porcelain berry vine is finally getting its little pearls...
Tropical Gardens and Plants 108
American Eagle must have liked the bayer application I gave it a couple weeks ago, cuz he is loaded with new buds..
snow on the mountain euphorbia is everywhere, the one in the bean patch the size of small trees..
Great job Debra! If you can grow those A. Gageanas, you should have no problems with A.Portora, Calidora, Odora and Borneo Giant! Every year the Bayer goes on my Japanese Maples and Bald Cypress to prevent the Japanese Beetles from decimating them.
Debra,
I think that may be Pineapple Sage...is the foliage fragrant ? My snow on the mountain euphorbia did well till we started with the higher night time temps and humidity, I can't find it where it was now so guess it bit the dust.
I think us folks down here in Florida will be watching the TV (weather) a good bit in the next few days, Thanks to
"Irene" coming to visit.
here's Philo grazaliea, I think I'm going to have to put it in a different container, it want's to go straight up, I was hoping to wind it around and around...LOL
Yeah, Deb that brom in the tree is infested with ants along with heaven knows what else! I started pulling out the dead stuff and had to back off. I'll be going in armed and dangerous. But I should have some new plants to share, too. Love that golden rose!
btw, Hedychiums are the tall gingers with the wonderful fragrant flowers like the white butterfly ginger, and my 'Dr. Moy'. I've got zingibers and kaemferias and alpinias that are all other types of ginger.
Mj, I don't know, you and Paula might get some rain from Irene, but looks to me like Drew and Alice need to break out the lifeboats - or floating pots? - for this one! Get the plants up to higher ground, kids.
Here are some of my pitiful Banana plants - they've been in the ground 3 years, so I am indeed not happy with them:
This is just a pup, so there's hope it will grow!
This one is a big boy, growing in a pot because it needs zone 9b or higher.
This is one of my many favorites - Clero. speciossum.
This giant Tibouchina starts blooming in June and blooms until I put it back in the greenhouse. I have a large shrub of the small-leafed Tibouchina, and it's hardy in my yard, but this one is not.
I purchased this black ornamental Pepper from Home Depot about 3 years ago. I cut it back and put it in the greenhouse for the winter and it is ready to go back out in the spring.
This is an astoundingly beautiful Banana - Siam Ruby.
This is a really cool plant - Florida sunset plant - botanical name is Chrysothemis sp 'Black Flamingo' - yes, our sunsets look just like the blooms on this plant - breath-taking!
I am just thrilled with my FIRST solid yellow Gloriosa climbing lily - thanks, Jack! Of course, with the sun so bright, the true color doesn't show in this picture.
Maybe this picture is better of the Gloriosa.
By the time I got around to taking these pics this morning, the moonflowers had already closed, but it's been loaded during the evening hours.
Elaine, That's what we need here in Charlotte; another 6-8'' of rain on top of the 7-8'' we had 2-weeks ago! It's either feast or famine this year. You guys be safe; when it gets out over the Gulf Stream I think it could blow up quick! But Hey... You live in Florida... you know to stay prepared.
Kay, Are your bananas getting enough sun? Could be the problem. I love the Siam Ruby with its electric lime green variegation. I have a couple myself!
MJS, That is a neat looking Philo. I need to get one!
We are going a little wacky here today, I am fairly confident Irene will blow out to sea but living on the coast does not leave a lot of wiggle room. We have to be all ready inside (identify any valuables/insurance papers) then if things get iffy we hysterically run around outside bringing containers into the house or the garage. The little things I have rooting will have to fend for themselves. Hopefully this will all be moot.
Just one poor little water lily today.
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Heck, I have alot of potted plants outside (guess I'll bring them in on wednesday if the hurricane comes to the west coast of Florida). Unfortunately I don't have the money to go out and buy lots of supplies (water, batteries or food), so I would have to suffer through it all. Would suck if the electric went out for more than two days, My food in the fridge/freezer would go bad and I'd be starving for food, lol.
What a horribly ironic weather condition we have. Here in Texas (I am less than 10 miles from Rita) we are approaching 60 days of over 100, mostly 105-107. My garden is toast. Not enough water in the world. No rain since February. Irony is, it will take a hurricane to move this high system into history. I pray for rain but I do not want anyone to be harmed in the process. The weather bureau reported that daily temps are taken in the shade and could be as much as 20 degrees higher in the sun. Worst of all.....the mature trees are dying everywhere. Our landscape will be forever changed.
I'm so sorry for you, Christie - see - ya need to come to NW Florida, where it's COOLER!
Yes, the bananas are in sun from about noon until evening. I probably would do well to feed them, huh?!
I totally feel for you in Texas. How horrible. You have to be a tough person to put up with that stuff. A hurricane might help bring water to your area, but in other states it would bring damage. Hope you guys in Texas get rain soon.
If someone could figure out how to transport large amounts of water from 'water-logged' areas to super dry areas, that would be awesome!!
This message was edited Aug 22, 2011 1:30 PM
Love, you have NO IDEA how 'tough' this little lady, 'Lou' aka Christie is - she's a BLESSING to all who know her!!!
Wow, then my hats off to you Louc (Christie), I hope so much that you get rain there soon!
And a beauty Alice!
That might help Kay! LOL
I know, a tropical storm makes you look at your surroundings in a whole new light, doesn't it! I am now walking around the garden and instead of pulling weeds, I am picking up stuff that would fly around if we get a lot of wind. Lots of the little potted plants are getting plugged into the ground, where they should have been months ago. We're lucky we don't flood here - we're on 'high ground' in Sarasota, a whole 29' above sea level!
As LoveForests says potted plants are potential projectiles that could break windows or make a hole in a roof. I'm lucky to have two garages, the small one just has my car in it so there's room for lots of plant pots, garden tools and stuff. Big stuff goes in the Garage Mahal out back.
We have shutters, food, water and a generator in case we really get hit with a long power outage. Funny story, actually - DH was a doubter "we'll never get a storm here" before Charley hit in 2004. It came in 50 miles south of us and passed 25 miles east, and our friends in Punta Gorda were without power for 2 weeks. The next storm, Frances, was arriving on our anniversary and when he asked me "what do you want to do for our anniversary?" I said "Go to Home Depot and buy shutters and a generator". He again laughed it off until I asked him "How'd you like to be without your computer for 2 weeks?". After that, we got 7 more storms in '04 and '05, all were close calls for us, but he's a believer now. We've put up the shutters a couple more times, but only used the generator once, for 2 days.
I can't imagine what my garden would look like after a really big storm! But I'm trying . . . We'd have a lot of tree damage in this whole area because we really have NOT been hit hard for nearly 50 years.
Kay, your flowers and plants are lovely - I'd been wondering why you hadn't posted pictures for quite a while!
Isn't that the truth, Christie is a strong woman too. I do hope you get something wet soon, I know the humidity is so low it is like being in the desert right now. I hate that the old oaks are suffering.
Actually we do not stock up on water or batteries here because if the storm heads this way we have to get out of Dodge and there should be plenty of water a hundred miles inland where we will go. We already have our reservations, usually if we prepare this well the storm goes elsewhere.
Dyz, we are at 14' here. :-(
This message was edited Aug 22, 2011 3:02 PM
Christie, Are you guys on water restrictions? If so; what kind?
I won't be able to leave where I'm living at my home now (when a hurricane hits). I just don't have the money and I have a wonderful, amazing, big, dog who can't stand to be without me for a second, (most places won't allow him to stay with me), so I would stay here at home.
I live here by myself, and have very little income, it goes towards feeding me and my old dog and caring for him, nothing much left for buying huge supplies for an annoying hurricane coming by. And I'm starting to wonder if this white plastic fence surrounding my backyard would make it through a hurricane. I got that fence to protect my old puppy from many things. I guess I'm just letting worry get the best of me.
I can tell you do love your dog and I know you would do anything to keep him safe.
Here are some pots of Achimenes. I would like to have other colors - I understand there's a yellow and an orange!!!
AeAe Pups #1
Thank you so much for the kind compliments. I hope you understand that I DO NOT WANT A HURRICANE. That would be trading misery for misery. Just that is the way the weather systems seem to work. Dallas/Ft.Worth area draws from multiple manmade reservoirs. On the north side of DFW is where the largest concentration of people live. They are in stage 2 . Our city hall decided to make 3 levels of charges per gallon. When you get to stage 2 or 3 you pay the highest rate beginning with the first gallon. In other words, if you are going to water, you are going to pay. My bill has been running $340. for the last two months. Those who are not watering their trees are going to pay dearly when the tree dies. Also, because we have been providing water, our 1/3 acre lot has been drawing all kinds of wildlife. The creeks are dry.
Just checked my weather reader outside...100.4, 28% humidity. Perfect for wildfires especially with everything so tinder dry.
AeAe pups #2
Thanks Christie! Sounds like you care for the wildlife also! Do you have buckets and birdbaths set out?
Homer, now you MUST send me one of those pups!!!! Very nice indeed!
Homer,
Yup I like this Philo too...but she definitely wants to go UP !!
Kay...there are tons of different color of Achimenes....
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/b/Gesneriaceae/Achimenes/none/cultivar/0/
I should have some extra Blue this year...Don't you have a red one ?
Kay, Ha, bet you want the pick of the litter too. :-)
This message was edited Aug 22, 2011 8:38 PM