Here's a new thread! We are getting down to late veggies and fruits, dahlias and begonias, naked lady flowers etc. That makes everything in the August/early September garden a treasure. Here is a ligularia blooming in the shade.
We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1014457/
This is my Justicia carnea 'Huntington'
Before this spring, I had no idea they were capable of getting this big!
The hummingbirds just love it. Here in zone 9b, if I stay on top of dead heading them, they keep blooming up until sometime in January when it finally gets cold enough here to freeze. This guy is in a 15 gallon pot and there are three 5 gallons around the base.
I'd never seen Justicia before pedrick. It's really lovely. Nice fuchsias too.
Doss, that is a very interesting little wall you have there. Did you make that? And what is growing on it?
I had the wall built. It surrounds my entire yard and would have been way to big a job for me. I think that you are talking about the creeping jenny that is draping over the wall. There are hostas lining the top wall. Just noticed that there was a hosta blooming in that photo too.
PC, that Justicia carnea 'Huntington' is beautiful. Can't say I have heard of it before. You are a little milder, weatherwise, there. Wonder how it likes hot dry wind and some occasional freezing. Have you ever planted them in the ground?
Back in my days in a retail nursery in Capitola, we only grew them as houseplants. I don't have room in the house for houseplants other than my dendrobiums and fibrous can begonias. So they all have to live outside. I think this guy has been able to survive freezing weather that has killed lantanas, hybiscus, and hydrangeas, because it is next to the house. I have never put one into the ground, but I think I'd have to if it was going to have to deal with hot dry wind! The leaves are so big. They don't get as big or as purple when they are grown out in the sun like the ones in the back. But those grow denser and get really covered with blooms. Here is one of those.
DH and I took a tour of KC's garden when in O'side last weekend on business. We had a great time seeing KC and her DH. He really did a spectacular job on that beautiful breeze way. I was able to get some photos of her garden.
I probably got the name wrong, but this sweet blue flower really caught my eye. It's a salvia, isn't it? Help me out here, KC.
I'm still taking every opportunity to learn more about taking photos with the new camera, so here is a close up of the same blue flowers.
This would be photo # 3 of KC's garden. No matter how many times she has told me, I still can't remember the name of these guys. Or maybe girls? They are pink and yellow? Hmmm.
Plumeria.
A California Poppy! Talk about micro-climates! I haven't seen a CA poppy around here for months!
Is this an epi? Well I really liked the color. It made the whole plant "pop".
Looky here!
Oh, that blue salvia is to DIE!
Guarantica, I think? If so, unfortunately, it's literally "to die" in my garden/zone in the winter. And I can't afford to replant the darn things every year, because they're never available in anything but 1-gal (expensive) sizes! Anyone grow them succesfully from seed?
You might ask wcgypsy, I think KC said she got all of her salvia from her.
Sorry for the delay, ES made dinner for his GF, and I wanted to say goodbye to her.
This is from KC's garden too! I'm pretty sure it's an epi? Anyway, I hope that KC gets a photo of it when it blooms.
Look at her pond! The pretty pink water lillies I gave her are blooming. Mine haven't since Spirit discovered the pond was more fun (smelly) than his pool. Yuck!
You can even see the gold fish. At least one school of them. I saw more.
Then there is this beautiful red canna at the end of the pond. Her little oasis!
She doesn't think so, but her garden is just gorgeous! She's got good bones on her garden and it will only grow in beauty as the garden matures. : - )
I couldn't resist taking a close up of the canna.
This Dragonfly kept coming back to this one reed, across the width of the pond from us. I got lots of photos of him.
Also saw a blue damselfly, a sulpher yellow butterfly and an orange butterfly. They didn't stay still long enough for me to get their photos. : (
I'm not sure what this plant is, but it was growing in KC's pond.
See?
I like these four leaf clover like water plants. And what are the ones that are completely submerged called?
Look at this beautiful yellow water lilly!
This one was so pretty, interesting how it's only partially open. : )
KC's only pickerel. I hope to salvage a few more out of our pond for her.
This little one came to check us out while our respective DH's were talking about battery back up remote timers for drip irrigation.
I'm not sure what this one is, but KC, generously gave me one. : - )
I think that KC said this was a ground orchid?
Those are gardeners hands. One gifting the other with a red ground orchid. The other very pleased.
Pretty yellow kalanchoe in bloom
Ya know KC, is a very tolerant soul. She was very pleased with a lot of plants I didn't take photos of. She showed off the ones she recently received from another DG'er, and tolerated me stopping to take a dozen photos of the same thing. By the time we reached this one, her face lit up, and she said, "I was wondering when you were going to see that one!" Now she told me it's name, and I promptly forgot it. I think it's a charming plant, with a beautiful color combination on the flower. I was grinning too. Wait till she sees this photo. : - )
This is the last of the series, but KC has a beautiful yard. I totally forgot to take photos of Her DH's flagstones and the cool breezeway. Not to mention that work table he built for her. I am downright envious.
She has a big heart and I left with more gifts than I brought.
I did bring Julie a new toy. The branch from the Strawberry Bush is supposed to be a good thing for Julie to play with and with all of the side branches, it barely fit in the back of my jeep with the seats folded down. I can't wait to see what her DH is going to create with it. (I did leave the spiderwebs and leaves at my house, but it was a BIG branch!) I brought KC a little old pomegranite bush.
I hope you enjoyed your tour of KC's garden as seen through my camera lens.
I know that I enjoyed the visit, and hope it's just the first of many.
Sally, I hope you can show your Mom some of these photos. I think she'd be tickled.
Thank you KC for your generosity and hospitality.
WIB,
SW
In my dreams I own a piece of property where I can have a pond with goldfish like KC's! My dad always had one. He built a miniature log cabin to house the pump and big charcoal filter bed. It has a waterfall and little stream leading down into the big pond.
Someday.......
Beautiful photos of what I am certain is a beautiful garden!
Well, she was showing off the plants she got from you, CatSmiling! You just described her pond to a "T". If she doesn't take a photo, the next time I drop by with my camera, I will. I love the way her pond fits into the topography of their place. I would declare her to have a backyard habitat for our finny, feathered and four footed friends, Oops, forgot the ones that croak and slither. That is a happy and healthy pond.
Seriously, I should have taken a photo of the upper portion of the stream that feeds into her pond. It is gorgeous.
She and her DH did a great job. For those of you who've been there, you know I didn't cover but a fraction of her yard. Truly a beautiful garden in any season. : - )
WIB!
SW
Gosh, SW, I'm blushing! We enjoyed your visit. I do love to be able to share something nice with friends. In the past, we were just planting everything and waiting for it to grow. Now, at least I can collect some seeds and cuttings to share. It can only get better now.
We do love our pond. Some changes are in store, but only for the good. Just cleaning up, adding and replacing a few plants. We didn't have the water scarecrow on when you came, but I want it going again to try to chase off the egrets, heron, and the neighbor's dog.
BTW, the pink flower you couldn't remember is on the Chitalpa tree. They are beautiful trees for our area.
The purple Epidendrum came from SoCal - it got too big for her garden, I think. I love that color. The red is the same plant in another color, and then there is an orange one. I have orange and red keikis (rooted sprouts) available for the RU if anyone wants one.
The blue Salvia I will have to check the name of - I have several blue ones and get them confused. Or WCGypsy might pop in here and answer - she knows them all!
SW, your photos just get better and better. I love the close-up of the Canna.
I am so pleased, I was hoping you would. It was a wow photo for me too! Thanks for the update on the names. You don't need to blush, you've worked hard on your garden, and you've both earned the praise.
Does Julie like her new toy?
wc? Where are you?
Keep on inspiring us!
WIB!
SW
P.S. Thanks for letting me practice on new subjects with my camera. You were most patient. : - )
K, I think the one that SW took the pic of was the one you got from Piergrossi's, wasn't it? Sagittata.....
I did give you a macrophylla Cabrillo Blue with that same color flower, but don't know if that was it. It is lax in growth, sprawling along the ground like a squash. Don't remember if I gave you a macro upright form, it will have the same blue flower also.
I have satittata, but mine's not that color. It may be the way my monitor interprets it. Could also explain why I keep ordering fabulous blue plants form online nurseries, and ending up with purple....LOL!
I didn't find a "Cabrillo Blue" listed either in Plantfiles or on the web...?
I acquired Cabrillo Blue originally from Tom Piergrossi and Andy Maycen. It came to them from Cabrillo as s. sp. Peru blue. It has wide heart shaped leaves, grows along the ground like a squash. Some stems rise to 2-3 ft. and carry a long series of lime green calyces from which bright blue buds develop into gentian blue flowers with a severly swept back lower lip. SW's photo caught the exact shade of blue of the flowers.
