Rachel's Journal

rachel , i never put my banana out it is far too windy. my brother(of the baby bananas leaves his out all summer. his garden is very sheltered but the banana doesnt do as well as mine . i put the brugmansia out ,it lost a few leaves but is toughening up now and looking much greener. hope it does all right. your gloriosa is way ahead of mine looking spectacular. mine is only in bud now. must look out for more tubers next year in aldi or was it lilds?hpe to see you soon but between work and family staying i dont have a minute. my aunt in moss cottage bunclody is still waiting for my visit. promise after next night duty i will call and thanks for your invitation. hope to see you in mullingar.

Rachel I have seen a Datura outdoors in Wicklow in a very sheltered spot in summer and it has survived. Just make sure to take it in before the eveniong start to get cold again.

Thanks for taking the time to reply, Mary & Michael. Mary, the bananas are still okay event though it is windy out there. I don't expect to be able to grow banana fruit myself (we don't all have your green fingers) so I would be happier to see them out. I do expect to loose some leaves but can live with that. Apparently an image in Japanese poetry is that of the banana leaves breaking in the spring. Not so appealing to me. Wish I had a nie sheltered garden.

Autumn, not spring. The poet Basho took his pen-name (Basho) from a type of banana - hence Musa basjoo (which is just a Dutch spelling of 'basho'). We have one over by the circle. Norman (Rachel's hubby)

I live in Dublin and usually weather is mild enough but I STILL wouldn't take the chance of leaving my brugmansia outdoors. I did it a few years ago and it started to look really bedraggled. I did everything to look after it but to no avail. Eventually it gave up the ghost. Mind you, I'd still buy another one. Flowers are just so 'to-die-for'.

OK, thanks, Jacinta.

I agree Rachel unless you have really good shelter (unlikely in your site for a while, like myself) then they'll just get battered, might try my Musa Basjoo outside but try to place in against a bit of shelter from the serious winds.