Thanks, beckygardener

Once upon a time there was a gardening maid who met and married the prince of her dreams. She moved to his humble castle off in the forest and expected to transform the landscape into a bright blooming paradise. Little did she realize that instead of the kindly Mother Nature she’d known in her previous life who had provided lovely black soil and gentle rains, the prince’s domain was ruled by a wicked stepmother and a bevy of equally wicked children called Drought, Sand, Sun, and Heat.

What was the gardening maid to do? She struggled to make her plants grow, amending and watering endlessly whilst battling perspiration and bugs beyond her worst imagining, but the plants just sat in the ground and put forth few blooms. The despair that sent her forth searching the Internet for comfort and hope for her poor wilted greenery eventually led her to a marvelous place called Dave’s Garden where knowledge and good wishes abounded.

The maid solemnly took these cherished ideas to heart and made many improvements to her sandy patches of ground. She began to trade her own leaves and twigs in exchange for others, but still arose each morning yearning for dazzling flowers of intense color and beautiful form. Then, one day, almost miraculously, a kindly fairy godmother stepped forward and offered her some magic seeds.

No ordinary seeds are these warned the fairy godmother. They have certain requirements and, if met, will reward you with immense size and beauty. The maid thanked her (but not nearly enough) and made her preparations. The wicked stepsisters tried their best to thwart the efforts of the tiny seedlings, but the plants indeed had some magic in them and grew and BLOOMED!

Thanks again, beckygardener, and a hundred more thank you’s for the delight we find in our yard each morning.

(No offense intended to stepmothers or stepsisters anywhere, but what we have here is indeed wicked.)

This tag says Kaleidoscope, but has three different flowers on it. Mayhap she goofed when planting the seeds...

Kaleidoscope again.

The dogwood doesn't know what to think of this beauty peeking out, I'm sure. Lost the tag.

Blue Jishi. I think this one is my favorite, but I am more than passing fond of several others.

We had one reseed from last year, plus the seeds you sent me. My mother is beside herself - she says the scent is heavenly.

Pres. Bush Cross

Breath taking ipomoea indica....

There have been plenty of others of which we unfortunately did not get pictures. In fact, of all the ones you sent, only three have not yet bloomed. What a thrill they have been!

Hi Shelley!

Your MGs look awesome! I love the first photo of the triplets on the fence. (It looks like Rabenda x President Bush cross came true!) I am so glad the gardening maid was delighted by the fairy godmother's seeds! :-) Too bad the vines don't grow straight up into the clouds to the giant's castle so that you can climb up and steal the golden egg laying goose! :-)

The Lady Yagurama's Kaleidoscope seeds will grow flowers similiar to whatever the LYK blooms were crossed with. Most of my LYK blooms tend to be sterile. No pollen for self-pollinating. But therein lies the fun ... it is impossible to guess what you are going to get until your vine blooms because I crossed them with whatever was blooming at the time! Oh! Such fun!!! Here is a photo of my F1 grow-outs from LYK! As you can see, they ALL look different. And I have more to share from this year F2. :-)

I hope you are able to collect some seeds from some of yours. They are all Ipomoea nil vines and the seeds may not survive freezing temps this winter. So if you see any brown seed pods, collect them for next year! :-)

All of your vines look great! You did a good job planting them. Be sure to water them with Bloom Booster to get more blooms! And if you are so inclined, take a small artist paint brush and do some hand-pollinating! ;-)

Tell your mother that I, too, love the Moonflowers! Divine scent for sure!

Shelley - Your little fairy tale story had me laughing as I read it! Thanks for sharing your bloom photos and for the delightful story you created to thank me! :-)

Did you know we were going to do an MG group seed swap this winter here on the MG Forum? You might want to consider joining it! :-)

There are only a few with seed pods. I definitely plan to collect the seeds and I'll try pollinating them myself. I've been practicing on my watermelons with good results.

The one in the top photo was marked Gray Fog. Your picture showed a paler gray, but this one is more of a plum-gray color. It has, far and away, been the most prolific bloomer. We've had at least a half dozen blooms every day for the past month or more. One morning it had 13. Rabenda x Pres. Bush Cross has had about six blooms, has seed pods, and will bloom again soon. Huge and pale lavender - just wonderful. I just adore Dracula as well. The prettiest of all, though, by unanimous agreement, is Akatsukino Umi. I carried a seat out back and sat with it for about 15 minutes on the first day it bloomed. Kohkan is one of the ones that hasn't yet bloomed. I'm looking forward to it as well.

The sun did its best to cook them and I had to get creative with hiding places, but it was worth it. Back in daylily season, we rushed out as soon as the sun was up to check what was blooming and we are doing the same now with the MG's. I even walk around with the flashlight before work during the week. Good that I don't have close neighbors!

Not a speck of rust, but some do look like they're past their peak now. It has been a lot of fun.

what a great story and some great growouts.. you have been blessed indeed by a kind and generous woman.. keep posting.. I enjoyed this thread immensly and look forward to more blooms.. ...

Ahhh, Shelley! Gray Fog ... yes! Of course. Your blooms look much lighter than mine did, but it may be the light reflecting through them and making them look much paler in color. I just love that photo! I am so glad you had such success with the seeds I sent. If you want some more unusual ones that are different than what you've already tried, let me know! :-)

Debra - Thank you! What a nice thing to say! :-) I, too, enjoyed Shelley's posts and her story. Quite a fun story, indeed!

I had two different blooms this a.m. This one is labeled Mutant Blue Needle Leaf Nanding. Bless its little flower heart - the bloom is bigger than the plant.

We use a fish emulsion mix for fertilizer, but it takes two people to pour it out of the barrel. Of course, I have to beg someone to help because it is so smelly! Looks like this little guy needs some, though.

Here is the prettiest of pretties - Akatsukino Umi - with a bit of a crumple on the top.

Foggy had eight blooms yesterday a.m., but only four today.

Here are some of the other MG's on the place.

NOID trade

Another NOID from the same trade with one of those lovely metallic green bees.

Crimson Rambler

There were three wild MG's when I moved here, not counting the white one that runs through the grass in the field beside our house.

In addition to this one, there is a small blue MG that last year was a prolific bloomer. This year, we pulled it out of the flowerbeds and the ones on the fence just are not blooming.

The first year (2005) here, there was a beautiful large dark purple MG in the yard, but it was a victim of the riding mower and I've not seen it since.

I also have Blue Dawnflower which I brought with me when I moved. For some reason, it hasn't bloomed this year either.

Shelley - LOL about the flower being bigger than the vine on your Mutant Blue Needle Leaf Nanding! Pretty bloom! I like the blues too. And I agree that Akatsukino Umi is a gorgeous bloom. You will like what I am going to share with you for next year, if you like these blues! ;-)

Your NOIDs (from a trade) and the Crimson Rambler are I. purpurea vines. They will usually drop seeds that will give you volunteers next year. :-) They often grow large and long with those big ole' heart-shaped leaves.

A whole lotta lovelies growing in your yard this year! :-) I am so glad that you have enjoyed them all! More to come next year! :-) I. nils are more likely to germinate if they are NOT winter-sowed. Plant those seeds in the Spring after the last frost. I. purpureas are tougher and will survive freezing temps.

It was hard to get a good picture of this one. It is white with blue, purple streaked, with a bright pink center. I don't have a tag for that one either. This was the first time I got to see it in good light - I'm on vacation this week. It finally reached the top of the ligustrum that it is hiding behind.

It's a funny story that. My husband, who generally takes little interest in the garden, wanted me to use some popsicle sticks for plant stakes instead of the plastic forks that I usually use. I knew it wouldn't work, but he was convinced that industrial sharpie would keep the name. Consequently, I've got a half dozen nameless plants now.

What a great story!

And yes Becky, you have touched many of us, myself included, with your generous gifts of morning glory seeds and with all the time you spend on the forum sharing your growing experiences with us. Thanks from me too. Ü

Joanne

And here is Dracula. Tiny little bloom and plant, but charming all the same. I shared some of his pollen this a.m. with Blue Jishi and vice versa.

Thanks again for the gifts that just keep on blooming.

Well written story, and yes, it can be hard growing things here, but it can be done....as Becky has proven with her beautiful garden. Every year you live in Florida you learn more. When we first moved here in 1975 my father tried planting things he liked from the North, but we learned that just because they were sold in garden centers here did not mean they grew well here. The garden centers have gotten better over the years, thank goodness, and now mainly carry plants and flowers that grow well here.

The big box stores seem to be going more and more tropical. It seems like every time we bring something home lately, it says zone 10 when I look it up. So then I'm stuck trying to figure out if it will overwinter or die to the ground and come back or just die if I don't put it in the greenhouse.

Here's hoping for a mild winter. Not that I remember what winter is like, of course; the heat has burned it out of my brain. But the heat does bring out some beautiful things, including these MG's. Our plumeria bloomed for the first time ever and my great-grandmother's crinums bloomed for the first time since we brought them from my grandparent's house more than ten years ago. Now if the gingers will only bloom...

Here, here! I loved the gardening tale with a happy ending. We need more of those in our lives.

I'm a two year veteran of Miss Becky's MG seeds and I too have enjoyed each and every one of them. She is a sweetheart. And yes, a good teacher too.

A MG trade? do tell more. =)

Thanks y'all! It's been a real pleasure to share with everyone! I get to enjoy my vines twice ... once when I grew them and now again when I see my seeds growning in each of your gardens! Thank you for all the wonderful photos!

Shelley - I love all your blooms! That light blue one is a very nice one: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=6942104
I love your little Dracula! :-) That one always brings a smile to my face when I see it! :-D

Joanne - This one is stunning! http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=6944435 What is it?

gardenpom - I agree. But I have taken it one step further ... The majority of my plants are now grown from seeds. I have this theory that if a plant is grown from seed, it learns to be tough from the get-go or it perishes. :-) Do or die!

Hi Phyliis - We have a group MG seed swap that will take place in January: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1010582/ Come join us?

I've been tickled with the show that the MG's have put on for me this week that I've been home on vacation.

This should be Sunrise Serenade. The vine is more than four feet long, but this is the first time that it has bloomed. Only two more non-bloomers to go!

Shelley - You newest bloom isn't Sunrise Serenade, but is definitely pretty! Did I send you the seed for that one? If so, then it is a REAL mystery because I haven't grown any like it before so not sure how it would turn out like that! Sunrise Serenade is pink and has split petals that make it a hige/feather type. Your IS however an I. purpurea, so maybe somehow it was crossed with a vine in the wild or someone else's yard ...

I look forward to seeing your last 2 vines bloom! :-)

Becky - that MG I posted above is an Ipomoea nil from seeds you gave me, either 'Gray Fog' or 'Morning Storm'. I started it indoors and now its blooming nicely outside. Thanks. Ü

Whatever it is, it is something you sent and that was the name on the packet. It is planted on the same trellis with Rebecca, but I thought that one was pink. Pretty purple is fine with you, so I'm not complaining.

I have seeds on Gray Fog, Rabenda x Pres. Bush, Akatsukino no Umi, Dracula and Blue Jishi. These all had multiple blooms on the same day. Are these true enough to trade under that name? Some of these are brown already. Can I break them open and bag them up now?

Shelley - You can bag the crispy brown pods. Are you able to keep them separated by cultivar? Or are they all tangled growing together. Most folks like to trade for known labeled cultivars. If they are open pollination, most folks know they might get a cross from any seeds, so that is okay.

I would think that the purple I. purpurea might more likely be Rebecca because of the color, but who knows!?

I looked up Rebecca. I was certain it was pink, but maybe I got the two confused. I guess the pink that bloomed there was the other vine. The four on the arbor (two on each side) are the only ones close. The rest are separated by anywhere from two to thirty feet.

Last day of vacation and I've been enjoying the show.

Morning Storm

Rabenda X Pres. Bush Cross. Most of these vines have fizzled out, but here is the last. The previous flowers were three times this size. I collected its seeds yesterday.

It looks like I'll have lots of Gray Fog to trade. There are more than forty seedheads on the vines now, not counting what I've already picked. The vines are yellowing and stopped producing flowers finally after several months. Interestingly enough, though, I accidentally broke a piece off about a month ago and stuck in my arbor box. It has rooted and has grown half way to the top, so maybe I've not seen the last of them this year after all.

The wild blue MG has finally started to bloom. We encouraged it last year and planted it several places in the flowerbed. This year we pulled all those up and have left it on one part of the fence.

Not a MG, but a very pretty wild Butterfly Pea.

We usually have a few of these reseed every year.

The lovely orange morning glories... This old iron headboard will be absolutely filled with blooms in the fall.

Fall is on its way because I saw the first of the Ospreys migrating south yesterday.

Shelley - ALL of your blooms look wonderful! You had quite the season with so many different ones! :-)

I would like to make a suggestion for next year ...

I have noticed when I grow my seeds/vines in the ground, they just kind of putt along, never getting very big. But when I plant them in a large container with rich soil, compost, and peat all mixed together, I get huge vines and tons of flowers. The ones I had growing along my back privacy fence this year were grown in containers and they covered a fence panel. The rest I grew along my patio picket fence and none of them ever got very big. Rather whimpy instead. The soil they grew in was ground soil and I think the vines struggled more than flourished. I think Florida soil has too much sand and clay and the hot sun cooks the nutrients right out of it. The I. nil MGs prefer rich soil. They are what I consider the showy vines of the MG world and like to be treated like royality, I guess! LOL!

Anyway, just a suggestion to try next year ... grow some of the seeds in a pot or two with rich soil to do a comparison of ground vs potted vines. Bloom Booster is a great fertilizer to get lots of blooms and I think you mentioned that you used it. :-)