There's a pig on my Lanai patio table!
There's been some serious "Pig Renovations" going on here tonight...Not only is my wonderful guy great at picking up and repairing gigantic planter fountains, he does one great job on Pig painting!!!
Now I get to give him a new planter!
Tonight I walked out on my Lanai and my Favorite, favorite container plant is blooming - Portlandia Grandiflora! It's not the greatest looking container as it got nipped by some cold nights here this winter and lost a lot of leaves, but it sure doesn't dissapoint with the new growth and blooms...and there's a bunch of them!
Another view - The blooms come out at night and smell like sweet chocolate and vanilla...it's amazing!
Looking from the inside out! Don't mind me...I'm a complete photo-nut!
Gemini - Thank-you, they really have surpassed my expectations and have grown well. Thank-goodness for that...I can't even imagine having to relocate them right now as they weigh a ton! hahaha. (Next year you'll see them on my front porch! wink!).
Yes, the baby sun-rose is the variegated plant. It's a really cool trailer and I've never seen it before around Florida. There is so much contradictory info on the web, but I guess that just depends on everybodys personal experience. Some say water, some say don't...I guess I should just keep up what I've been doing as it seems to be loving it. (smile)
here is the bloom master site
http://www.bloommaster.com/index.html
a really good side planting tutorial
http://www.sideplanting.com/images/recommendedplants.pdf
here are my two Jily & Lily
KatG wrote-"My fountain that I filled in with dirt is really growing quite well! The top didn't do so well - Needed holes drilled! DUH!" You can grow New Guineas in full sun? :( I have never been able to do that. What's your secret? I've tried before but they completely dissolve in the hot summer sun here. I grow them in part-sun/shade with great success and they bloom their heads off.
Your yard must be like heaven to people and birds. Those images are very beautiful.
KatG wrote-"Looking from the inside out! Don't mind me...I'm a complete photo-nut!"
And we are glad you are!!!
Those heads would be so fun on the bakers rack- my husband is going to build a shelf by the front walkway that I thought I would fill up with those heads.
I LOOOve the Bloommaster system!!
Onewish...They are totally adorable! Tell me something...Did you by any chance have a photo of 4 unbelievably adorable Yorkies entered in DG photo contest? I don't know why, Jilly and Lilly sound familiar! (All the names rhymed I think!)
Thank-you also for the bloommaster site - Looks fantastic and I think I'll try them out! I think it's getting to the point of where I need to hang as I'm running out of space on the ground! hehe
Kat
Glen74 - I'm glad your fountain is doing well and you decided to do it. Mine is doing great also - except for the fact it want's to be a spiller container on occasion! hehe. Ummmmmm, don't feel dumb about not drilling the holes - I did the same thing as the entire top used to be planted with impatiens! Only one survived after I realized they were waterlogged!
I've always had the worst luck with New Guinea impatiens down here...it's just too hot - they melt and rot! These however are called Sunpatiens - They're apparently a cross between New Guinea and Wild Impatiens. They're Viva brand and Home Depot has the market cornered on them. I seen them last year and just bought a few plants for fun to see how they would do. Well, they lasted a year in front of my house - (the same sun exposure as the fountain) in extremely blazing afternoon sun and probably would still be there if I hadn't neglected them. They grow tall also - but still keep a nice shape. They're really surviving well in the planter and I think they benefit from letting them wilt a bit as you just get an explosion of blooms. Here's a link for info - I'm probably going to see if I can find some this weekend and replant...I'm hooked!
http://www.vivagarden.com/flowers/sunpatiens/index.html
Not a great photo...but was taken in height of summer...
Kat
FHMom...I think I'll buy granny and plant something really spikey in her! hehe
Kat yes that was me.. you have a good memory.... Tily & Wily are there mom & dad.... my honeys mom breed them for us... bad news is we lost Tily a few months ago... my honeys mom was devastated ... it's so hard on her at times because she can see Tily in the way Jily acts ... amazing how manorisums (spelling?) get passed on from dog to dog when you breed them.... it was nice to see them grow up and get different things they do from each parent ... and to be able to be close to see them ... really makes me want to breed Lily since she isn't fixed... but i am not having luck finding her a partner that isn't going to cost me an arm and a leg
Ok- KatG- let's both post pictures of our heads after we plant them up. I have a few ideas in mind... Just ordered my head last night.
Will you be putting your heads up on the Marketplace anytime soon? I want one of the men!!
What a darling picture of the foursome. Too cute!!!
Has anyone used the Bloom Master hanging basket as a container on a stand or other surface? I notice they make a square planter, but it's very large?
TKS
DP
I have not use the round baskets on a stand yet... but I don't see why not
and the rectangle basket is large
Too bad we can't get a co-op going with this company!!
I would buy more in a heart beat
Yes, Kat, the devil's backbone flowers are small. When the shade hits that spot later, I'll see if I can get a photo for you. I noticed there are only a couple of flowers left. They were never profuse...just a few here and there.
Does Devil's Backbone grow from cuttings?
ETA - Thanks for all the trade offers! - Jennifer
This message was edited Jun 2, 2008 5:06 PM
It grows great!
Mine started from cuttings. The lady at a nursery Connie and I went to said all she had was her "mother" plant, but she'd give us a cutting each. She told us to take that cutting and at each node of the branch, cut it off and score down to the end of the cut with a knife. Then poke it into the dirt. Last year I had a big bunch of it. This year, it's come back wonderfully. Mine hasn't bloomed at all, but I did see a few little red "streaks" of a bloom on Connie's the other day. Made me realize when I looked it up why there is Cardinal in it's name.
Don't get me to lying about the whole name. I've slept a few times since then.
Janet
This is the plant that people here call Red Bird. It's not available in the trade; you have to get a start from somebody. I always thought it was grown for the foliage and unusual stem, with little interest in the blooms.
I have the most wonderful woman who works for me as my bookeeper! She's also a a dwarf, but there is nothing that stands in her way although I realize her physical limitations (which are few). Sheila is a very devout Catholic but never is the type to "try to convert". She's a joy in my office!
I showed her a photo one day of my Devils Backbone, sitting next to my statue of St. Francis (patron Saint of animals and gardens). She hated the plant! hehe. Somewhere a long the line, I thought I came across another name for this plant - Jacob's ladder??
I'm on the mission to make her a beautiful "religious planter" - and I'm not making a joke out of this.
So far - I'll use Caladiums - (Heart of Jesus) . Oyster plant (Moses in a basket) - I have some "Joseph's coat"...Angelonia???
Do you have any other suggestions?
Sheila is a remarkable woman...She was a nun and then met her husband. They've been married for 30 years and have a son - who's 6'2!
She never ceases to amaze me - Here's a photo 30some years ago with Mother Theresa...
Debs Iowa Flower Garden- if you'll do a Google Search for this, you'll find a long list of plants with religious names.
How about Crown of Thorns?
Thank-you so much for the suggestions Terichris and dp72! I was kind of thinking - how are all these plants going to work out together? It turned out to be a really pretty container!
I went to the garden centers (again!) and used a few things I already had growing:
Heart of Jesus - Rosebud Caladium
Crown of Thorns - (they are gorgeous these days! - thanks Teri!)
Moses in a Cradle - Oyster plant
Angelonia - Angel flower
Josephs Coat - I just tucked a little bit in
Angels tears - Found this plant at Lowes (the trailer in the front) marked Angels tears???
I also tucked a litte Coleus in for color...God doesn't mind! I also should look through my Christmas decs for a cute little cross to stick in...
very pretty
I'm sure God didn't mind the coleus...I sure wish other people had the same attitude when it came to using my car as a potting bench! hahaha. It's like I commited a cardinal sin! HEY...I only did it once because it was so hot and worked in the garage and I used a towel!!! WHAT?
OMG my honey would have a heart attack
I know Onewish...that was BAD! I LOVE your pups by the way!!!
oh thanks... they are good cuddle buddies
You crack me up!
It was SO hot today...95 degrees and I waited until the hot sun to plant in the front of my house! I need my head read! I thought I was going to die!
You've seen the other side of my front entrance (sea of caladiums)....this is the sunny side and I decided to add some Sunpatience. I also added them all down the front of my house. Ordered another 25 Galaxy Caladiums to complete the look and got 8 planted. I'll be smarter tomorrow and finish planting them in the coolness before I go to work!
Once these Sunpatiens spread out, I think it's going to look really cool - They sure pick up the Rosebud Caladiums...
love it... great job!... i never tried sunpatience... i always look at them... but never bought any
You have to try them Onewish...I really didn't think they would survive - but I used them last year and they lasted and flourished. The only reason they expired was from neglect. However, they should do good this year as I've moved my pot addiction out to the front of the house and need to water! hehehe
This message was edited Jun 1, 2008 10:55 PM
I am sure I will get to them someday.... this is actually my first year that i grew impatiens from seed & bought a small half flat... with all the shade I have don't know why I never bought them in the past... but we have only lived here for 4 1/2 years now... and didn't know what a garden was before that and didn't start till at least a year and a half after we moved in... so I am still learning what works
You know? That container I did today was so much fun - researching and finding the plants and putting it all together. I just wish I had a little more rustic container (God won't mind! haha) I think I'm going to do this more often for my friends. Match their personalities, interests, hobbies to the container!
NEXT - What do I plant for my employee who loves to gamble? hahahaha. (shamrock?) LOL
Onewish...Over the period of nearly the last 30 years living in Florida, I've gone through so many phases with gardening. I've planted my heart out and have only learned by trial and error. I've actually planted particular plants that I love over and over again...and I can always find a really good excuse as to why they didn't do well! (until I read in plantfiles that it only survives in 2 zones less than mine!) And no, I haven't gardened continually as it's a hard place to keep things the way I want them. Container Gardening has really renewed my spirits though...I want color and I love the annuals that survive all summer in the North. I can have that here in containers.
When I planned this landscape I had a landscape company come in and plant the trees and bushes. All fairly low maintenance - Self cleaning palms and native plants. I want to do so much to enhance this, but it all takes time.
I grew up gardening...My Mom had an incredible knack and would grow very unusual things - Square tomatoes? (and they were!) I always got the crappy job of weeding the vegetable garden, but when I look back...I even enjoyed it then!
Try not to get discouraged when you have something that doesn't grow. It happens, no matter what you do! I really give you a lot of credit for getting out there and actually starting plants from seed. Impatiens in NJ should probably do phenomenal! They really don't ask for a lot either...but water is a really good thing! hehe
Good for you!
Kat
