# First cypripedium bud



## roy bailey (Apr 27, 2016)

Hi 

I have recently developed a fascination for cypripediums and wanted to share my first success with you here. I have found so many of the posts here very helpful and I am grateful for all the information you all share. I have loads to learn and I look forward to sharing my successes and failures with you all.

In Wales we have just experienced the wettest and mildest winter on record with one nearby village experiencing rain for 90 days straight.
Some of my plants are in pots and some in a prepared woodland edge garden. I had thought all of the plants in the ground would be lost; however only 2 of 20 plants have yet to show. It has been a cold late spring but fingers crossed these will do okay and continue to make growth.
The plants in the pots have done okay and they were kept drier through the winter.

The photo I have hopefully attached shows my first flower bud of Sabine. I will post a picture of it in its full glory when it hopefully gets there.

Best wishes,

Roy


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## My Green Pets (Apr 27, 2016)

Congratulations Roy! I am still waiting for my first Cyp bloom.


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## NYEric (Apr 27, 2016)

Welcome to the forum from NYC. A lot of Cyps grow really wet. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted.


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## Linus_Cello (Apr 28, 2016)

NYEric said:


> Welcome to the forum from NYC. A lot of Cyps grow really wet. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted.



As long as there is good drainage, wet can be ok. Especially for cyps that are at the edge of their growing zones, wet helps I think with evaporative cooling (e.g. Cyp reginae in zone 6b/7a).


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## roy bailey (Apr 29, 2016)

Thanks for replies and welcome. Most of the plants that are in the woodland edge garden are hybrids. I have planted some species and these include Reginae album, Parviflorum var Parviflorum, Kentuckiense and Fasciolatum; these are up and growing away so far. The species that hasn't shown yet is Calceolus, although this is doing okay in pots. I have read that Calceolus can be difficult to establish and is prone to weaken over time. The irony here being that it is our only native species here in the UK and the one I would most like to succeed with.
I have made efforts to improve drainage and I am happy with the shade provided by the birch trees, as they provide a shade that is not too dark and in areas dappled.


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## SlipperFan (Apr 29, 2016)

Welcome to Slippertalk, Roy!


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## abax (May 1, 2016)

Welcome from KY. Can't wait to see all the wonderful
blooms.


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## roy bailey (May 2, 2016)

First bud starting to colour up not sure how long it will take till fully open I think cold weather is holding everything back.


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## monocotman (May 2, 2016)

Hi Roy,
Welcome from Cambridge uk. I grow a few cyps.
Keep,in touch,
David


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## roy bailey (May 2, 2016)

Thank you Abax and Dot. Hi David, thank you, your excellent cyps have inspired me and I hope to one day meet the standards you and others have set.


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## Migrant13 (May 2, 2016)

Welcome from Boston. I have one Cyp. hybrid (Cyp. 'Philipp' which is marcranthos x kentuckiense) planted outside two years ago and it is just emerging now. Anxious to see your bud open.


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## monocotman (May 3, 2016)

Roy,
with your cool climate you should be able to do very well with cyps.
They hate anything hot and over 25 degrees c.
Regards,
David


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## roy bailey (May 5, 2016)

Finally its opened not sure if it will get a little darker as it matures, I hope it stays like this.
Thanks migrant13 hope it goes well and please share picture if you can. 
Dave I think I am a little warmer than you being on the coast ?, but we get sea breezes every afternoon. I imagine if they can make growth next year I will have a chance of establishing the plants. Being new to there pots and the bed I know I am enjoying the fruits of their previous care at the moment. Dave I will share my set up at some point and you will recognise it as almost exactly the same as yours they say imitation is the biggest form of flattery.


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## abax (May 5, 2016)

That is one gorgeous flower already. I can't wait for it
to open completely. woohoo!


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## monocotman (May 6, 2016)

*cyp culture*

Roy,

good to hear of another cyp nut and I would love to see your set up.
Just be prepared for some disappointments along with the successes!
Some plants just have a death wish and no amount of TLC will help them survive.
You can avoid some of these disappointments by sticking mainly to the hybrids.
I lost maybe 12 plants last year as I had other issues to deal with and the plants were not tended quite as well as they should have been.
Anyway the survivors are growing well now that spring has finally arrived in the UK and I will start to post photos next week.

Regards,

David


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## roy bailey (May 6, 2016)

Hi Dave, I know you are right about growing mainly hybrids and have already lost a few of the species, However, I don't think I can resist them all together yet, a few more hits to the wallet and I will wise up a bit I am sure.

Sorry to here about the losses and I am glad your getting back on track with your plants. I have enjoyed the photographic summaries of your seasons and looking forward to seeing how your season progresses.

Most of my plants have just a couple of small shoots and it all seems a little precarious at the moment. I will be relieved to get them through another winter and hopefully see an increase in buds.

The woodland edge garden has been created in my place of work and most of the plants there seem okay, I am surprised at how small some of the plants are and how slowly they have developed. I imagine this has been the affect of the cold spring, they got covered in hail a couple of times last week. The weather has warmed so maybe an increase in growth can begin.

At the moment it looks like the next plant to flower will be an Aki light so all going well I will have another picture to post soon . Cheers Roy.


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## roy bailey (May 8, 2016)

abax,I thought that was open so here it is my first cyp fully open.


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## roy bailey (May 9, 2016)

This plant Aki pastel has produced 2 flowers.


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## abax (May 10, 2016)

Oh my, both are just gorgeous and look so healthy. I'm
saving my pennies for those Cyps. at White Flower Farm.
I'm inspired!


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## Linus_Cello (May 10, 2016)

abax said:


> Oh my, both are just gorgeous and look so healthy. I'm
> saving my pennies for those Cyps. at White Flower Farm.
> I'm inspired!



Why White Flower Farm? Cheaper at http://www.hillsidenursery.biz/


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## KyushuCalanthe (May 12, 2016)

Lovely color, though I wonder if the first flower isn't Sabine?


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## roy bailey (May 12, 2016)

Hi Tom, could have easily got some muddled up, the others labelled Sabine are nearly through and the Sabine planted in the ground has produced very small flowers. It seems part of the fun trying to work out what you have especially with the hybrids. Some here say only 80% of there plants arive properly labelled. 

The parviflorum are now through so have attached a picture. I am so happy with these, the ones in pots have produced 2 or 3 flowers and the ones in the ground about the same. I would be delighted if these made further growth next year.


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