I'm talking about the ones with the bright pink tops as well as petals (the one in the background, in the top left of the picture you just attached). Are those the ones that come true from seed? If so that would be amazing!
Bare Dirt to Cottage Garden (in Pictures)
Do you mean this one? It is E. Hot Papaya. I believe that it does not come true from seeds.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/184002/#b
Gorgeous! Are you positive it's Hot Papaya? The reason I ask is that yours look pink like sherbet, but the pics at the link look so much orangier, and people talk about them being a "true red." Is the coloration in your pics off slightly? Are they more red than pink in real life?
Now that I look through more of the user-uploaded pics, others seem to have that pink coloration more than red. I wonder if that's just the picture coloration, or if they really vary that widely?
Do they come back year after year for you? I noticed that they don't include my zone (sob!), but someone did say that they are growing in California. I might just try them anyway, because GORGEOUS.
This message was edited Apr 28, 2015 1:27 PM
Caitlin --
They are a brick red color. Not really pink and they do come back every year. At least so far they have - we will see what happens this year with the brutal winter we had.
I've ordered some, Carolyn! We'll see what happens!
Check out my volunteer foundation planting. How funny is this? They are all growing in the furrow where the rain drips off the roof.
Had those been the plants in that area last year? DOUBLE bonus! free plants and already blooming now!
Caitlin -
Stunning! I just love the hollyhocks!
Where did you find your E Hot Papaya? I lost mine last winter. I may have to order some myself!
Hey Carolyn, it turns out that I was wrong - I actually ordered Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit instead (from Parkseed). I'm excited! I hope some come up for me this time.
Pat - The Black Eyed Susans were growing in the dirt around 15 feet away last time. Everything else came from my garden on the other side of the house! Except the green waste lives over there, so perhaps the seeds ended up there as I was disposing of them>
They all decided to grow there on their own, but they look kind of on purpose, don't they? Isn't it awesome how nature knows the best planting scheme? =)
Caitlin
If a seed company is selling E. Cheyenne Spirit, can I draw the conclusion that these will come true from seed? I wintersowed some of CS and planted out some seedlings this past spring. One can only hope at this point.
Thanks for the info!
It's lovely and you were very lucky!
Some things just make me happy...like this Lobelia that has popped its head up through the Corsican Mint just enough to bloom. So sweet!
Also love these Foxgloves in front of the succulent garden. And as always, the color of the Morning Glories is so unreal!
Pat - Thank you!! =)
Carolyn - I'm not sure. My seed starting skills extend to direct sowing only, and hoping something comes up...LOL.
This message was edited Jun 2, 2015 8:38 AM
Good morning, Morning Glory! =
WOW that is stunning! Love Morning Glory blue!
The color is so hypnotic, huh Pat?! I never get tired of it. Just wish that they hung around for a bit longer. I rarely get visitors in the morning to appreciate them!
LOL... isn't that the truth! I would want everyone to SEE them!
Gorgeous!
~S~
THE PERGOLA IS HAPPENNNNIIINNNNGGGG!!! =D =D =D
The guys are out working on it right now!! It will be done next week... I can't believe it!!! PICS TO COME!!! =D
Can't wait to see it! How very exciting when all those lovelies come true from drawings to reality!
So yesterday one of guys who was working on our pergola stepped off a ladder onto the ground and twisted his ankle. The next day he could barely walk, and it was swollen and black and blue. We think he may have broken it!! =(
The pergola was supposed to be done today, but obviously that's not happening. We told him to take the weekend off, and here's hoping it was just a sprain and he's back on his feet by Monday. =( Poor guy.
This message was edited Jun 26, 2015 12:13 PM
NUTS sorry to hear that, he hurts and you are not on schedule. Bummer.
It's done!!! =)
Now, to figure out what to grow on it! Right now I'm thinking grapes...
I have Wisteria on mine and I love it. Because it's right on the border between our house and the neighbor, we surrounded our's on 2 sides with white lattice for privacy. Between the wisteria and lattice,it's very private.
The front today. =) Zinnias make all the difference.
The Corsican Mint didn't make it through less watering this year and a couple of killer heat waves. =( Actually, I've lost a lot of stuff this summer, mainly because I haven't had the lawn sprinklers helping me water stuff, so everything is surviving on every-other-day hand-watering. Needless to say, many are NOT happy with that arrangement. All well. SOS gardening - Sink or Swim!
I loved that mint so much that I'm going to try it again between pavers in the back under the pergola. I think it'll be happier with a little bit of shade to help it out.
We're on watering rationing too... REALLY been hard on the yard and flowers! The shade location will be a big help.
Took me awhile to find this thread! Freaked me out for a second! LOL
Here's how the garden looks now. Lots of plants are mad at me about the water situation, but there is still some spots of prettiness going on. Gotta love the zinnias! The Morning Glories are also really happy rambling around.
This message was edited Sep 27, 2015 6:54 PM
So the forum re-organization is quite recent. How disorienting!
Cait, I love the escapes rambling, and the pergola-- huge! Going to add a whole new vibe with all its shade. Can't wait to see it gain cover!
Wonderful pix. LikeLikeLike.
~S~
I'm back! Now that it's warming up, I'm getting the gardening bug again. I am SO a fair-weather gardener! LOL. Once the hot summer hits, and through the winter, I'm so demotivated. But now that it's raining cats and dogs (yay!), and everything's starting to peek out, I'm starting to get motivated. Wonder what I'm gonna grow up that pergola? And what should I grow on either side of the door this year? Any suggestions?? Hmmm. =)
Looking forward to pictures of your Newest - this - Year garden!
Me too-I love watching the progress, and I get Zone Envy.
I'm gonna start things off with some current status pics, so we see where I'm starting from this year.
I'm not sure what to do about my Hollyhocks. The ones in the front right are probably going to go, not because they are so big (I love serendipity like that, and I'd love to have people walking by huge gorgeous flowers) but because ALL my hollyhocks had hollyhock rust last year, and it's starting again already. =(
The Plants vs. Zombies Garden has yet to be planted this year. Last year it was a total failure! The snails ate all of my sprouts, and we only had one sunflower that fell over after getting 3 ft tall. Plus I didn't amend the soil at all.
(Can you tell I have a drainage problem on my property?)
I'm planning to continue our path out as outlined by the rocks.
My little Maple tree seems to have survived!
I have discovered that a HUGE patch of my lawn is covered in baby Black Eyed Susans! Last year they were in that bed in front of the hollyhocks, and they dropped seed there all year. I've told my gardeners not to mow there anymore, and I'm outlining a new bed for them to live in. I'm going to weed the grass clumps out. Grass is now officially a weed in my front yard! =)
Behind my whimsically large hollyhocks, the succulent pallet garden is limping along. It needs more dirt and a fresh influx of plants.
I have multiple huge patches of Evening Primrose, so eventually this will be covered in nodding pale pink flowers. It's super vigorous, though, so at some point I may have to start ripping it out!
I'm not sure what these whitish clumps are. I thought they were Lamb's Ear, because the leaves are fuzzy, and I was told that Lamb's Ear just sits there and doesn't bloom, which is what they did all last season. However, they've already started growing up vigorously, the same way my other daisies did after a whole season of sitting there. I'm wondering if I've been mistaken this whole time and they're going to bloom?
These little purple guys are everywhere. I love them!
That's it for now, Pat and Pistil. Thanks for checking out my pics. =)
I assume that up in Washington, you are still covered in snow, Pistil?
Hi-
Here is a link to Lamb's Ears flowers- I like them, as do the bees, but I do cut them off once they look ratty.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/5426/
Hollyhocks-Autumn 2014 I ripped mine out and poured a bag on sand there over the clay, I planted Eremurus, they are surviving and do not get rust-I had the same problem. I was able to (very successfully) stop the rust by using a systemic fungicide that was poured onto the soil. This worked well, but ultimately I am just not interested in poisons and would rather just plant things that will do well without toxic intervention!
I too really like the look of the Hollyhocks in that location, the big leaves and size really look good. If I was you, I would try to find something else, perennial or shrub, that would fit the space like that. Eremurus would not do at all-I suspect they would like your climate but they look awful for months after they bloom while they go dormant. My climate is so different I can't really give much advice about specific substitutes. Maybe a Ceanothus?
Spring is in full swing here now, everything is up, the trees are leafing out. Yay!
So I was washing the dishes and had an idea-that Hollyhock spot is sort of front and center, the way the big hollyhock leaves draw the eye, I was thinking something like ceanothus has little tiny leaves, you should have something with big leaves and really showy flowers. The are probably no desert plants like that for this spot, or if so they are prickly and dangerous where children will be running around.
So how about one of those over-the-top Cannas? I looked in my Sunset Western Garden Book, it says they grow in Fresno. I think you would have to water them, but this is you showpiece spot so maybe that would be OK? I always lust after them, it is just too cool in summer here for them to thrive. Also The Sunset Book mentioned one that likes a soggy spot, maybe you should try that in your area that does not drain well.
Here is one such flamboyant extrovert Lady Gaga kind of Canna, but they come with hot orange flowers or pink.
http://www.plantdelights.com/Canna-Phasion-for-sale/Buy-Canna-Tropicanna/
I live in the Eastern desert part of Washington. I have tulips starting in bloom.
I was wondering if what you thought was lamb's ear is Dusty Miller?
I LOVE Holly Hocks but do not have any at this house yet and may never... who knows. I am trying to keep the maintenance down on my flower beds here and not get too crazy (IE, expand more beds and not be able to keep up since I'm approaching retirement in 5 years and am still working full time)
Pistil - I had never seen Eremurus before! So gorgeous! I love that. And thanks for the tip about the systemic fungicide. I know what you mean about not wanting to go all chemically, but I'm getting a bit desperate. I wouldn't mind using a fungicide as long as it doesn't kill beneficial insects. I love bees and other buggies.
Maybe I need to go all out with the snail killer and fungicide before I give up on my Hollyhocks. =)
That Cana is unreal, with the purple striped leaves - whaa? LOL. Love it. I'll look around here for them.