Grevillea Robusta

[hakunamatata]

Has anybody got one of these?  I bought one the other day and hope it will withstand the wind and the frost we get down here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grevillea_robusta

[ukhostland]

Hi,

I have grown this as a house plant in the UK and seen it used in municiple summer bedding schemes in France, but never as a perminantly planted shrub / tree.

No doubt others will correct me if they have more experience of Grevillea robusta, but in all but the most protected conditions I'd say you were pushing your luck....even in the Minervoir

Good luck,

Colin

[hakunamatata]

Thank you Colin, how nice to meet a real gardener!  Do you think I should dig Grevillea up and put it in a pot or should I leave it outside in the ground until the autumn?  It was'nt expensive so perhaps it is worth the risk.  Incidentally, I had a look at your Blog which was very interesting.  I have found one or two mail order garden suppliers who offer guarantees and indeed I have used Jacques Briant several times and received new plants or credit where ones have failed.  Delbard offer a 2 year guarantee on fruit trees and one year on most other plants.  I do agree with you that garden centres in France are a bitter disappointment as is potting compost! Still we soldier on and most things at the moment seem to be growing, if only it would warm up a bit.  My garden is very new and sits on a bed of clay which, in the summer is like concrete.  I will follow your Blog with interest.

[ukhostland]

Hi and thanks for all that.

I'm in two minds: leave it and pray or pot it up and hide it out of the cold over winter. On balance I think the latter if you have somewhere appropriate. How we miss our conservatory and greenhouse! We do have an old Victorian metal conservatory on the north side of our house, with a tree fern as the only living occupant at the moment.

Colin