful butterscotch/amber single. Now I'd like to try the pale yellow 'Gethsemane Moonlight' that Plant Delights has been offering. (Just writing this publicly is almost guaranteed to jinx it, assuring it won't appear in their 2019 listing...)
Yum. I love all the forms and varieties of mums. I don't have a favorite. Mine, in recent years, have been rabbit food. But they keep trying to come back. It's such a treat to see orchids at conservatories at this time of year and through the winter. I need to remember that in January.
ReplyDeleteThose mums are wonderful. We have only grown the typical garden varieties. It seems hard to find hardy mums for gardens anymore.
ReplyDeleteThese are exceptional mums. I have never tried growing such a mum. My mum track record is not so good even on the common varieties. I love looking at them but I am not inclined to grow them. Maybe if I had a conservatory or greenhouse I would try them.
ReplyDeleteBright mums to brighten your winter day. I've started to avoid fussy plants in my own garden. The specimens at the conservatory are gorgeous and easier.
ReplyDeleteSpiders are my favorites, but all have merit. My least favorite is football, it is too heavy! Seeing your post makes me realize I missed our mum show this year, alas!
ReplyDeleteOh what fabulous chrysanths Peter. I've grown a few in the past but they have all been on the tender side and slowly disappeared :( Must have another try.
ReplyDeleteI don't grow mums but I'd love to visit this conservatory.
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