Wannabe gardener

[Mad Dilys]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, both myself and my garden manager (he used to be Head Gardener at the Movenpick and gave garden tours there) have been talking about this for some time and we would be happy to participate.
By the way if you want a lovely Bird of Paradise Plant ask for Strelitzia Regina that's the gorgeous orange and blue job. It's a fairly modest size though expensive it's long lived. If someone suggests white Strelitzia be careful it's usually Strelitzia Nicolai, VERY expensive and is taller than a banana!
A Streptocarpus mentioned above is very beautiful, but I think it would be too delicate for the climate in Luxor. To me it looks like a cross between a Primula and a Gloxinia, very popular small house plants in the UK.
We are currently making our growing lists for next season and would love to hear other gardeners ideas, successes.................... and failures. That's how we all learn after all and I've have had a legion in my time.
Now is a good time to get started as it's too hot to do anything practical really, but we have a couple of months to prepare.

[Kevininabydos]

You are quite right Dylis I got my S's muddled, never was much good at the Latin. A streptacarpus is commonly called a Peruvian Primrose! (I would think it would be alright here in a shady corner though) I did of course mean Strelitzia, Bird of Paradise. There is a huge nursery in Nag Hammadi but they do sell the normal more easily got plants but sometimes have a few exotics available. If anyone wants the address just let me know.

[Robstarr]

We will add our vote of confidence for MD and her garden manager and cannot thank them enough for the help in constructing our garden shared with the Egypian family where we live.

The garden club would be a useful help and we can recommend a visit to MD 's nursery and garden.

[Mad Dilys]

Just in case you've missed it there is a thread running in Kitchen Corner about varieties of veggies to grow in Luxor.

[Mad Dilys]

We will add our vote of confidence for MD and her garden manager and cannot thank them enough for the help in constructing our garden shared with the Egypian family where we live.

The garden club would be a useful help and we can recommend a visit to MD 's nursery and garden.

Thanks Robstarr, I hope that you enjoy it.

[Ashtree0]

I'd love to see some photo's of some of your garden's in Egypt. My passion for photography is completely sidelined during summer when gardening completely takes over. Can someone also tell me if you need to use a soil improver in Luxor if you have that orangy clay soil? It really looks as though nothing would grow in it at all.

P brought back some Rehan (spelling?) seeds in March which I have now deduced is a variety of basil. It's beginning to come through now though some of the plants have died off - probably from overwatering. Also trying Okra this year and they are growing slowly but not sure whether they will produce anything.

The best investment I made before going on holiday for 2 weeks was an automatic sprinkler system from Aldi. I can't remember how much it cost but at least everything was alive when I came back - unlike last year when the responsibility was given to son number 2 who didn't water it as much as he should have!

Does anyone grow bougainvillea successfully in the UK - particularly in the North?

[Mad Dilys]

One of my more recent additions is lemon grass. I love it in cooking and it seems to be growing well. I see Thai dishes coming..............

[Jayway]

Lemon grass is called Cha Principe and my neighbours make a tonic tea with it. When I worked at the old peoples home I grew a lot to take for their afternoon tea - -