Kniphofia Ember Glow
Kniphofia Ember Glow and also Lemon Popsicle. Great additions to the back garden with Ember Glow still blooming in October.
Red hot pokers, at one time as far as I can recall, there was no choice in the UK, just those large thick stemmed variety that would bloom in June, orange and yellow flowers, didn’t really like them and certainly wouldn’t have known them as Kniphofia.
In Aberdeen we tried growing the ones which I think of as new generation pokers. Didn’t have success, it may have been our soil or perhaps they did not like the cool Summers.
I often go on about the soil in our garden back in Aberdeen, what I probably have not mentioned, is the fact that we destroyed the structure of the soil.
How did we do that, well it was easy and completely due to ignorance.
When we moved in, back in 1985, the quite large garden was bare of plants, so the first thing was to improve the soil, a lot was made of the benefit gained by adding peat (heaven forbid) Well, we took this to the extreme, it had to be that rich dark peat., and wow it didn’t half make the borders look good,
We carried on doing this for quite some time, Rhododendrons grew well, at the time we didn’t really know why, Myra loved pinks (dianthus) well as you probably know, they just hate acidic soil.
It took some time for us to recognise the error of our ways and make amends. The experience made us all the more determined to create something special. Take a look at my link (our garden) at the top of the page for a peek at our Aberdeen garden
We ended up being extremely proud of it, but even after twenty eight years there was still reminders of the soil problem which we created.
Kniphofia Ember Glow in our Cheshire garden did not start to bloom until late August, We had the feeling that it was going to let us down, mainly because Lemon Popsicle started flowering in late June.
A little research would have let us know all was well.
Ember Glow has been very striking, we planted three of them together in the main border of the back garden, The blooms are a bright orange which stand out without looking gaudy. well perhaps that’s just my opinion. As they age, after several weeks, the lower part of the flower turns yellow.
Ember glow started blooming in late August and is still looking good in October.
The plant has a clump forming habit, the narrow sword shaped dark green foliage is evergreen.
When the clumps start to get too large, lift and divide in early Spring.
Some research shows this plant as having more yellow in the lower part of the bloom. Perhaps this is the case under certain conditions. Our plants are extremely orange, and I have no doubt as to the legitimacy of the form.
Height – – – 18 “/ 2ft
Hardiness – – – fully hardy
Bloom time – – – August/October
Position – – – full sun/ free draining soil enriched with garden compost
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Kniphofia Lemon posicle, all details just as Ember glow except for the colur and the bloom time, which in our garden was late June through till mid August.
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Back in late August we had a trip to Liverpool. Its about 35 miles from where we live, never been there before.
I was pleasantly surprised, the city centre is buzzing with quite stunning architecture. Large areas are traffic free with buskers young and not so young to keep you entertained.
A zip wire on one street had the more adventurous gliding down high above in a totally vertical position, made all the more exciting when for whatever reason one guy was left trapped, dangling in the middle, it took some time for him to be rescued.
We went on a ferry across the river Mersey, well, more up and down than across. The ferry, a real colourful, psychedelic affair which was clearly representing the swinging sixties, and yes, we sailed off to Gerry and the pacemakers singing (Ferry cross the Mersey)
The city, rightly so, still cashes in on their success of the sixties where so many pop stars of the time were discovered.
I was right in to all that stuff, having been born at a time which made my youth land smack bang at what was the greatest decade ever to be young.
First to come to mind is of course, The Beatles, The Searchers, Billy j Kramer, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy Fury, so many groups had success. One young working class girl from Liverpool introduced to Brian Epstein by John Lennon became an absolute smash hit and ended up dominating British light entertainment for over four decades ( Cilla Black)
Cilla, real name, Pricilla White was a cloakroom girl at the Liverpool cavern, and was often persuaded, being a bit of a singer to take the stage, never realising what lay ahead for her.
Cilla’s first smash hit was Burt Bacharach and Hal Davids (anyone who had a heart) It turned out to be the biggest selling British record by a female artist in the 1960s. This was a cover version of Dionne Warwicks US hit. As much as I liked Dionne Warwick, Cilla’s version was more punchy, dynamic, full of feeling and an all round better production. It is allegedly reported that miss Warwick was furious and she and Cilla forever remained rivals.
Cilla followed this giant success with (your my world) which was equally successful for the down to earth Liverpool singer, and was a minor hit in America. Cilla had a go at breaking into the American market without success, I guess they just didn’t get her.
When first introduced to the public she was prompted to posh up her scouse accent, this she did, but soon fell back to her home tongue, everybody loved her for it.
In 1965 Cilla was asked to sing the promotional song for the upcoming British movie (Alfie) starring Michael Caine and Shelley Winters. Seems like Cilla was in a, not very typical diva frame of mind and wasn’t keen to record a song with such a stupid title. However her manager Brian Epstein convinced her to do it. Cilla thought she would lay down some rules, she would only do it, if Burt Bacharach was to come to London and personally take charge.
Burt did just that and being a perfectionist,(understandably so) apparently had Cilla reduced to tears, some reports have the recording of the song with 18 takes, Burt has it at 31.
Burt was looking for that something special for Alfie, often describing it as one of his favourites. In ballad mode, Cilla totally nails it, the punchy stuff, well she could sound a bit shrill. In the closing credits of the film, its neither Cilla or Dionne Warwick who sings the title song, it is in fact Cher, in the American version, British version, some mention of Millicent Martin, a singer who had a part in the movie, not sure though? its well worth clicking on the image of Cilla to watch the story behind it all.
Sadly, Cilla died at her holiday home in Spain this year on the 1st of August. She had a bad fall and suffered severe head injuries.
Below, using my new found slider method, I have added a few pictures taken on our trip to Liverpool
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Informative post about Kniphofia Alistair, unfortunately as I always associated them with sun they are a big no-no for me, if you have a “hot” area I am sure they are ideal. One of the few things I can remember from my early years is that my father took me on the Liverpool overhead dock railway, known as the “Docker’s Umbrella” in 1954, just before it was closed. A burnt out liner was moored at one of the many docks which were still operating then. I have been back to Liverpool on many occasions over the years and there is no doubt, that along with many iconic buildings, that pubs like the Philharmonic have interior decor which is legendary, the beer isn’t bad either.
Rick, certain things just stick in your mind and stay with us forever. Just did a google search on dockers umbrella, very interesting to see all the pics from bygone days.
Hi Alistair, I think you just have confirmed that trying to grow all sorts of plants for all types of soil in the same garden is just not possible. I tried Kniphofia in my old garden too, twice. No success. But my camellias and Rhododendrons were very happy there. I could never grow dianthus either 🙂
Here in my new garden I might have the opposite problem, might struggle to keep the acid loving plants happy, but I might try Kniphofia again!
I understand Cilla Black was a British icon for many people, I have seen the TV series about her that went a couple of years ago. Never been to Liverpool though, it’s said to have the most Norwegian descendants in the whole of UK. That’s why they are called Scouse – comes from the Norwegian sailors’ favourite dish ‘Lapskaus’ or skaus/scouse. I used to make a very good Lapskaus, but just realised I haven’t made it since moving to London – that’s 16 years ago 🙂
Helene, great information on scouse, I intended looking it up and never got around to it.
Hello Alistair, my other half doesn’t like kniphofia but recently, we saw a mango-orange coloured one at a garden centre that we both liked so that particular one will be making an appearance. I’ve just found the picture I took for it and interestingly enough it’s called “Mango Popsicle”.
Sunil, I think mango popsicle is another in what is called the glow series.
You have powerful pokers! I never cared for poker plants until just this year when I actually saw them in a garden. They were stunning. Now I want some of my own.
I felt the same Deb, until I found this glow and popsicle series.
Hi Allistair, thanks for dropping by my site. I used to be a constant visitor to your posts in your old place, and has been here till after you transfered. Then i stopped blogging for a few months and i haven’t been peeping into your new garden since then. When i see these plants in temperate countries i love them but i didn’t know what they are, now i know but the name is so unfamiliar. I wish you named some of my NOID plants in my last post, hahaha!
Andrea, its easy to fall away from the blogging from time to time. My incentive is that I want to record every plant that we have ever grown.
So much to talk about Alistair…love the Ember Glow although I don’t grow it…looks so tropical to me. I grew up in Liverpool, NY which has ties to your Liverpool. And I grew up loving the British rock of the early 60s too. It is sad Cilla never did make it to America so we could hear her. Thanks for bringing her to us now.
Well,well, Liverpool in America! Didn’t know that Donna, mind you there is also an Aberdeen in the states, must look it up sometime. Cilla at the height of her success did go to America with her manager, She stayed for a number of weeks, got frustrated with her lack of success and came home before she was due to do so. Burt Bacharach has been over here doing some television appearances promoting some show which includes all of his past successes. Still sharp enough for an 87 yr old.
Your kniphofias look wonderful Alistair, I tried ‘Little Maid’ a couple of years ago but the slugs did for it, I never got to see it bloom. I may try again…
Glad you liked Liverpool, I lived there for a year and still love it dearly, the people are so friendly and it is such a vibrant city, with as you say, amazing architecture.
Janet, seems like Kniphofia can be temperamental, I will be keen to see how ours is next year.
Even on a short visit it was apparent that the people of Liverpool were indeed very friendly.
HI Alastair, I love red hot pokers, all colours, and have tried various species, but for some reason they didn’t like me. I enjoyed reading about Liverpool, and I am so impressed by your new slider photo technology! I have no idea how to do that.
Sue, along the way we find at times some plants that just don’t work for us, just as well we have plenty to choose from. The slide show is the result of applying a plugin named (Huge it slider) Easy to configure once installed.
I’m still impressed – easy when you know how!