Field Trip to Top Tropicals

Today I met up with Artcons and Jnana at Top Tropicals. They sure do have a lot of unusual plants. We had a great time at the nursery, and then went on to tour Jnana's gardens.

Last week Happy_1 (she had car troubles and couldn't make it today) and I toured Artcons gardens. Art is a self taught master at propagating from cuttings.

Jnana, a master gardener, has so many different varieties of plants, bushes, trees and vines. She has a compact yard but everything is wonderfully laid out. She has just a little bit of grass she is trying to get rid of, for more plants. She remembers everything, all their names and all.

We took some clippings and Art took them home to root them out. You could say I was being lazy, but he does a great job with cuttings, and I had to run off to see a customer so didn't want them in the car, cooking.

Okay, this is what I picked up today:
1 Gardenia Kula- Golden Gardenia
4 Crossandra "Shamrock Green"
2 Clitoria "Blue"
2 Jewels of Opar, Solid Green with pink flowers
1 Cuphea, Bat Face

Art took pictures so hopefully he will find us here and post some.

I didn't get home til about 7 and found a box on the porch from Pinnellas Park. Guess what it was.........plants. :^))))))

A great day today and so wonderful meeting our gardening friends. Next week, it's at my house!!!!

Molly
:^)))

Sounds like you had fun, Molly and that you got some nice goodies!!
:) Donna

Molly, it was great meeting you and Art. I had a very nice time in spite of the melting heat, plus I got some more plants. What could be better!!!

I hope we can get to do this again. I would love to see your collection of plants.

Now, I want to see the pictures that Art took. I think we will get a chuckle because we both were wet from the rain.



This message was edited Jun 1, 2010 12:14 AM

Pinellas Park? Who could that be from LOL

So Molly....What day next week is the meeting at your house? ;-D

How does Wednesday sound?

:^))))

Molly what kind of plants did b/lr send? Are they not steamed?
I am sending some to Mississippi next monday.
sidney

Morning all. Great time yesterday.
The nursery was nice but a tad high priced. I found a nice sized Blue Glory Bower, Clerodendrum ugandense exactly what I went there for. It will blend in nicely with my Rose and Flaming glory colors.
Nice to meet Val, (jnana) and see Molly (MollyMc) again, although we missed Nancy Lee (Happy_1).
The highlight of the day was a visit to Val's garden. Spectacular would be close to describing her garden.
I have a couple of shots of Val's garden. With her permission I will post one of the view along the back walkway.
Looking forward to the next mini local gt (get together) and garden visit.
Until then, here's a shot of Val (on left) and Molly on the patio.

Art

Wednesday is good for me. Count me in.
If anyone coming wants cuttings of anything I have, speak up and I will make them for you. In a short while, after I get out the weekly trash, and yard clippings for pick up, I will post a listing of cuttings I currently have growing in my nursery area. These are ready for planting.
For a listing of my native plants I have growing in the yard which I can make cuttings for you, visit this area. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/525068/
The listing and pictures of stuff I have growing in the yard that are posted in the plant files are in this area.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/imagesbyuser.php?user=artcons
Any other requests, just ask.
Art

Boo Hoo....weds I will be on my way to Chicago to visit my DD....this is the week end that she has the Garden Walk and wanted me there for all the fun....

It looks as all had a wonderful time. I finally got my car from the shop at 5:15...not happy...

Don't forget about me, I will be back Monday the 18th.

Hugs to all.

Hap

My haul at yesterday's mini Top Tropical's GT was obtained courtesy of Val. She gave me a bunch of cuttings.
They are shown after processing. As you can see I practice what I preach by using terrariums for my cuttings. One item I forgot to mention in my little piece on making terrariums (link follows) is they sit nicely in 2 liter soda bottle handlingcontainers. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/525641/
If you ask at your local convience store they will give you one. Coke or Pepsi might mind but the convience store owner won't care. Besides, think of all the free advertising they are getting. Wouldn't a nice ice cold Coke taste great after a hard afternoon of gardening?
Art

Wednesday? Boo-hoo!

I work Wednesday, but am off Thursdays and Saturdays....Let me know if you guys ever get together on a Thursday or Saturday....

For those of you coming to Molly's next Wednesday, I have the following plants available for the taking. If you see something you would like to have, just note me and I will bring them along for you.
These are first come first serve. I have some dup's, but not all.
Several Native cardboard palms about 3-4" in height.
2-Ti plants 1-12" 1- 24"
2-Shooting Star plants each about 2'
Several Jade plants about 12" high
2-Lantana (violet-yellow-orange) great for butterflies 7-8" each
Several Schefflera "Nova" this grows big but it's great for butterflies. 7-8"
2-Native Blanket flower about 7 "
2-Native Dune sunflower about 7"
2-Native Scorpion tail about 5"
1 Firebush about 12"
2 Copper leaf Jacob's Coat about 3"
1-Mexican sunflower (perennial) yellow (gets very big) tallest shoot about 24"

All the above are rooted and growing nicely.

Art

What happened to Tuesday? Anyone for Tuesday? Going once, going twice???????

I'm glad everyone had a great time. I'm looking forward to seeing the photographs.

Alright, How about 2morrow? Being Staurday we can get Liila down here.

We're not doing anything but watching that hurricane roll past us anyway, right? Happy can come, hopefully Val. Art can you come tomorrow?

I don't have to woooorrrrkkkkk.. nyhnyhnyh

Molly
:^)))

OK on this end....what time....where?

I'm available either day, in fact, my wife is working through next Thursday so I am available anytime. They just changed shifts where my wife works, so she doesn't get a day off until next Friday.
Don't forget my offer of bringing along the plants I have available. I need the space folks. Planting time is quickly approaching and I need to get my cuttings going to be ready to plant late August. I only have so much room in my nursery area.
Art

On the pictures, I sent them to Val for her approval. It's her garden so I want her to pick which pictures I send up for public viewing.
There is a picture of Val and Molly earlier in this thread.
Art

This one is at my house and the time? 1:30 is good for me. I'll get some ice tea made and ready, I'm sure we will need it.

I will dmail you each and give you the address and directions.

We can go from here to another nursery if you like. Be ready to take plants or cuttings home with you.

Art, I would really like some help on rooting out some B'fly bush. I took cuttings a week or so back and they are not doing very well.

Okay, off to do D-mails to yall.

Molly
:^)))

P.S. Sidney, sorry I forgot. The plants I received all this week have been in fine shape 2nd day priority. Let me know what you are shipping and I can offer some suggestions to packaging.

I am sooooo jealous.

*snif*

Come on Killer...........

I have tried posting for about an hour and all I get is an error message. I hope this one goes through.

A mini RU at Molly's house sounds great. Tomorrow may be a bit iffy for me, but I'll see if I can rearrange my schedule.

Art, thank you for your kind words describing my little jungle. I would like to have some of your cuttings. I'm interested in the Blanket flower, Dune sunflower, Scorpion tail, and the Mexican sunflower. That is if no one has already asked for any of them. In any case, I would be happy with any of those.

Molly, I think we came out looking pretty good in that picture. Don't you think? LOL
I'll let you know later if I'll be able to go to your house. I really don't want to miss it.



This message was edited Jun 1, 2010 12:15 AM

Hi Val, I'll bring 'em along for you. They are all rooted and doing as well as can be expected in my outdoor nursery with all this wind.
See ya there!
Art

Molly, I picked up four soda bottles from our recycles today. I'll bring them along with four 4" pots some new friends brought over last week. Then show you how to do it.

See ya Saturday! I had to edit that in just in case. I didn't think I made it clear I would be there Saturday, just in case anyone misunderstood. Hopefully I can get rid of a few more plants on Saturday.
Art


This message was edited Jul 8, 2005 9:52 PM

Art! Thanks. Do you know how to drain and split a coconut?

Molly
:^)))

Yes Molly, I do. My next door neighbor, the one with the cashew tree, used to have two large coconut palms until two weeks ago, when he sold them for $250. each. He used a machete when he showed me. It's easier than with a knife which is usually not heavy or long enough.
I am outta here.
See ya
Art
Pssst can i interest you in some plants...

We (Molly, Val, Nancy Lee and Art) had a nice time this afternoon at our mini GT at Molly's house/garden. The weather was cooperative for our tour of her garden, which was ripe for cuttings. We helped ourselves and all came away with lots of plants & cuttings to enhance our gardens.
Molly served tea with home grown and home processed Stevia leaves.
Since you have already seen our pictures, today I will send up a picture of a Black Swallowtail cat on Molly's green fennel, then in my next post, a Black Swallowtail in the chrysalis stage on a plant I didn't get the name of.
Art

These afternoons I spend with "these ladies" at these outings are just great. They have so much gardening knowledge between them, which they willingly share, each time we get together is a learning experience for me.
We may not solve the problems of the world, nor do we try, but being with them and getting a chance to get away from my everyday routine and into something I really enjoy and share experiences with is the best.
They are such a joy to be with.
Not sure of where or when the next mini GT will be, but someone will let us know. If you are close by, come join us.
Here is a shot of a Black Swallowtail in chrysalis at Molly's.
Till the next time,
Art

On the famous "Mother of thousands", I didn't know they were host.
Glad ya'll are having a great time.
sidney

Hi Sidney, the Mother of thousands you refer to isn't the host, it's just a place where the cat chose to go into chrysalis. They attach themselves to almost anything, including walls, fences, other bushes, outdoor decorations, etc. They don't seem to be fussy at all when choosing a place for this stage.
Yeah, these mini GT's are fun, especially so with this group. They are very outgoing and generous with their plants and the knowledge they are willing to share.
Art

The plant the chrysalis is on is: French Lavender. That was in my herb garden right next to the fennel that they feasted on.

I really enjoyed having yall come to visit. It gave me a chance to share some of my plants with you. So much to see, look at and say I want. And so easy to share, either by cuttings or just digging them up. A chance to get something new and different.

Last week Art gave me some red bleeding heart and yesterday Nancy brought over some white bleeding heart vine. These will look great together.

Art brought me some 2 liter bottles and some 4' pots so I can start cuttings using his terrerium method and he told me how to cut some coconuts to ready them as orchid pots. He has a lot of information to share with us too.

The next visit will be at Nancy's house when she returns from Chicago.

Take care.
Molly
:^)))

Molly I found myself saying, Oh!...Oh!...Oh!
Will have to get some Frech Lavender at Maggie's when we go. and of course fennel and Mexican sunflowers.
Hoping to meet Art at Tissue culture class. It's been my pleasure to meet Molly and I feel like I know Happy.
Haven't met "Val" yet, so she's new to me, but a great addition to the Florida Flower Friends, LOL
sidney

Sugar, you know you're always welcome....who cares about a 30 hour drive? heheh me who has trouble going 20 min to Molly's.

We did have a great time and our mouths didn't stop a bit. So much info in one place...Everyone was something to bring to the table..

Next time....me.....

How about 7/22, it's a Friday????


Hap

Just gotta, gotta have the French Lavender! Oy, how fast is this list going to be, and how much more grass do I kill with newspaper and mulch for my next garden room? OY! LOL

Gracie

Save your Sunday papers, Gracie....

And, Monday thru Friday! At the rate things are going, I need a........oooh, just had an idea.........I wonder if the local news paper would have blanks in a roll that I could buy from them..........BIG roll, that is! Maybe two, or three!

When we moved here, I did some of the packing, and went to local newspaper in Va., and they were happy to give blanks to me.

Gracie

No, Gracie, just get the big roll of paper, BEFORE they print.....have that delievered to your house...LOL My o my, what will the neighbors say now?

Hap

Hap, my neighbors already think I'm nutso with my garden, and sometimes I actually feel a bit intimidated going outside 6:30 am! By the time 7-7:30 rolls around, I see people in their cars going to work, and glancing over.........I've even ran into the house! ROFL

Not too many in this area have the same passion as I! But, on the positive side, two neighbors have actually asked me for cuttings, and I was more than happy to share.......I'll make them DGers, yet!! LOL

Oh, and btw, that's what I meant, .those big blank rolls of unprinted paper; came in very handy when packing.....never thought I'd use them for mulch! LOL

Gracie

Here are some pictures of Val's garden from our visit there last week.

The first shot is from the outside entrance looking into her indoor patio/garden.