Container Renovations 2! (smile)

Here is my favorite container Kat. It's not the best picture, but I will post another one soon. It's Persian Shield, Petunias and String of Bananas.

Kat -

I put my mandevillas in pyramid trellises - the plants are smaller than yours- I have it pulled thru at several points along the way -but they end up at the top of the trellis- I think your vine might need either a bigger or different kind of trellis.

Kitty

I tried an obelisk (is that the same as a pyramid trellis?) for one of my mandevillas but I eventually took it off and used a regular metal trellis--liked that much better. When the vine starts really getting long and thick, the obelisk just wasn't cutting it; I didn't like the look--very crowded looking and didn't show the flowers. Right now I'm not using the obelisk for anything. Another DG had a mandevilla on an obelisk and it was large and beautiful; that's where I got the idea. Not sure what she did to get it to display so pretty. This was last year on DG that I saw it.

A friend brought me a cat whiskers plant. I've got it in the ground and just love it. Never thought about using it in a pot combo. Yours looks great. You find some really cool plants to use in your combos. Always enjoy looking at what you come up with Kat. Keep posting those pic's!!!!

Patty

Kitty...so far so good and all the leaves turned the right way and it's looking good - You're right though, I do need something bigger. Unfortunately, I crammed that pot into this one and hate to put my poor plant through any other abuse right now! (PAA - Plant abuse anonymous! hehe.) I suppose if I want to change it next year, I'll probably have to cut the plant back to get it out, which is okay cause it does crappy in the winter anyways.

Jlp - That is a cool combo! Your persian shields look so much better than mine this year...Mine are just not the same for some reason. Longer leaves and much more spindley plants and really growing poorly. Do your petunias last? Mine probably have another 3 weeks in them and that's it! I love String of Bananas too...In fact after reading Palmbobs article last week, I'm obsessed with succulents and cactus! hahaha. Check it out - he's got them all combined with other plants in his garden and it just looks so cool!

Kat, I found that same cat whiskers last year and just absolutely loved it. It lived through the winter here and has already put out a new bloom. I took cuttings from it last year and they did great too. It's also known as Java Tea.

It makes for some magnificent macro photos.

By the way, when I bought mine, there were several sitting there. The rest of them were purple and mine was the only white one.

As usual, your plantings are gorgeous and I always look forward to what you will come up with next.

Janet

This message was edited Jun 11, 2008 8:21 PM

Patty...I just needed something to get this plant off the ground and it really is looking better than it did. I don't think the Nong-Nooch is as climbing as the Mandevilla and finer in growth (OMG...I just put a Mandevilla on my iron trellis in the lizard lounge a couple of weeks ago and it's wound itself tight and grown like crazy - they're gorgeous!).

I'm going to try to keep an eye on it and just pull new growth through, but not wrap it around. As I mentioned before...it's just a amazing bloomer and very different.

Do you just not LOVE the Cat Whiskers??? I have never seen them before down here. I'm not sure it's suited to a container, but I just thought I would give it a try. How is it doing in the ground for you? When I first seen it, it reminded me of something my Mom had in our garden up north - Cleome - we called it "spider plant". And after checking it out on plant-files - it's a close relative.

You should see me in a garden center Patty...I'm like a Ferrett! hahaha. But sometimes I find some really cool things that nobody else wants! My poor guy just stands at the end of the row with the cart wondering what is going to show up next! HA! Thank you for the compliments and encouragement.

Kat

Pic: My poor tipped over fountain seems to have recovered well. I can't believe these Sunpatience have survived in this heat and drought.

Janet - Great Photo! Had you ever seen them before? I read that they had them in purple also, but sounds like the white is more preferable. I think they are just the cutest! The garden center only had about 6 - and I bought 3 - think I'll pot up one for a friend who invited us for dinner on the weekend! Yeah...I push my plant obsession on my friends too, whether they like it or not! hahahaha. I'm kidding, kind of...

Kat

The cat whiskers are in a big wooden box container with legs. :-) In that container I have thunbergia, hardy gloxinia, portulaca and the cat whiskers. There is also a rooted gardenia that is about 7 inches tall. Everything (with the exception of a couple of coleus) in there survived the "winter" here and it's going like gangbusters now.

This photo is from last year. I don't think I've taken any photos this year yet of this container.

Janet...That is a really nice combination. Very different also. Love the Thumbergia and Hardy Gloxinia??? That's a new one to me. Can you grow Hosta's in your zone? I just love them and had a couple I borrowed from Tennessee. They survived in a pot for a while and then just melted when the real heat came. I've also tried climatis and a couple other plants I used to have up North. Oh well, I really should give myself a slap when I think about all the amazing things I can grow here year-round! I stilll miss Lilacs and Peonies though!!!!! hahaha

Has anybody had any experience with Desert Rose? I've had this plant for a litte while and it's doing okay, but nothing to write home about! I want to transplant it into a clay pot and I've read somewhere that when you transplant it, you can lift it to expose the bulb (or whatever it's called). They're gorgeous when they mature and from what I've read on plant-files - They're just like orchids, don't baby them and they do better!

Totally neglected and un-babied orchid! Amazingly enough it still has most of these blooms 2 months later????

I've seen Hostas around her Kat, but I don't have any of them. I think they need shade, and I don't have too much of that here.

The Hardy Gloxinia is really neat looking when it's in bloom. The little tubes of flowers run along a stalk, whereas a regular gloxinia gets the blooms more like an african violet, if I remember right.

Kat use a clay pot on your adenium and use the potting soil for cactus. Adeniums like it on the dry side and the cactus medium has much better drainage; I think it has more sand in it. They like full sun. I learned the hard way not to water them in the winter when they go dormant or they will rot. I lost my first one that I had for years (it was large and beautiful in the summer) from overwatering. Made me sick. I did manage to get a cutting. Right now temp's are in the 90's here in South Texas. I can water mine every couple of days and they do fine. I do not drench them though. My first desert rose plant was bought at a botanical garden sale. The propagator said to use osmokote fertilizer and I've always done that but I'm out right now.

LOVE the cat whiskers! what a unique plant.

Kitty

Kat -

Finally finished my Canna pots - put black magic elephant ears, crimson penta, purple heart, and a couple of annuals that caught my eye - But saw a plant I couldn't come home without - hehe
Kitty

phughes, thanks for the great information. I have 3 derest rose babies that I have raised from seed.

Yes, Thank-you Patty! I can actually see that mine is being overwatered right now. How do you know the plant is dormant?

Ummmmmmmm Kitty! That's a given isn't it? Of course you would like "Cat Whiskers" hehehe

Hey...what is that plant that you posted. I can't see it with the Daves Garden writing all over it! Sounds like a great combo though...I Love the Black Elephant ears! I picked up 2 nicely growing 3ft tall plants at HD for $9.00 a piece! I've bought regular EE bulbs for more than that.

Kat,

I'm coming late to your thread, but everything is just beautiful. I am jealous, and in awe of your talents. Enjoy it.

Kat they go dormant in the winter when temp's drop. In South Texas, that's probably Nov-Dec.

Kat - I put new plant - Datura metel 'Purple Petticoats' in ground in front of Japanese bananas and hardy hibiscus - I got two of them - picture doesn't show - but the bark is black - looks really cool - I planted them together to look more like a bush - One bloom open - lots of buds - common name - Devil's trumpet.
Gotta get me some whiskers!!hehe

Kitty

Thank-you Pennefeather...yes, I really enjoy it!

Kitty...Sounds like you really got some great plants. Do you think I should include some Devils' trumpet in my next religious container? (slap me)...Maybe in the gamblers container! LOL

Patty...Do they lose their leaves when they go dormant?



Started a new thread as this one is getting way too long...

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/863225/


This message was edited Jun 14, 2008 7:36 PM