My giants are well and truly awake!

On 04 March, I wrote about my rhubarb and Gunnera manicata plants waking up at the end of winter, contrasting the characteristics and growing conditions of the two plants. The post was entitled ‘Sleeping giants (and a little one) awaken)’.

Well, I can now tell you that they are both truly awake and growing FAST!

1. Rhubarb or Rheum x hybridum

Just take a look at the HUGE lush, healthy leaves of my rhubarb plant! I will start harvesting the stems soon to make a rhubarb crumble. Nice with custard.

Rhubarb

Rheum x hybridum

2. Gunnera manicata

After a few false starts (frost got at some early shoots), my Gunnera plant is growing fast. It is about 1.5m tall. The big leaf in the photo below is wider than the length of my entire arm - and there’s a lot more growing to do between now and the autumn. It’s only early May! Gunnera manicata thrives in wet soil. And that’s exactly where I’ve planted it - in part shade in the wettest spot on my wettest plot towards the bottom of the allotment site.

Gunnera manicata

A Gunnera leaf!