Well, looks like the last thread got a little too long and it's time to start a new one...
Well it's May and things in my container garden have been growing incredibly. My entire lanai is full of containers. It's really the only way I can have color and annuals in the Florida heat. I change them out thoughout the year as sometimes the heat it just too much, even though they're under a screen-in pool cage. May is a very lush month though for my containers.
The blooms this year are incredible. I love these Proven Winners petunias. They're really good but haven't had any luck with the VIVA brand from Home Depot!
Another view of the "Lizard Lounge" plantings in May! I planted things taller this year and kind of like them!
I'm totally loving Coleus, Sweet Potato and Persian Shield!
My fountain that I filled in with dirt is really growing quite well! The top didn't do so well - Needed holes drilled! DUH!
Katg, your home is beautiful, I wish i had your warm weather............Everything looks oustanding!!!! Clemen
Thanks Clemen! You get to plant things like Lilacs, peonies, tulips, clematis that I really miss! I wouldn't trade it though! hehe
You know, we have a fountain, never worked, all of the water keeps coming out, anyway, we thought (my hubbie and I) of just filling it with dirt and plant things, what do you think, I love yours!!!! You can see the fountain in the background of the picture..........Clemen
Some really cool planters full of impatiens that are pretty good, at my front door...and a sad Dog!!!
This message was edited May 12, 2008 10:38 PM
Katg, how funny is that, I also have a home on a canal, I saw the water in the back, except you grow crocodiles and I grow plants. lol, not for nothing everything looks gorgeous, just kidding.........Clemen
Clemen...You're actually asking the "fountain destroyer" what she thinks? hehe.
I had some people look at me like they thought I was nuts, but it didn't work properly and my crazy electrician set it up that I had to go outside and plug it in anytime I wanted to use it! Personally, I think it makes a much better planter! I think yours would look great with plants! I had to drill holes though...so there's no turning back! LOL
Now these are amazing...I had no idea they would do so well in full sun on the South side of my house. I've got this Stephanotis in containers outside my poolcage on trellises I bought from Lowes. They're beautiful and also amazingly fragrant.
Here's half of the 200 Caladium bulbs I planted exactly a month ago in the front beds. There's still about 1/2 that haven't poked their little heads up, but when they do I think it's going to be gorgeous! I love these and the added bonus is that they'll come up again next year!
Yeah but Clemen...don't you have those big alligators in your sewers in NY? hahaha
Katg, planter will be. my hubbie heard your advise, he was actually laghing, when I told him and he said, let me guess? the advise comes from your DG friends, do i need to explain anymore.....................keep posting your pictures, Clemen
Bougainvillea is out of control - It's been really dry and I think they love it!
Well in NYc, they have those cock roaches or ater bugs you guys have in Fl, not where my house is thank God!!!!!!!!!LOL
Proven Winner Petunias! I swear they are the heartiest and the best!
And I see a beautiful bird of paradise in the backgroung or is it a banana plant? Any advise in regards to mine, I bought one in the winter and I just put it outside, would love for her to bloom>..............Clemen
I agree those proven petunias are the best, I love the trailing ones they do great in the sun in NY
Clemen, those are white bird of Paradise and it takes quite a long time for them to bloom. I've got several of the orange birds outside and they are going crazy. However, I've had some in the past that no matter what I did (fertilize, water, wipe their noses and pat their behinds) just wouldn't bloom. I don't know what the secret is but my bloomers are in the morning sun. I've also been cutting off the spent blooms on a regular basis and maybe this makes a difference. Who knows?
This message was edited May 12, 2008 11:00 PM
So do I send it to you so that it blooms??????????????Clem
Ummmm excuse me Clemen...
Here in Fla...we don't have Cockroaches, we have "Palmetto Bugs"! (cough)
And they're BIG!!!!!!!!!
Yeah probably Clemen...Isn't it too early to put a tropical plant outside? Don't you still have chances of snow? haha
that is what I meant!
Anyway, here is a picture of my canal and some flowers,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Kg, please wish me good weather.....................NO SNOW, we hardly had any this year..........i still say make my bird of paradise bloom.....Clem
Clem...That photo of your canal and flowers is absolutely gorgeous! I envy your soft green lawn too! I wish we could grow nice grass like that here (mine is like that stuff you dig out called crab-grass!). Just beautiful!
I do hope you get some warm weather soon...
KG, you did not mentioned the hubbie in the background, I did not realize I send a picture with him in it, i guess I must love him a litle LOL....Clem
Crab grass do not talk to me about it, this place when we bought 3 years ago, that is all we had!!!! I know use Scott four steps and they work......I do not like weeds,,,Here;s another picture...........
Anyway, ths is your thread, sorry for intruding with my own pictures.Clemen
Oh No Clemen! Your pictures are great! Looks like you might have some good fun in the the summer with your watercraft!
Hubbies cute too! I like his Hawiian shorts! hahahaha
Kat,
I love the white caladiums. They are so pretty, what kind are they?
Tina: Those are called "Miss Muffet" and I just love them! They're dwarf but have quite a large leaf. They come up very fast. Got them from Bill on this site - he has great Caladium bulbs and good prices...
http://www.caladiumbulbs4less.com/servlet/StoreFront
Here's some "pink symphony's" I bought from him at the same time...a little longer coming up, but so much like the Thai beauties I planted last year.
Kat, All existing plants have a spot in the ground- how tall are your red pots? the base looks about the size of the bottom of my pots. I use a tray inside to set the pot with plant and soil on. I was going to use it again to keep pot level on top of all those bottles.
My problem is that I can't find anything tropical looking for zone 6 - that's what it needs to be if I am going to leave it out all year. I hate the thought of repeating the battle I had this spring get the pot with the azeala out- for a while I wasn't sure who was going to win or if we both would end up in pool. LOL
Ideally ,zone aside, I'd like a tall canna like the red tropicana then have some smaller plants like purple passion and euphorbia, nemesia, What do you think of that combination? I'll put plant file pictures in my want list - just ignore bottlebrush bush & tree - have a spot for those- Maybe I'll just have to lift inner pot out & put in garage for the winter. What do you think?
Can you grow the Orange bird of paradise in a container?
Esther
PS:posted this first on old thread
"May is a very lush month..."
no kidding! wow! Kat, I know I'm repeating myself... but I love your threads, with your great photos and descriptions of what you're doing!
Absolutely beautiful! Ok - can I say that you inspire me? Wow. Just gorgeous.
I'm new to DG and just started checking out the "container" thread". The majority of my plants are in containers (about 85%). I'm new at the gardening thing and wanted to make sure I could keep plants alive before I exerted the effort it would take to put them in the ground. So far so good for the planted guys.
Although, I'm finding that I like the container thing better. You can move things around and rearrange at will. I just don't know much about the specifics such as when to repot... what size pot it should go in to start...etc. I'm sure I'll get all the info I need if I continue to read thru this forum.
Where are you in Port Charlotte? I own a lot in South Gulf Cove. Are you any where near there?
Debi
Welcome My oasis!
Kat -
I like this combination - Love your proven winners - Let me know what you think of my want list - for 2 pots - canna in 1 - have you done bird of paradise in container?
Esther
Kitty...those red pots are probably about 4 ft high. When I planted these, they're like "permanent"...Okay, maybe not the underplantings, but as far as the Chinese fan palms...they're it! I can see what you're dealing with here as far as planting something permanent that will survive all year round. I'm thinking that you may be able to stretch the zone because it's a pot and not directly in the ground. How about an "Elephant Ear"? They'll overwinter in zone8...You're on the fringe at zone 7B and it's in a pot?
I love your idea of Canna's, but it takes a while.The combo sounds great though! I just discovered Nemesia and I think Euphorbia is amazing.
Here's a dwarf Elephant ear I planted last year with Euphorbia....I'm amazed how this "diamond frost" has kept going. I had also planted some Gaura and Angelonia with it and they kind of expired...
Kitty...I Love your container! So pretty and delicate. You are very artistic and obviously have a really green thumb! It's gorgeous!
