About the Plants and Seeds
In my spare time I grow all sorts of South African plants as well as other succulent plants from around the world.
I buy seed in wholesale quantities - grow what I have space for and then auction
off the rest. The seed is always from the latest harvest as I buy in
regularly throughout the year. I also harvest seeds from plants in my
collection and will generally auction off any spare that I have. 2007 was
another good year for seed production in my greenhouse, hence the number
of unusual varieties I was able to offer. I hope 2008 will prove likewise.
I have three greenhouses which hold various parts of my collection, two are heated and one is not. I have a total of 400 sq ft under glass, which is a relatively small amount and never seems to be enough for the collection I have, but with almost half my garden covered with greenhouses I will not be expanding for a while yet.
I have been experimenting with plants that only minimum winter protection
that will bring a touch of tropics to the garden. Such plants include those of the Acacia family, with their showy flowers - many of which are fully hardy down to Zone 7, the Aloe family - which with some protection from the wet will survive temperatures of -10 Deg C (mid teens
Fahrenheit) and (although not from Africa) Agaves - again capable of surviving low temperatures as long as they are not kept in overly wet conditions.
The results are extremely encouraging and I have seen flowers on plants that
have doggedly refused to 'perform' in the past. Aloe, Agaves and many
others, thrive in these conditions and put on floral displays (the Aloes at
least) the like of which I have not seen before.
I am starting a range of South African bulbs (most people don't realise that
much of the late flowering garden bulbs originate from South Africa).
These are hardy (in the sense that they are lifted after they have died down and
stored frost free) and give a fantastic display of late summer colour to any
garden. In time I hope to offer plants from my own sowings to customers in
the UK and Europe.
I have begun to grow Jatropha curcas plants, this is a really interesting
species as the oil from it's seeds needs only to be filtered through a fine mesh
and can then be used as a bio-diesel. This is generating intense interest
worldwide and gives a real alternative to fossil fuels that does not impact on
food production (as is the case with ethanol from grain production - forcing
food prices to soar).
I only sell what I have had experience of growing, so the instructions I provide are based on practical experience. Any questions about the cultivation of any of the items I am listing or have listed can be directed to me at Scampton Succulents.
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