Tropical Garden #124

So did I show you folks the beautiful Chocolate Cosmos that I saw growing on my trip? The flowers really do smell like chocolate!

Unfortunately, they aren't exactly tropical, I tried twice to grow them, and as soon as the nights got warm, they went 'toes up'.

These are growing in a pot at Milner Gardens in Parksville, BC. I'm convinced they're really a type of dahlia, not a cosmos but . . what do I know?? Second shot is just a lovely little patio at the same garden.

I did see some tropicals on my trip, though. There was a spot called 'Butterfly World' with a large greenhouse, c/w a kiwi vine with fruit on it, orchids and lots of other tropicals, not to mention butterflies of course. Even though a lot of the butterflies were tropical species, they really liked the buddleia flowers. Adaptable little fellows, eh?? (oops, there I go sounding Canadian again)

Elaine, here is an online picture of a chocolate Cosmos plant - take a look. It looks just like the plant you have posted:

http://blog.hgtvgardens.com/flower-of-the-day-chocolate-cosmos/

Wow...What a red!

I tried growing the Chocolate Cosmos too...planted it in the late fall, came up the next spring, bloomed, then did not come back this spring.
Pooooooooooooooo

Martha, I have the same problem with non-tropical perennials - they simply don't return after the first year - perhaps (as suggested by our state Master Gardener director) not enough chill time and too much humidity year around.

Chocolate cosmos was a bust here too; even the regular cosmos are puny by comparison with those grown where they have cooler nights. I saw some tremendous ones in the NC mountains last week.

There are bananas at my son's new home in Asheville, they must be M.Basjoo, I can't imagine others grow there.

I've had good luck with regular cosmos from seed, but only in spring, and only until the nights got warm.

Here's a gorgeous bed of them up in BC. My general rule of thumb has been "if it grows through summer in the Pac. NW it will grow in winter here". Bugs the heck out of my friends and family up there, but I keep inviting them to visit in winter saying our weather is just like their summer.

Looks like Basjoo to me Alice!

pretty! I love the butterfly shot. I have the choc cosmos growing along the garden border.. it is really easy to grow here..
those are some big nanas!

great pics all !! thanks..
?? did anyone elses tropicals struggle this summer from the heat??
i do have to say first..my gardens get ALOT of sun..so..that said ..
my bananas did great..they loved this hot summer..i kept them well watered..and fertilized..
my EE's .. only ones that did really well..got BIG were the ones that were under the bananas..or got some
afternoon part shade (not alot) from neighbours big walnut tree..
everything grew..and my EE's are all pupping again..sigh..LOL just ones in full sun..didnt get big
like usual.. :(
?? anyone elses experiences?? i know many areas in USA got alot more heat than we did..

My tropicals that are on the front porch and under the pear tree are thriving, but the rest are now inside, Tropicalnut. None of the brugs were doing well outside, a few are still out under the pear tree, they may bloom this fall, but the ones I brought inside are budding all ready. *sigh* I hate this heat, but we did get rain today, thank goodness.

Things were very strange here, nothing was blooming on schedule. The latest mystery is why are the crape myrtles just beginning to bloom now when they should have started blooming back in June?

Drought, heat, floods, solar storms, and a fantastic (bad) year for bugs plus a really warm winter and early spring. Yup, I'd agree it's been a strange season everywhere, it seems. You're right, Alice, our crepe myrtles were late starting, too. My little white one is still in full bloom.

We have not had extreme heat here, in fact today was the second day all summer we have reached 92deg. But we've had bouts of heavy rain like the deluge from TS Debby, then a week or two of no rain at all. Must be confusing for the plants. Everything jumped up after Debby, bloomed, and some things grew bigger and bloomed more than I've ever seen. Then it seems as if a lot of things just stopped for a while - too much top growth and not enough water to sustain it even with irrigation?

I've had big success with the one EE 'Blue Hawaii' that is in the pool cage, and my begonias are variable, some are going like crazy and others are just sitting there looking at me sadly despite the same care for all of them. My brugs have not bloomed in over a month, and even then it was just a couple of flowers here and there. Insects have been their big problem, but still . . . . I water them every day and feed them generously. Who knows. Another deluge expected here from TS Isaac starting Sunday - maybe it will 'correct' things?

I think night time temps have a lot to do with blooming also. My passies pretty much shut down from mid July or so until mid Sept. or even later till there's more of a cool down in the evening.

Deb your Brug cross is budding up again like crazy...the plant itself looks like poo-poo after a bout with Spider mites, and I ended up moving it to afternoon shade. This
summer sun here is just too much for them to have full sun. Monster white has not been OUT of bloom at all. But it's on the north side of the house and gets filtered shade from a lemon tree that we only let grow to feed the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly caterpillars.

Cyrtosperma johnstonii wants a real pond

Orchid SL Jinn Jungle Beau and another one " something or other" Gem Sunspots...

This message was edited Aug 25, 2012 5:15 AM

Stay safe Elaine and Kay and anyone else in Isaac's path.

Elaine, are you home or away? If your away do you have someone to batten down the hatches, (so to speak) before TS/Hurrican Isaac arrives? If you are away and need someone to check, let me know I'll be glad to run over for ya.

Jan

Alice, thanks for thinking of me. This will be my first real storm, so if they suggest we evacuate, we are ready to head to Hotlanta.

I'm here, thanks Jan. I have great neighbors that take care of things when I'm away, too. From the looks of the 5pm map, the storm is heading further west anyway. I might have to go get the sailboat from the club if there is a surge, but other than that, no plans to batten down this time. Just bringing the orchids in under the overhangs so they don't drown in the rain. KayJones is in the crosshairs, though. Bury all your pots, and git outa dodge if it comes your way, Kay.

Upside is, 3 days of clouds and rain coming up - it's planting time! I have more heliconias to go in out front, and am going to put a bunch of my Achimenes in around them, since they seem to be mostly coming up purple.

I figured you had folks, but just wanted to offer. Hope all goes well for the boat. Yes rain which is always a good thing, just too bad it can't go out west where they need it.

Jan

I am going to worry about you guys down there in Isaac's path.
love the purple achimines and the heliconias, maybe some day I will try them

Kay, I haven't checked the weather site yet this morning and don't know what is happening today but I can tell you if it looks like the storm is coming your way - get out now. If you wait until they call for an evacuation the roads will be jam packed and it will be like the world's longest parking lot. This area was last evacuated in 2000, we owned this house but were living out of state and had renters here so we were not personally involved but the governor called for an evacuation and all of a sudden our tenants and neighbors were stuck on the interstate for 14 hours, in the rain I might add. Good thing there are lots of wooded areas along SC's highways because everyone had to use the woods when nature called. One neighbor still carries a potty bottle in their car in case that ever happens again.

Kay it's looking more and more like you may be on the worst side of the storm. I think I'd be at least locking everything down.
Looks like we'll just get rain and some wind, but here probably no worse than the normal thunderstorms we get.

Alice, I have Grandsons who have to go to school and a very old dog, so won't likely leave unless absolutely necessary. I am watching the reports very often, but they tend to sensationalize every report. Several of my neighbors tell me to sit tight - they've been here 20-30 years and have never evacuated. Florida's building codes require that buildings be constructed to withstand 75 m.p.h. straight line winds. Of course, one of my main concerns is my plants - I will bring in as many as I can, but I have lots of Adeniums and Plumerias - a big worry right now.

I do tend to be a little hyper having lived through the major destruction of Hugo - 200 miles inland! I just don't trust storms. Remember, the schools will be closed and most houses that were constructed prior to Andrew do not meet the same standards that are required today.

We can always help to rebuild your plant collection but we can't rebuild you. :-)
Stay safe.

Ditto!!!

Alice, you are a good friend - thanks for your love!

I won't take any chances - I'm not worried about the plants at all - I've started from scratch so many times - I can do it again.

The schools are already closed in south Florida, and I know they will be here, too. I will go if the winds get over 45 m.p.h.

I know you will weather thru just fine, KayJones, and if you lose anything, plant wise, we will get ya started again. Just you and the gkids get the heck outta dodge when they tell ya too.

gotta show off the after rain yard..even got enough rain water for the new aquarium yay!

Finally broke the 10' barrier. Family and lots of friends in Mobile. Hope they will be safe also!

OvO !!!! Drew.. Awsome! hope everyone who is danger of damaging storms stay safe.

Beautiful, Deb - just gorgeous!

Beautiful morning glories, Deb. Glad you got rain. Drew that big guy is really gorgeous! What's the pretty shrub to the left in your picture? Are those white flowers, variegated leaves, or just shiny leaves reflecting in the flash?

Um, this might be a good time to invite your family in Mobile to visit. It's in the middle of the "cone of error" right now.

I just got home from the Sailing Squadron with the boat, and it is safely tucked away. We had a strong squall while we were letting the mast down, horizontal rain going fast enough to sting your face, black clouds racing by, very impressive. Phew! That's my share of excitement for the week . . .

Thanks Alice! That is my fig tree. Leaves are emerald on top and kinda silver green on bottom! I think it's a Turkey Fig. I have a bad habit of not writing down plant names. I have other family on the Northeast side of Montgomery (Auburn) They are going there, should the cone of error be "correct"!


Thanks Deb!

Kay Jones; you stay safe in that Northeast Quadrant!

Somebody remind me to cut the dead leaves off Please!

Hi All -

Dyzzy - your purple Achimenes is awesome - I love the deep color.

Deb - your multicolored morning glories are so pretty. I have the moonflower and have been debating on whether to get more, especially the vibrant blue.

Hope everyone stays safe! We're getting heavy rain and wind gusts from the bands, but nothing too terrible yet.

floridABUNNIE: DO NOT BUY ANY MORNING GLORY SEEDS//// oops//// dmail me and I will send you a lot for you to play with.

Drew, cut those yellow leaves off! That is what I have been doing all day here,in between munching snacks and tagging the vines.( I am tagging the mgs such as large white, or large pink white no mai. etc/ lots of NOIDS there. Yellow leaves are a no no for me here. I hate them! LOL

Just checking in for the first time in a long time. Worried about all of you with Isaac rolling across you. I am less than 10 miles from Rita and can't even begin to duplicate her Eden. We are at risk for tornados in the spring. Never any warning...just on top of you all at once. I share your anxiety and am praying that none of you will have ill winds at your doors.

Christi

Good to hear from you Christi!

Christi, where have you been?! We miss you, Lady Bug - we love you - don't stay away for so long. Is everything o.k. in your world?

Christi {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} good to see you!

Just a little hiccup this week. DH is having knee replacement in the morning. He has been in such pain for so long that he and I are looking forward to it. Probably be a little uncomfortable for awhile but there is light at the end of the tunnel. He has a very positive attitude and that counts a lot.

Still concerned for all of those in the path of Isaac.

So glad to connect with this wonderful group of people again. I have truly missed you.