vygies / mesems

[tegwini]

My favourite plant - vygies - a South African plant, jewel-like coloured flowers, pinks, reds, mauves, orange  & etc.   They are tough and drought proof,  and can cope with frost.   It can get to  -10c  in Johannesburg.   I am planning to put them on a SW facing slope where I have some huge rocks.   They look super on rockeries.   They are also easy to propagate and it is easy to break bits off and push them into the ground and they invariably grow.   I may be a bit of an optimist attempting these in the Vienne, but I am hoping that the large trees will provide some shelter in the winter - and I am not paying anything for the plants.

Has anyone come across any growing in France?

Regards

Tegwini

ps I am hoping a little picture will appear - if I have managed to do it correctly!   if not I shall have another go.

[Postie]

Hi Teg

Vygies are mesembryanthemums (spelling) & yes they do grow here in France. Don't have any ourselves, but our neighbour does & he leaves them out all winter. They are flowering now & are a picture! 

Good luck

Mrs Postie

[tegwini]

Crumbs, Mrs Postie you ARE fast! (faster than we get in our village in Wilts).

Much prefer 'vygies' as a name, the alternative is hard to say let alone spell.  I grew them in the mid 60s on a rockery & really miss them. Where are you & has your neighbour anything special, say sheltered position, facing south etc which allows them to grow?  I researched them a little, and was told they were unlikely to grow or survive.  Does the neighbour have them in the ground & are they growing as perenials ?

But it's super to hear someone has managed to grow them.   Tried again to put a picture here & couldn't - how do you do it ?

Regards

Tegwini

 

[Postie]

Hi Tegs

Speed has nothing to with being a postie - I think it's the African blood that just makes us rush around like loonies most of the time! Anyway about the vygies - we live in the south Vendee near Lucon & our neighbour's got them growing near his gate as a perenial, in front of a south facing wall. I don't think they get much special attention at all. I'd send you a pic, but like you I can't get photobucket to work. The oldest offspring arrives on Wed. so I may ask him to sort it out for me. I will post a pic if we can get it to work. This of course, will only be done after the obligatory beer & braaivleis have been dispensed with!

Regards

Mrs Postie

[tegwini]

Thanks Mrs P

I intend to have a go in the Vienne which I think is colder in the winter....But they are tough, and will have some shelter from trees, and their proposed home is on a slope so that should create the dry soil environment they need.   I have also a large box of daffs which I plan to plant too.   A bit unorthodox here too as I recently dug them out, probably too early, but had to, and will cross fingers that they will eventually flower.

Great surprise to hear of so many hairy-backs & 'when we's' in France.  We usually have a braai & often take wors to France too.

I still plan to post a picture & have some info from Clair, but like you I am still uncertain if it will work.

Lekker blaie!

Tegwini

[Postie]

Well, veels geluk met die vygies! I believe gardening either works for you or it doesn't. If you want to try something - go for it, what have you got to lose (except maybe a few quid). Going to give biltong a go this year - have a great recipe but never got round to it in England - usually too wet! Will let you know how it goes. I will also try to post some pics when I can make head or tail of it all.

Mrs Postie,

[tegwini]

Dankie Mrs P!

I tried to post some pics to cheer gardeners up on a cold, wet, grey weekend (it's rained cats & dogs here in Wilts), but I couldn't manage to do that.

Somehow I managed the flowers here,  the 'avatar' but they are not vygies but are Livingstone daisies,(Dorotheanthus bellidiformis) very pretty, but not as tough as vygies and are annuals.  I hope not to spend too much on vygies & am considering asking  Mother-in-law to bring some cuttings.  Hope sniffer dogs don't think she has some dagga or something!!!    They will cope with the cold in the hold. Either that or seeds.  I'll let you know if I have any success.

Making billies is supposed to be easy- the drying bit is most important.  I don't eat it any more, but husband is a right glutton  & can't get enough of it.  He's hoping his Mum will bring some from Kimberley where she lives.  She thinks 22c is cold!

Keep well

Tegwini

[Postie]

Please let me know how you get on with the seeds - have tried a number of times but no luck! Your ma-in-law is right, 22c is cold in SA. At that temp. the entire SA population is wearing their whole wardrobe! I might not manage billies either, has been wet here for days as well. Not a great deal of sun about recently.

Cheers Mrs Postie