Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Tropical garden #125, 1 by dyzzypyxxy

dyzzypyxxy wrote:
Lovely, Rita! The flowers, the portraits, the water, and I see you found those heliconias. They're my new favorites (this week at least).

Alice, interesting that your book says full sun for the Red Cloak. Mine is in bright shade all day long in the warm months, although it does get some sun in winter back there. Maybe an hour or two. The big one at the entrance to Selby Gardens is in the shade, too. That's the reason I put mine where it is. It does get lots of water - that is my bed for things that like extra watering. Fert? Haven't given it any since a handful of Osmocote at the end of May - not allowed to fertilize here over summer, until the end of this month. I was thinking it's probably due for a feeding once the flowering ends, but it's been in bloom for well over 3 months!

Speaking of blooming, that monster begonia, I discovered, puts on huge growth but no blooms if it gets a lot of water. If I deprive it - let it dry a bit between waterings - it stays a more reasonable size and blooms more.