I think the broad white border and what looks like heavy substance to the petals means wind's lily might be something along the lines of the newer 'Star Fighter'.
I grew this from one of hemlady's seeds! I love the deep color and the contrasting throat.. you can see its "spider" heritage in the shape of the petals.
'Kopper King' and 'Plum Crazy' hardy hibiscus in front of my chimney.
'Kopper King'
'Plum Crazy' also has some purple on the leaves, although not as dark as 'KK'
Hardy Geranium 'Rozanne' has become a garden favorite for me!
Garden phlox
Hibiscus syriacus (Rose of Sharon)
My tropical waterlilies are doing well in the heat!
'Panama Pacific'
'Madame Ganna Walska'
I've been reading about propagating these... apparently baby plants start in the notch of the leaf as it ages, and sure enough I can see little bumps forming there in some of the older leaves.
Our lilies are spectacular this year. "Triumphator"
"Tiger Woods"
"Algarve"
"Vermeer"
whoops, photo of second waterlily didn't load.
I'm excited about the possibility of overwintering plantlets of these tropical waterlilies!
David, those are lovely!
The Korean bellflowers you gave me both bloomed, and I think they both turned out to be 'Elizabeth'. One is still in its pot, and the other is doing nicely next to the soaker hose in the side bed. Thank you!
I planted scented geraniums and oxalis together, and eventually I think the SGs will be bigger and taller with oxalis foliage surrounding them.. but at present they're getting a bit buried! This corner of my deck is mostly herb pots... smells wonderful!!
Gita, I love that 'Plum Crazy' hibiscus
Critter, I held off on getting Tropical WL as I'm not sure how I would overwinter them. What are you planing to do with them? Your pot corner looks beautiful.
Greenthumb, Your Lilies are stunning.
Bluespiral says I can get some little starts going (works best on viviparious varieties of tropical waterlily, like the ones I have) and then overwinter them on a sunny windowsill. She got a third variety (also a compact one, I think, so it's suitable for a big container rather than needing a pond), and we're hoping to swap!
I may also set up a little 10 gallon aquarium with a light. I've heard it's easier to get them started inside (even in summer) and then pot them up. We'll see if I can stand letting the mother plants freeze or if I try to bring them in, too!
I found some good instructions online.. let me see if I can find that web page again!
http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies_images/vivips/page1.html
another great propagation link: http://www.victoria-adventure.org/waterlilies_images/sean_vivips/page1.html
Critter, I saw a thread on viviparious propatation over in water gardening. Only gave it a quick read as I didn't have any plants to work with. Something for in the future. I would like to try my hand at more propagation techniques when I'm a bit more organized. When ever "that" happens. LOL
So my oldest daughter Jules (very non-gardener) comes over yesterday and we are sitting around the table working on some photos for her. After a while she asks "Mom, Why are there about 20 or 30 butterflies around your tree? My answer "Jules, that's because it's a Butterfly Bush. LOL
Rose
LOBELIA cardinalis Ruby Slipper just starting
Lovely- bet that red rose smells as good as it looks
I am kinda proud of this lipstick plant. Back in Feb at the seed swap someone had cuttings from their plant and was giving them away (I can't remember who it was, but Thank You). I had never tried to root cuttings before but gave it a try. It seems to have worked! And bloomed! I am amazed!
I am kinda proud of this lipstick plant.
Don't ya just love when rootings take?
Cat--
I think it is blooming so early b/c it was a tip cutting and, maybe, destined to bloom soon anyways.....
This plant is so aptly named......Gita
Catbird...............you have just completed step one. Congratulations. Step two is to force yourself to stay under fifty rooting cuttings between now and September the first. :)
here are my shots from today
http://picasaweb.google.com/AllisonNJ71/7212010?feat=directlink
Hoopde Hooray! Last week I watered heavily for more than two days. This week we have had scattered thunder showers for about an inch. My things are perking right up...even the grass standing four inches tall once again is looking very nice.
Onewish just beautiful.
Sally here are a few pics for you. Gingerland and Miss Muffet.
love those both Holly
This pot is mostly Pink Illusion.
I'm pretty happy with the Castor plants this is the largest of the three I planted and it is in flower.
Another
Robin- good going!
I noticed new leaves emerging on the honeysuckle cutting I got from Swap.
Holly- love those ,especially that one on the first picture with green edges, lot of white and the speckles, and ruffly leaves too. Fantastic!
Jill,
My 2 Potato Top tomato plants are not really all that great. Tall and narrow--and I believe that, once again, the fruit will be on the small side.
I took some photos of the leaves. I want to know if you think that htey are REALLY Potato Top.
Here is one picture....
And here is another.
Your comments, please....Thanks, Gita
They are definitely potato-leafed, and the fruit shape looks right. One thing I've noticed that isn't in the official description is that ripe fruits often have these tiny longitudinal "dash marks" in the skin -- not splits, just thin silvery marks.
Potato Top usually doesn't make huge tomatoes for me... more likely to be in the 9 to 12 oz range rather than pound-plus.
My tomatoes in general this year are pretty scraggly, maybe because of the weather... I have a couple ripening (finally), but they are pretty tiny. How is your PT doing compared to your other plants?
Jill--
As I said--the two I have are tall and thin. Nothing bushy about them.
There are several smallish, green tomatoes on them. Doesn't look like they will grow much bigger than maybe 3" diameter.
I did not grow PT's last year--but did in 2008. I poster pics and you said the color was right--but the size was small.
Holly posted pics and hers were big, but the leaves were NOT that of PT's.
Someone else posted that theirs were also off....
They DID taste good, though. No matter what the size.
Gita
Most of my tomato plants this year are scraggly, and any tomatoes they are setting look small. So I don't think I can judge anything about the ones I grew out this year. With this heat, I'm pretty sure any blooms will be sterile, so I don't even know if i can talk about tomatoes on a "July Blooms" thread! LOL
Nothing fazes those Yellow Ox-eye blooms, though (the Heliopsis)... they have been a brilliant patch of color all summer, and since I dug out some of them there's more space for a couple of pink coneflowers to shine in front of them!
oops, forgot photo..
this might actually be a June photo, but they're still blooming just like this out there!
