Summer Containers Garden 2011

Indeed, those tropicals do give us the sense of being far away...moments. I'm thankful of the bounty.

Plumeria called 'Raspberry' this morning.

'Kona Hybrid #26' plumeria next to Raspberry.

Just extraordinary. I really have to move south!

Common down Donna, we can gardening together. Move South when mortgate is affordable.

I'm looking seriously at North Carolina. Very seriously. I've been there several times and the people, climate and surroundings are lovely. Not to mention taxes and housing costs. I go there every year and I' going to make a couple of trips next year to scout it out.

Good choices, best wishes to you. Please keep touch.

'Elizabeth' hedychium begins to open up, (a tropical ginger) which is hardy here.

Stalk bulbine, plant is said to be originated from Africa. I afraid it's not hardy here, so it's in container culture.

Another tropical, Blue Sky Vine.

'Buterfly Ginger' this can be hardy here. This emits a very pleasant fragrant.

This also has a fragrant that's similar to that of the white flowered ginger.

This hedychium look pretty, but has no fragrant likes the other two.

I'm thinking that by moving further south, the gorgeous plants I have to keep indoors in fall and winter can be outdoors.

It will be a couple of years before I make a move. And I certainly intend to take all my garden friends with me.

Donna

Donna, I hope that I didn't mislead you to believe that these beauties I've shown in this thread are "outdoor". These are just a "small" portion of the "portable tropical garden" in my collection. I watch for the first frost date, and try to get them all situated in my basement every year. The basement is equip with bells and whistles to keep them flourish over the winter. Then every spring, I watch for last date of frost. Out go all the tropical back to the out side.

Hoya's second flush of blooms, as well as 'Lipstick' vine.

edited to removed comment, as I never meant to offend.
Jan


This message was edited Sep 9, 2011 10:57 AM

"caretaker"? Jan, I hope you're not angry with me for some reason? Hope what you've said has not a smidgent of conotation?

Another tropical/tender perennial; 'Blue Butterflies'.

I love the bells and whistles. I've never had more than brugs and cannas (and where did those come from?!!). But I now have a few indoor plants, like an abutilon, a ficus erecta, and mimosa plant. I want more!

Tropicals surrender a brightness that not many others (plants) can compete. Here is crotons under the evening sun rays. Yes, Donna, it's like eye-candies. But like Jan has suggested, it takes lot of hard work for our climate. Unless we're on the Keys (west) or Hawaii or some some other tropical Islands.

I actually see crotons quite often here. Indoors, of course. But they are amazingly available. The only things that compete are lilies. I'm in the process of removing lilies from pots to store in my mini fridge till spring. These are all in pots, and the pots also have roses. Not as glorious as your beauties, but that's the price we northerners pay!

Now, when comes to liliums, Donna. Those are hardy here in our climate. If we can control critters that love to munch on them. We should have good success around zone 7-8 on ward. It's you that inspired me with growing lilies. Some fantastic specimens.

Oh, you pay me a huge compliment mentioning me in conjunction with inspiration for you! I love looking at your pics on threads. You have the most wonderful plants.

Thanks Donna, our feeling of one another is that of a mutual admiration. Gardening is a joy that is it lasting, never is a quick fix. :)) This early morning I caught a glimpse of one of my plumerias displaying a coloring which I haven't noticed before. The remainder of the day I was away. I'll check again tomorrow and see how these turn out.


'Kona Hybryd #26' shows a big influent of yellow to their petals, never have I seen this before.

This message was edited Sep 11, 2011 8:01 PM

Kona Hybrid #26, does take on a very nice coloration. It begun with a very deep red then gradually turned this attractive peachy color. Here it's this morning.

You do that too? Go out and examine a plant in the morning and then examine it several times to get a better sense of its metamorphosis? I put some plants on my patio to make it easier to see the changes. I think it's wonderful.

They do change alot with close observation, I've noticed. Fascinating a development!. I'm grateful I've the opportunity to enjoy nature in this intimate setting.

I just adore doing outside and examining my beauties. For me it's an integral, peaceful part of the day.

The cooler weather has really given my tropicals a boost. The mandevilla in these two urns has really grown!

And my brugmansia has finally started to bloom. July to September was unbearably hot and dry here. Don't ASK about my water bill!

Those are really gorgeous LeawoodGardener. I like the compostion. Is that 'Charles Gimaldi' brugmansia? I can't wait until mine blooms.

Not sure, what I've here (until the pix is enlarged) Ours on the other hand is winding down. Most tropicals are winding down. Mealybugs did a number on my Mandevilla this summer. I can't use chemical so I had to forego my plants to rid off the majority of the mealybug. It's hard to combat bugs in the garden when you're organic-gardening.

Wow. How impressive. I try to keep the chemicals to a minimum, but I cannot go totally organic. There is something in my nature that says, 'if it's a problem, treat it.'

Yes, the brugmansia is 'Charles Grimaldi' - it's a fast-growing, dependable variety that I've had for several years. I take cuttings each fall for the next year's plants. They are about a foot tall when I put them out. In the cool weather, their scent fills the garden in the evening and morning, as I water.

The mentioned yellow brugmansia;

As the weather cooled down somewhat, Orchid is making buds.

Some late bloomers. Actually these bloomed off and on all summer long.

So were the tropical hibiscus.

The yellow angel trumpet bud I posted turns out white this morning. That complete my wishes, I had yellow, then pink, now white brugs that bloom this year. Those in container did well. Those planted directly in garden not so much due to bad weather.

What a beautiful thing. Is that a musa near it?