After being gone for a month this time, my garden welcomed me with so much scent I have to share. I've really missed y'all.
First up, my white Butterfly Ginger, I have several dozen in bloom, the scent permeates the yard.
Home is where the Fragrance is!
Next up is "Pink V" not as prolific but sweeter in scent.
Late Gardenias, looks like the end of a good flush (dang it)
Brug "Valley Misty Pink" Thank goodness she's planted where her scent isn't lost. My brugs did not do well in my absence :(
"Monster" bloomed about all summer I hear.
My plumies did really well this year. Sadly both are noids but fragrant, this one has a rose color on the reverse side of petals.
This plumie has really large prolific blooms and has had at least 3 flushes--lemony scent.
Saving the best for last...don't be too jealous, K?
Here's my Skinner's Banana Shrub just loaded with buds and blooms, I couldn't believe my eyes when I followed my nose, lol. I have 3 nana shrubs, this is the only one that's loaded like this--I have to say that it must like partial shade.
Ahhh you rock, Vi...see some of them waited to bless YOU with all their scent...I'm so happy for you!!
Note: year 4 - still no blooms on my Butterfly Ginger...not to be discouraged I've added more gingers....what was I thinking?
I have the same trouble with my white butterfly. 4th Yr. without bloom.Whats the secrete? Mike
violabird, good seeing you on here again. I have not posted here in a while either. I was hoping to get a timer for our misting system so I could root our Banana Shrub but the recession crunch has hit me hard. I'm just glad I still have a home, some are not so lucky. I was so wanting to root some cuttings of Figo, Skinneri, and Port Wine. They are all doing good. Skinneri was planted in a very shady area and is very spindly, which seems to be it's nature anyway. I would like to plant one where it gets a lot more sun and see what the growth is like then. Port Wine is doing well and by the time I get a timer I should be able to get lots of cuttings. Hedychium are blooming all over the place but the wind is playing havoc with them. We have had close to 14 inches of rain in the last two weeks which we are thankful for but It makes it hard to keep things upright. We have Brugs laying down all over the place and should have over 50 of them blooming in the next week or so. I may not be here, I am going to nadines to work on her house, ha it's work. I have been down there two times so far this Summer and have had a blast. We work on her house for 8 hours and then play with plants for 2 or 3. She has fixed me up with so many Gingers and I am helping her with her soil conditioning, black gumbo.
Chantell, I would move those WB Gingers around, what do you have to loose?
I'll shut up and post pictures now.
Bottle Brush Ginger;
Dr. Moy;
The only thing I wonder about is if y'all are covering up the rizome. They like to be exposed asap to the warmth to get them growing, so I keep the tops uncovered. Later I usually throw some horse manure on top but this year I didn't get to it. They could also be too crowded, give them about 1 foot apart or they start growing over themselves, I usually divide every year in March then just cover them back with their dead stalks to start getting the warmth to grow. They do like water, but this year they sure didn't get much until recently, they usually start blooming at the end of August for me with proper watering. Hope this helps, I'd be enjoying them more if the nights weren't so dang cold now.
Chantell, thanks for the reply, I was starting to think y'all forgot me--I'm glad the plants didn't!
...adding hi Ken! Lucky you to be so close to Nadine's gingers, I know I'd be in heaven. My brugs are a sorry lot too, I haven't been here to tend them.
This is a Brug that bloomed for the first time four years ago and when it did it was the most fragrant Brug in the yard and it only had two blooms. I could smell it over several of the old timers that are known for smell, even though they had lots of blooms on them. The next year we gave a cutting to a friend who is nuts about fragrant blooms and she sent us a picture where the bloom was darker than Mountain Magic and said that it was indeed very fragrant. Last year it did not bloom at all. This year it has sent several flushes and each one gets darker as it cools off. It has more fragrants during the heat of the day, when most Brugs have very little, then most Brugs do in the evenings. I just love this Brug. We will probably name it this year and release it. violabird, if we do I would love to trade you a cutting for Pink V or something like that.
Autumn Treasure, and it is;
Versi Peach;
Ecuador Pink;
Ahhh Ken...nice pics....feel my nose twitching over here!!! I actually did move part of the Butterfly gingers out to get more sun...maybe next year. And I think I'll check them Vi for depth...although my Tai one has bloomed every year for the past 3 years...and is planted at the same depth. Good pointer though..gonna check my yellow butterfly to see how deep (she's in a pot) and the Hedychium Betty Ho. I've hear good things about her scent...anyone else?
Now Vi would I forget about you? I didn't see your post till later...so happy you're back...bet those pups are even more so!!
it is my experience as well that ginger lilies need a long blooming season and lots of water.
mqiq77. Your ginger lilly should have been blooming a long time
ago. I think your zone is a long blooming season. Mine are just
finishing up blooming. We have acid clay soil here, but I don't think
they are picky on soil. Maybe you should try moving them.
I think Vi has it , I have them planted too deep.BTW, when would move them? While you can find them, orafter the spring thaw? And I would like to think everyone for helping me out. Mike
Move them or replant them in spring. That's when I do it.