An outrageous accusation!There's no such thing.Enough plants....yes.Too many......never.Post some pics of last summer's lushness and help me prove my point.
You have too many plants
There's enough room to get through the door.
This message was edited Dec 24, 2005 9:39 PM
kattamos - thanks for posting, very tropical and lush! Just what I needed, a glimpse of summer's bounty. Your gardens are very beautiful.
Beautiful...beautiful.... an so lovely enterance.
Kaleem
What a nice Christmas present. Thank you!. But it can't be enough plants... there must be room to squeeze in one more special one? Always! Kristi
beautiful, takes my breath away
WOW gorgeous ! Do they live threw the winter or do you take them in ?
They spend the winter in a dark unheated basement and come out in late March.It looks sad and empty without them.
What is that in the planter to the left?
Those are all grown in containers? It is gorgeous!
I wanted to come live with you until I saw that ice shot. Forget about it now. LOL. I have never seen such lush begonias. What is your secret with them?
Thank you all for the positive feedback.Now for the answers.
PrarieGirl,in the winter shot,the tall plant is a wisteria trained into tree form with a frozen pansy at its feet.
Callalily, It is all in containers.The patio faces east and keeps them from cooking in their pots.
Kell,Begonias love the Southeast US.The balmy nights and a shaded location are all they seem to need.
Gosh, I wish I had balmy nights. And look at the size of those leaves. Just amazing. I have to send this link to Lali, she just LOVES begonias and will be an instant fan of yours.
Truly you have set a high bar for everyone else to acheive. You might consider moving your house numbers as the foliage might cause the UPS truck to miss your next plant delivery. Wonderful garden!!!!!
Kattamos, please tell me about the rings that are holding the pots on the brick wall. Did you buy? make yourself? Information, please. thanks.
kattamos - oooh, that just gives me the shivers thinking of how fragrant it must be when the
wisteria is in bloom!
Wow. I don't know what else to say!
I opened another window and showed my dh your first pic and the icy pic side by side. Even he was impressed, and let me tell you this is high praise coming from him!
I am in awe of your achievement!
mg
Beautiful entry and brick patio area. I was surprised to see the ice photos. We rarely have ice like that here. Right now we could have because we have been receiving rain or slush almost every day since Christmas, but not warm enough to freeze, thankgoodness.
DonnaS
Not sad and empty looking at all, rather an example that illustrates the concept of good structural bones underlying the garden setting. Quite an accomplishment really, even if apparently accidental! Aren't those the best surprises after all?
Kattamos,
Just saw your thread tonight. Gorgeous, and mostly just gorgeous foliage, too! (instead of fantastic fancy flowers, I mean. I used to think foliage was boring, but now I see the error of my ways....) I have two questions:
1. Is there actually space to get to that table and sit in those chairs?
2. Could you possibly take a picture of your "dark unheated basement (with plants)"? Everyone always talks about the basements their plants overwinter in.... I'd like to see one for once.....:-)
I wanna come live with you too! Congratulations!
xxxxxx, Carrie
Thanks again for the positive feedback.
Sorry to be away for so long.To answer your questions...
Escubed.....The UPS driver and the postman are always welcome to take five on the patio.We're on a 1st
name basis.
Vossner....The pot rings are from the Hookery in Vermont.4,6,8,10,& 12 inch rings are available.www.vermont.zoovy.com or web search for other sources.I used1/4 x 1 lead masonry anchors to mount to brick with no troubles in 3 + years.
Prairiegirlz5....The wisteria is but the start of the show.After that,the night blooming tobacco and brugmansia and
cereus take over making the patio fragrant.
Morning gayle....Thanks for your compliments.I don't know that I would do so well in your challenging climate zone.
Rutholive...Ice storms are a strange thing.Typically 30 miles wide by 300 miles long.Arctic air on the ground with warm moist Gulf Of Mexico air over the top creates havoc here every couple of years.
Carrie.....There is room to sit comfortably at the table and watch the hummingbirds come and go.Scary ,unheated,unlit,dirt floor basement pictures coming soon.
kattamos, catching up on the forums and just found this - absolutely gorgeous! And those Begonias - WOW! (especially the 'Escargot')
We were supposed to receive snow during the night. When I went to bed it was 32 degrees and i could look up and see the hazy moon. When I got up this morning it was 35 degrees and raining. The prediction for the entire week is for either rain or snow. We really need the snow in the mountains, actually it has rained a lot here in lower elevation but not complaining we need all the moisture we can get. So no Snow pictures. DonnaS
kattamos,
If I ever come to Atlanta may I PLEASE have a tour of your garden? I promise to bring a gift!
How lovely indeed! Your own Garden of Eden...and no dead-heading!
What an inspiration, thanks for sharing!
Heather
kattamos,
I learned recently about the night-blooming cereus from a friend. Did you know that this was the plant that Dennis the Menace prevented Mr. Wilson from seeing it's fleeting bloom? Is that one of the plants you overwinter? Just curious. My basement is finished and too warm for over-wintering plants (I'm attempting a few houseplants and they look fried), but my garage would be okay, if I made room! I would really like to try it.
Kattamos, you have made a convert out of me... I am so going to have more foliage an fewer flowering plants on my balcony this summer. Absolutely beautiful - and less deadheading, yay :-)
Could you please tell me the name of this plant from your picture? It's stunning.
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! Thanks for also letting us see it in the winter so we can see your arrangement for containers. I am so impressed and inspired.
Sharon
I'm glad you like my garden/patio.
Prairie.....I grow epiphyllum , not the true night blooming cereus.It does well inside for the winter in a bright window and sometimes blooms.It is a rainforest cactus and hates the cold.
MsHansen......That plant is a rex begonia called escargot.Don't let it's looks deceive you ,it is easy to grow. Even Felix (cat) leaves it alone.
This message was edited Jan 22, 2006 1:17 PM
Thank you so much! I only knew the flowering begonias from my mom's - now I'll have to go Google "rex begonia" until I'm blue in the face. Are those the ones mentioned above who like balmy nights and some shade?
I'm curious as to what the purple hued plant is next to the escargot....lol. The patio is absolutely beautiful and it's hard to believe they are potted plants. Obviously I can do more than I have been doing. Your photo has been a huge inspiration !!!!!
Your patio has been my "windows wallpaper" the past several wks...lol.
~Julie =0)
kattamos, thanks oodles for the inspiration! I have a north facing balcony, and I try so hard to get it to look beautiful with flowers. Now that I see your stunning shade garden, I'm inspired to do better with foliage plants, even begonias which till now I've absolutely hated!
You now have me on a mission to acquire foliage plants, especially begonias! I have two that were from cuttings from Mom, a beefsteak type that is starting to bloom, and a very fuzzy, deeply cut rex type. Do you have a favorite source for yours? So many online companies seem kinda pricey.
Sharon
I just found this thread - how absolutely beautiful!!! I would love to do that with my patio, but it gets way too much sun since the huge Oak was taken down.
The purple plants near Escargot Rex are: below a random coleus
: left another rex begonia
Don't let zone or exposure stop you from making a foliage display.
Here are some adaptable and easy plants.
variegated New Guinea Impatiens with the bright coral flowers
variegated geranium "Vancouver Centennial" ( I think)
coleus "alabama sunset and black stripe"
chartreuse elephant ear "Lime Ginger"
sweet potatoe vines" Margarita and Blackie"
some more sun hardy plants
left center "Persian Shield" a metallic purple unmatched by anything
bottom left a bright chartreuse hosta (don't know the name but tough as nails and not hard to find)
mid right "Melianthus Major" honey bush my 1st time growing this. Liked it's looks ,will let you know how it overwintered
assorted coleus all over the place
This one is called Chicken Gizzard Plant (Iresene I think)
This is not a good picture because the vivid hot pink and dark purple contrast confuses my camera. In person, this is the brightest plant I have ever grown.
Another Rex Begonia found at Pikes Nusery here in GA.
I don't know the name except 4 inch pot 5$
elephant ear "Nancy's Revenge" the most intruiging plant name I've ever heard
Grows in sun to part shade
I just love the Persian Shield. I have been looking for it in my area for quite some time now and have yet to find it. I think it is so pretty and I would love to have some in my garden, the one that I would like to have but I'm sort of scared to start. Maybe I will get up the nerve to start growing something outside this year. My problem is, I don't know when to start growing what. Also, do you buy the plants that you grow or do you start them from seed? I would really like to know more about this. Thank you.
JesseK
JesseK..... If you have time and the space,growing from seed can be fun and a $ saver.Persian shield likes some AM sun but will fade in hot afternoon sun (my variety anyway).I bring it outside in April and it starts putting out new leaves in about a week. Gardening is always a work in progress,don't worry about a few mistakes.There is a wealth of good advice for beginners on the forums here on Dave's garden .Just key in "new gardener" in the search engine.