The clivias are in flower at last! Large clumps of these hardy plants form the basis of my shade garden and they all flower at slightly different times and thrive or not according to how happy they are. One area in particular is beset by snails and they are decimating the blooms, but as an anti poison practitioner, the solution is hand picking and either throwing them onto the lawn for the birds or tossing them over the fence - the usual solution! Today they left thick slime in my palm by way of some small revenge - difficult to remove without the use of my other hand but interesting to get first-hand experience of how they glide so effortlessly across the roughest terrain.
I just love the boldness of these plants, with dark green, strappy leaves that are a feature on their own, and the gorgeously hued apricot of the blooms. Even the seed pods are a colourful addition to the sombre winter garden as they turn from green to scarlet. I harvest them each year, scattering a few among the existing plants and potting the rest for replanting or gifts in a few years' time. There are probably 70 or so plants self-propagated from the original 10 given to me by mother and sister. A gift of plants must be the most welcome for me.
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