Spring 2011 - What's blooming in your garden? Part 2

Jon - Thanks for sharing that link. That's amazing!!! How dangerous is that level you are getting? I am clueless to what the readings mean in regard to health risks.

Long term I've no idea but no effect in the short, any additional radiation over an extended period must increase the risk of cancer. Remember it's in the water, the food and the air we breath and so you have to take the cumulative effect of this exposure over and extended period into account.

Seems I read somewhere about Chernobyl disaster was still an issue with radiation leaking after over 25 years. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gerdludwig/the-long-shadow-of-chernobyl

Just absolutely terrifying, I worry about the people of Japan and the rest of us too.

By the time anything gets to the west coast of the US I think very little risk of problems to anyone there, remember I'm Just 100 miles away and they say "no immediate threat to heath" what does that mean? All radiation exposure is a potential threat for the entire planet. Then again so are many viruses and diseases all unseen, some as deadly!
I lived through all the atom bomb tests during the 50's when the whole world was subjected to fallout from these weapons testing, quite possibly far worse than a disaster at a nuclear power plant anywhere. The whole world has radiation in the soil as a result of these tests!

Amen to that, Jon! I agree that we have all been exposed to radiation! These new antibiotic resistant strains of diseases is just as scary! It's always something. Life is not constant, predictable, or without life-threatening issues! No guarantees for any of us! So best to enjoy and appreciate each and every day and those we love and care about! :-)

So true Becky. At my age, I do just that and have learned not to take anything for granted.
J

It does make me wonder also, all the aches and pains we get, the atmosphere most certainly has something to do with it. Live each day to the fullest and get more turtles..lol

Here is sweet pea "streamers blue" in bloom using the cordon method.


Tony.

Flower up close, nearly 2 inches across on a 2.5 foot cordon :-)

All the flower photos are so pretty! My favorite time of the year!

Tony - Looks like they are all getting ready to burst into blooms! How pretty! :-)

More pictures of the sweet pea. Flowers nearly as large as an egg!

Upclose!

A truss of flowers compared to a 3.5 inch styrofoam cup!

Outstanding! I love the coloration. Do they have the classic sweet pea fragrance?
-Nick

The variety is called "streamers blue." It seems to have a citrus-like fragrance with a little hint of blueberry.


Tony

all I can say is, My roses are blooming.. I am still waiting for my sweet peas to bud up, as with everything else, it has been a cold spring here..

Tony - Your Sweet Pea blooms are huge!!! What are you feeding it???? Impressive!

Debra - That peach/orange rose it drop-dead gorgeous!!! Is it growing and blooming inside? WOW!!!!

I have a new clematis that has bloomed for me this year. It's called, "Josephine". The bloom started out looking like this:

And 9 days later it dropped all the larger outer petals and is now producing a nice sized tight bloom! The blooms on this cultivar have lasted longer than any other clematis I have. I just love it!

I have had this Texas Star Hibiscus for several years growing in a small water pot! I can't believe it has survived to delight me with blooms every year! Another red bloomer which is one of my favorite colors! :-) And the hummers like it, too! :-) :-)

I had to cut my Black and Blue Salvia to the ground after we had a bad thunder storm over the weekend. Found out it has scale infestation on the lower branches, so by cutting it so severely, I hope it comes back healthy once again. The plus is that I can now see all my daylilies at once. I have them growing together with Scarlet Milkweed to make that area look more lush! The butterflies and bees really appreciate it. Though they weren't too happy about the B & B bush being cut back so harsh. It will grow back in no time! :-)

Debra, gorgeous rose.

Becky, Josephine is an amazing Clematis.
I love the Texas Red Star Hibiscus. Its a beauty.

Thanks, Jackie! :-)

I received several NOID Brug cuttings last Fall and this one has done well and is blooming now. I've not had one that was white or cream color with the pink rim. Beautiful! The buds are fatter and shorter too. Neat brug! No idea what cultivar it is though...

love the clematis, i just can't seem to get one growing for some reason..


roses are growing outside, hubby cuts them at bud stage to bloom inside for me..
nice brug!

Becky- I'm growing the sweet pea using the cordon method. The plant has been in the ground since October of last year! I let it grow about 8 inches, then I cut it back and saved the most robust shoot and let that one grow a few inches, but it died back in the cold winter and there was a small bud sticking out in the bottom, so I cut it back one more time and covered the plant up to save that precious little bud and then it grew to what you see now tied up to the bamboo cane. I feed it with a tea brewed from ground banana peel and egg shell.

Thank you Debra!

The thing I've discovered about clematis is that they like to be on the dry side. If they get too much water, they get root rot. I've had a few that didn't make it in my garden, but most do. Once the roots get large and established, they will come back every year with heavy mulching in winter.

Tony - I remember your organic tea fertilizer. Pretty cool how you got those blooms to grow! :-)

Can't remember when I sowed this vine seed, but it was probably late February or early March. Got the seeds in a trade from X! This is P. foetida var gossypifolia also known as Cottonleaf Passionflower. The bloom is very small, but perfect and just adorable! It is also a host plant for the Gulf Fritillary and Zebra Longwing butterflies. Such a bonus! Thanks, X!

aww that is so purty!

How do you keep your passionflower from becoming invasive?? I have a few small starts that really need their own space, but I'm afraid they will take over!!! Only fence I could let them TAKE OVER is out back along the cow field ((not our cows, but the kids did name them)) And I'm afraid the cows might get sick if they did taste them...unless someone has some factual information they stay in pots.

Those passies are gorgeous Becky! I hope to have some blooming in a couple of weeks I hope.. if the wind doesn't get them first. Becky, those are easier to cross pollinate than MGs are, Please try it. Some don't need it, but others do, Vitifolia (if you have that one will make seedpods that look like small striped watermelons)..

A - LOL! Trust me ... I don't usually have to hand-pollinate my passiflora vines because I've been getting fruit/seeds on many of them via the bees and other critters! I think every single bloom on my Aurantia now has fruit/seed pods forming. It's going to be top-heavy with all the fruit hanging off it! LOL!

If this cotton-leaf cultivar doesn't make seeds, then I will get my brush out and give it a try! :-)

I like that passionflower... even if it has girly colors (just light-heartedly joking!)

Hey, is it time to start a Part 3 to this discussion? Sure do have to scroll down a heck of a lot! :-)

I should have started a new thread back at 100 posts... (sigh) Thanks for the suggestion to start a new one, Nick! I hope everyone will follow us over to the new thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1183341/

Nick - I agree ... the colors on the Cottonleaf Passiflora bloom remind of my childhood bedroom. White furniture with pink accessories and frilly pink bed spread. :-) :-) :-)

hi Cindy! well, here is a bloom that got rained on.. I am sure it is the mauve splash from last year

this one has beeb blooming since spring, and it is from seeds that bloomed inside all winter..