Hi Sue - thanks for the pool info. All I have been adding is chlorine to keep the algae down - will have to monitor the pH better. And backing up to some of the way earlier posts - the pink evening primrose is Oenothera berlandieri (also known as Mexican evening primrose) in case you still need the ID. It does spread a LOT, but every year, I pull out as many plants as I can without letting it go to seed, and it comes back with just the right amount of plants for the next year. New plants sprout up from the root system. That is a great looking clivia - I just have the orange ones. There was a yellow one at a nursery for $16.99 - but I was too cheap to buy it, and am waiting for the prices to come down a little.
Terri - you mentioned you have a week off for half term. Are you teaching?
Flowers in the garden #3
Hi Dianne and Terri, thanks Dianne for the primrose ID. I did get it pretty quickly when I posted it! I have seen it running semi-rampant in others gardens, so will keep an eye on it. I quite like semi-rampant! LOL
Your Cream Clivea would cost about $40 here! I'm too cheap also! I'll wait untill they are a bit more common, and see if I can get a bulb from someone. I know a lady who has several, and am waiting to see if the flowers go to seed, but think they will not.
These are Hippeastrums, I think. They are slightly different than the red and pink ones, and flower a bit later. These had been thrown out at the local Tip, and when I went to throw out some greenwaste, I couldn't help but take them home, not knowing what they were. I'm stoked I got them!
Terri, the computer is an ongoing concern right now, as I've had to reload all the programmes on, and I don't know which ones I need untill I need them, and it tells me I haven't got them! *sigh* I reckon it took about 2 hours to do updates online today. Boooo
Anyway, it seems to be working o.k, so fingers crossed there is not too much more that needs doing.
I s'pose you guys are deeling the chill now??
Sue, that is another lovely setting. It is now in the 50-60 range here. This time of year it can be 65 one day and 35 the next, so we just enjoy what we can while we can. HAven't had to turn the heat on too much yet, just a bit to take off the chill from time to time, hope that lasts a bit longer with these fuel prices.
Hope your puter pops back for you 100%. I have had them crash on occasion and it is quite an ordeal to get everything back. Once I lost a couple thousand music files and they were lost forever, oh well and so it goes sometimes when not backed up.
Hi all, That flower bed looks gorgeous Sue! I do like the orange Hips, don't think I have seen that colour before.
I had the day off work, classes were cancelled! It was sunny this morning, ( it's almost dark now) so I ventured out into the garden.
A Blue sky and some sunshine helps to lift the spirit!
Chinese lanterns still there! I have picked lots of them to dry inside.
This message was edited Nov 7, 2008 4:41 PM
Weigela
couple of struggling Dahlias!
Feverfew
Over the fence..... my neighbour has Fushias and Nerines!
Kerria japonica, still has it's leaves.
Cornus
Nasturtiums
They have become my 'Blob' lol!
Soon most leaves will be gone, it's nice to still have a few Autumn colours outside the window!
Its good you still have some life and colour there Terri. I had imagined that it was all gone already! Such an optimist aren't I? lOL. It looks rather good still!
Will get out and take a couple of snaps later.
Sue
later???????????????????????? lol!
laters gaters !!!!
whoops! Roses in bloom Terri
I have alot of white out at the moment, with white gardenias, shasta daisies and white agapanthus.
oh Sue those pics are to die for. Thanks for letting me sit under the rose arbor for a bit and get warmed up.
Terri you have much more than I would have dreamed as well for mid Nov. Nice fall color for your viewing.
Hi Sue and Candee,
Gorgeous roses! the arch looks so lovely with the roses in flower, so they smell nice?
Love the white flowers in the garden, we want to see more please Sue!!!
I heard on the news there are storms and halestones the size of golf balls at the
'I'm a celeb get me out of here' camp!! Is that near you?
Brrrr Candee, it's too wet and cold to go out there now, I'm a fair weather gardener lol!!
Hi Candee and Terri, no, the roses don't smell, boooooo!
The hail isn't near us, but we did have some the same size about a month ago, which left alot of my broms in tatters, but luckily not the favourite ones! They'll all recover, at least the pups will!
Its still raining here, so no work tomorrow by the look of it. I'm not even going to set my alarm, which won't make a jot of difference because my eyes always pop open around 5.30am these days! I might be lucky and get a sleep in till 7 if it stays dark and cloudy.
I'm a fair weather gardener too terri, but I might spread some manure pellets tomorrow, as the dogs won't go foraging in the rain, and hopefully it will wash the smell away and the fert will go into the soil. I haven't done it for so long, but used to do it every time it rained. It makes a huge difference to the garden.
The weeds are really taking off now, and I can't see where I weeded 2 days ago for all the new weeds! It can be very disheartening. On a good note, the grass is as green as green! It looks so lush! I should get a cow! LOL
I'll take some more pics when the sun comes back out, as all the flowers are looking a bit mushy now. I expect there will be quite a bit of fungal growth on any cool climate plants after all this, but thats the joys of sub tropical gardening. I've learned to live with it.
Catch you tomorrow no doubt!
Sue
This is an Aechmea fasciata 'Purpurea' bloom. The ants are busy pollinating everything in the shade house, so i will be looking for seeds in a few months time. I won't know what I'll be getting!
Wow Sue that is a bouquet in itself, what interesting little blooms or whatever those colored things are.
I use weed killer on my weeds now instead of pulling all the time and it didn't look pretty when I first began and must admit I likely sprayed a few things I should not have, but after a couple years it has sure cut down on the number of them. I used to spend hours and hours out there and now just a little pull here and there.
Mold, now I had no idea that tropical gardening was a challenge, I thought the stuff just bloomed and bloomed w/o any special care at all. Always learning somethin new here at DG.
Perhaps you should consider a goat LOL!
Those are the blooms Candee. They look like little Jewels don't they?
I didn't go to work until 11am yesterday, and finished off at 4pm with a splitting migraine, so off to bed as soon as I got home.
Its 8.45am here now, and really I should be mowing a lawn somewhere, but I still have a headache and my neck and shoulders are sore. I hate it when I feel off!
Anyway, did a little stroll around the garden while the rain is stopped (we've been getting an inch every 24 hours) and took a few pics. There are mushrooms/toadstools popping up everywhere!
Here is a Red Jacobean lily amongst the marigolds and purple Verbena and Lambs ears, oh and curry bush and iris leaves
This message was edited Nov 20, 2008 8:47 AM
Doesn't look too mushy Sue. Hope your headache is gone by now, perhaps a soak in a nice hot tub would relax those sore muscles. Glad you took a bit of a break and perhaps the rain is there to help you rest.
Those do look like gems, what a beautiful specimen.
I am just lovin lookin out the window at snow flurries and inside at your bloomin verbena!
Your garden looks pretty Sue!
Check out the Birds nest I spotted in next doors garden!
They are still flowering!!!
Lucky you to have blooms this time of season, must be that green thumb of yours.
must be, LoL!
Seeing as they seeded themselves there, I didn't really have much to do with it.
Sue, I saw that pink Brom at the Chelsea flower show, but it wasn't as lovely as yours!!
Shucks, thanks Tezza! I like your bird nest shot, and the good old Nasturtiums, which I find always brighten up the garden!
I am all A-o-k for the time, and have an easier day planned on Monday, followed by a Hawaiian massage and acupuncture, so should be in fine form for our annual plant sale at college on Tuesday. I wouldn't buy the plants myself, as I don't think they are great specimens, but the money goes toward more equipment for the nursery, so alot of staff and students come shopping.
I'll add some pics next time as the batteries are flat, so give this thread a bump to remind me tomorrow?
Happy gardening, or fire sitting, whichever you get up to this weekend!
Sue
a massage and acupuncture sounds heavenly! I always say that one of these days I am gonna get a massage, but just never seem to do it. Have fun.
Thanks Candee, I had forgotten the massage alrady and had just planned some lawn mowing tomorrow afternoon! Mind like a seive!
Jacobean lily
stunning Sue, what an interesting species as you seem to always have down under!
Bump! what a pretty Lily, looks great with the purple in the background, is that verbena?
Why yes Terri, it is! I snipped abit form a customers garden and now i have it in many spaces in the garden. its a bit rampant, but makes a nice cut flower and fills the gaps in the garden. It flowers a long time too!
here is a pic my MUm took of me working at a customers house.
You sure do look like one happy camper (or rather gardener) to me. You must whistle all day while you work!
I don't know about whistling, but theres usually a bit of swearing, (startled by bugs or lizards or worse) the odd groan, an ouch or two and a sigh! LOL
It rained again today, so no work. I'm so happy! Instead I went around the garden and pulled the mulch back from the palms, mango and heliconias, and fertilised with manure pellets. I left the mulch off for a few hours to let the rain do it's work, then scraped it all back and topped it up.
Also, my rose arch had rusted and in the strong winds last week, developed a lean and had broken in a few places, so I went to town, bought some 'D' bar (2 metres long) and banged it in the ground. then I slid poly tube over it and used the connectors to add bits as cross sections, then tied the rose to it, and cut away the old arch (although I left the top still on for extra support) It seems to have worked, but on a really hot day, there is the possibility of the poly tube sagging with the heat! LOL.
The sun shone briefly late this arvie, but more rain is expected until the end of the week. How sad! LOL
Sue
Great fix up you did Sue. Oh I remember when visiting you taking my glass of wine and strolling under that arbor. Oh, I do miss it!
Hi Sue - that is one great arbor and entrance to that section of your garden. We also have an annual plant sale here at the university where I work. I used to buy plants, but never seem to get them into the ground before they died.
Candee - you have to try a massage. They are great, though I haven't had one in awhile.
Wonderful pictures everyone. Terri, I keep forgetting to get some pics of my nasturtiums!
Hello Happy Lady gardener! nice to see you actually doing a bit . LOL!
Sue, would love to see all those wonderful palms mangos heliconias in tropical arrangements!!!! wow you have so much plant material. It's all looking goooooooood!
Hi Sally, we had a really cold spell and mine have started to collapse, so I'd love to see yours and anything else you got. please!