No, I haven’t been on a short break trekking in the Andes, this photograph was taken yesterday in exotic North Devon. This is Brugmansia sanguinea, a glamorous member of the Solonaceae family, relative of the potato, tomato and aubergine. The Red Angel Trumpet is tougher than it looks, although it will crumple dramatically if frosted, like an Edwardian lady having an attack of the vapours. It will often recover from its “funny turn” especially if you have remembered your protective mulch or fleece. We are of course in the balmy South West where we wear Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops all year round so some of you tough Northerners with your cloth caps and whippets may struggle. The other option is to keep it in a pot and transfer it inside for the cold months. The reward is “stop you in your tracks” spectacular, brightening a rainy autumn day.
Who needs to go trekking when living/gardening in such a generous climate? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is beautiful. I used to grow this and laboriously dug it up and put it in the greenhouse each winter until it got too big for me to lug around. But it occurred to me that it was a waste of effort because as we don’ t live in flipflop land here in East Anglia, the wretched thing would start to get its flowers and look amazing just days before the first frosts would come and absolutely ruin it. You soft Southerners in your hawaiian shirts have it easy.
By the way I come from Yorkshire and you forgot to mention that we keep coal in the bath.
LikeLike
I always thought as much! (I am being braver than you could imagine – my mum is from Yorkshire too!)
LikeLike
It is grim up north. I have been there at least once. Some of the people that live there put cheese on their Christmas cake, which says it all really. Goodness knows what they’d do with a Brugmansia (hopefully not eat it with anything or they’d be very very poorly!).
LikeLiked by 1 person
Very odd! Mind you my friend (cornish) used to fry Christmas pud for breakfast. 🙂
LikeLike
No dish involving Christmas pudding could be wrong in my book! Perhaps she mistook it for black pudding?
LikeLiked by 1 person