Flowering today

Thanks again for another beaut pic Islandshari. I will look up your Brassocattleya in my new book.
Sorry heavenscape for not acknowledging you! I missed your post earlier as so much went on in one day! I'm afraid I always said if I had to constantly spray a plant for bugs, then it was too high maintenance. I'm just leaving it (the angel) to the bugs from now on as they don't seem to touch the flowers or buds. It gets a bit expensive (buying the sprays) and I have a small nursery of plants for sale, that require most of the attention.
Braveheartsmom, are you in Hawaii? (if so, you lucky thing)
I know this is not a bloom, but it looks a picture anyway!
Sue

Allamanda 'Cherry Ripe'

and behind it, Tibouchina 'Alstonville'

Hi everyone ...I am trailing various sprays (non poisonous) on my Angels and am having pretty good results with the soap/bi carb and veg oil mix and even the the mozzies racked off ...so that is pretty good. Sue good luck with the no bugs thing ...almost impossible here because it is farming area and all the bugs come to my place because everyone else sprays. Luckily the spiders frogs and birds do a pretty good job of keeping the pests down but this year after all the rain the critters are starving. 77 you are right they prefer a bit of cooler temps in the night after a hot day ...don't like hot day and night over 80F.
chrissy

My Alstonville being strangled by the snail creeper and triffid pasionfruit sucker

An Elephant's foot whatse!

My daughter in law is such a good girl ...bought these over to me tonight ...these did not come out of the trash bin ...they are proper plants lovely little things

Well our clocks go back tomorrow night ...so glad!
it's past my bedtime so goodnight :) How can anyone not love these

Yokwe all! Jaye, sounds like you will get the bug problem under control, and how in the world did you come up with tomato fert? Good call!! That's what I love about DG...we always learn from each other!

Sue - I love that pictue that is not a bloom! Very cool looking!

Jenny, I have no choice about the pots...I don't have that naturally wonderful soil you volcanic islands get. Mine little rock is just a coral island, no soil to speak of at all! I think that is one reason that my plants are different as far as care goes, from so many of you others...pots, salt and wind. Makes for some challenging gardening. Chrissy, you asked about the salt. Thats one of the reasons I am growing the sage hedge, it doesn't mind the salt, and the foliage is so thick that it traps a lot from coming into the smaller pots in the garden. I also keep a lot of native plants, cup plant, panax, etc around my more delicate introductions - the natives help keep the salt away from the others. This is all more like the "Practice of Gardening"...we just keep trying till something works, then spread the word. My DD is struggling mightily with her veges...between the environment and the critters (rats, crabs, birds and bugs), she is getting very frustrated. Had a wonderful cucumber harvest, then practically overnight - dead vines. Her broccoli would start to flower, and the next day - nothing. Now we are trying to grow marigolds because they help keep all the other critters away. We'll see. Also planting mint and lavender...another wonderful DG tip!

Chrissy, your DIL is very sweet - those look like wonderful plants! I'm sure you will enjoy them. Hmmm, what to post today? Okay, how about this...it is a pretty good example of how a container garden doesn't HAVE to look like a container garden.

I know what you mean Sue!
Those brugs are the ones I left, I've removed about 12 trees because I can't take it anymore ..they languish during our hot summers, are a buffet for whatever chews and a petri dish for whatever disease and fungus that comes along (sorry Chrissy). I've given away 3 truck loads already of brugs this year with 9 trees in the driveway awaiting deportation. I did have to keep a couple for nostalgia sake as I had grown them from seeds.

This is a striking picture of blue sage agains Ti plant

Wow! Striking is right! That blue is practically glowing!

Beautiful Randy! Your Morning Glory, Ipomuea Fistulosa, bloomed today!
,

Plus a red double Hibiscus

more azaleas

This peach Hibiscus has always been double, but bloomed single today!

Jeanne, they are beautiful! Guess your plants are enjoying the nice weather as much as you are!

cool Jeanne! Mine have been blooming too!

MG tree

wow Sue, I've never seen a Tibouchina bloom like that before...and I do like purple.

Pink salvia..don't know the name..Linda gave this to me last year.

Jeanne, you'll find this MG tree is a scraggly thing...lays all over the place

and these...lived through the winter..they are September Rose Hibiscus (rose mallow)..in a snow bank...that's the white tipped shrub.

more purple..this Iochroma reaches past the eve of the house..I had no idea they could get so big.

The erithinya firemans cap is blooming away

Randy what is the secret to the Iochroma? I have had a plant for years and it is really struggling. Never does very much at all.

I'm not really sure! I planted it at the corner of the house..it gets lots of water. A few seasoned gardeners have commented that they've not seen one so large before. It does take alot of water. I've read that it should dry out.

For Chrissy

This morning

So beautiful it brings tears to my eyes. It is a very cold 48 here this morning. Stormed all night and the wind would take you away if you stood outside. Giant larkspur coming up everywhere but only 1 stalk blooming. It is just too cold. We have maybe 2 days of spring and then 3-4 days of cold. I don't think the ground will ever warm up. As has been the climate for the last 2 years, this is NOT NORMAL. Whaaaaa.

LouC

I think that stuff is headed here..I see a cooler forecast over the weekend. It's been 80/60 for a week, and things are blooming everywhere. That warm winter, then this spring weather here..I hate to see what it's going to look like here in june!

On our way to East Texas to friend's for the weekend. Can't wait to see the dogwood, wisteria and azalea. Not only grows in the yards but in the bar ditches. Might have to take a shovel.

LouC

Have fun!

Have a fun trip Christi!

We seem to be on a purple kick, so here ya go Randy, my purple orchid, just for you!

Very nice purple...! Thanks Shari. That's a healthy looking orchid.
I just bought some orchid moss for mine today..going to give them some new stuff tomorrow..

I have a few I need to repot, but I am waiting for some moss myself. I love using the coconut husks, but they tend to need repotting a little too often...thought I'd add some moss to maybe cut that down a bit. Off to work at the library...have a good night all!

Yokwe,
Shari

When we were at Lowe's today they had those CocoNutz Palm trees growing out of the coconut today for $36.oo Dearest daughter loved them, but I explained that they will not take a freeze!

Great pictures Randy! We have three more of the peach hibiscus in bloom today!
That is the one that has ALWAYS been double.....All three today bloomed single.
I hope that it is not reverting back somehow! I really loved the doubles! I haven't fed it yet....so maybe that is what it needs...any suggestions??

On your thread Shari I shared that we had found a very long Ribbon Snake out at the pond today. I won't repeat it all here.....Anyone have any experiences with the critter? I hope he moves on....I hate snakes!

Oh those pretty pink Angels and the dear little cherubs (purple baby Angels )...surely heaven is such as this ...thankyou Rj :)
I can hardly wait to follow your Spring/Summer journey ...if my heart can stand it!
Shari you work at a library? Oh how wonderful ...books ...books ...books ...yes the thingy is wonderful ...but books are like family.
Enjoy your wisteria LouC ...we don't have dogwoods around here but the Wisteria is pretty good ...enjoy the trip :)
Stay away from snakes 77 ...growing any pineapples this year?
Sigh Rj looking up into the Angel's faces is my favourite thing to do ...do you have a seat under them? I read that the cherubs are treated the same as their big cousin Angels except that they should get a bit of a good prune when they get rangey ...what do you think? ...I saw a picture somewhere of the purple cherubs (lochromas) planted under pink Angels ...it was on a rooftop in New York somewhere.
chrissy

We have several pineapple plants growing. Two are two years old this year, so far no sight of a flower. The other one had been three years old, so it might be next year before we get another pineapple. The old plant that produced last year is putting out new shoots!

Have a great day!

Hi everyone! Jeanne, I wish I could give you some help with getting rid of that snake...eeew! But I know zippity doo dah about our slithering cousins...good luck with that!

Yep, DH and I both to volunteering time at the library. The authorities were threatening to close it due to budget cuts, but the wonderful folks on this island said "oh no you won't" and we now have about 25 volunteers that share the time with the one librarian they kept. She gets some time off and we get to "work" with books! I love it!

My friend is putting together the Kwaj Reunion in Colorado Springs this August, and the theme for one of the dinners is "Columbines and Coconuts". I am sending her these and she is going to have them painted with columbines...cool huh?

aaahh..yes Chrissy I love looking up at the trumpets. I did sit underneath them a couple weeks ago. I was in the Tiki Lounge, and the brug is right outside the door..I smelled the trumpets..and dragged my chair out. It's the gold/yellow ones..I think they have the best and most powerful scent...

Had fun with placenciarita, texasbigleaves, truetropical today..we shopped up a storm. they were in town to play only for a short time.. Kyle and Matt had to get back to DFW by 6pm as they were coaching a play for their church.

Here is my sinful purchase of the day.