Thursday 21 July 2011

Brugmansia


Two of these chaps are dominating the Plant House currently, with their huge drooping flowers and wonderful scent! We are not certain of the species, but the common name is definitely Angel's Trumpet. These plants were a standard of the famous old glasshouses of Victorian England, and apparently the ladies while taking tea would hold their cups underneath the blooms. The nectar that dripped down into their brew acted as a mild stimulant, and doubtless livened up the conversation between those haughty old dears!

Angel's Trumpet

7 comments:

Pauline said...

You have made me think that I must try again because they are so gorgeous and the perfume absolutely wonderful. The only problem we have found is overwintering them when they get so huge !!

Helen O'Donnell said...

Hey Bertie! I always heard that these plants were poisonous! Great image of those old birds dipping in..

We had these plants in a garden in Washington and each fall we would dig them out, give them a serious root prune, and pot them up for the winter. Each summer they would double in size and put on their glorious show! Such a scent and even better at night time!

ShipMate said...

Ludrick, Glory days. Is that some chocolate cosmos bottom left??

Gardener in the Distance said...

Delightful flowers, Bertie, though I'm not sure I'd hold my tea-cup under one of them! What was it with the Victorians and out-of-body experiences?

Vesna Maric said...

My plants do not flower yet but it might be the drought that cause it. No matter how much I water them, they are ever so thirsty. Hungry too.
Obviously, the nectar is not poisonous as the rest of the plant and the ladies kept sane mind, or?

Dig Brooklyn said...

So that's why they were such old dears! They were obviously highly amused;-)

Bertie Bainbridge said...

I am unable to vouch for the toxicity of Brugmansia drippings in a cup of tea, having not tried it myself!

ShipMate - those plants in the bottom left are Aeonium 'Zwartkop'.

Bertie

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