Donner, my daughter was born in Vietnam but looks most like the people in Guanxi province just north of Vietnam, so I think her family must have come from there (I adopted her from Vietnam when she was an infant; now she is almost 12).
We were in China in June for a heritage trip for my daughter; Beijing was wonderful. I really enjoyed looking at all the flowers throughout China and Vietnam. The further south we went, the more tropical they got and the fewer I recognized! :-)
This message was edited Aug 3, 2013 3:42 PM
End of summer blooms
Catmint, you should see the pictures of Peonies that donner posted after a trip to China.
Oh no donner, on that morning glory...!
Would love to see those peonies, Donner! Sorry about the morning glory. :-(
Cat, yes there are some mixed marriages between the Chinese and the Vietnamese in Guangxi Province.
Here is the link to the peony photos: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1255622/
Donner, those peonies are spectacular!! wow
Holly---
There is a man (a Dr. of plants yet) I an trying to entice to come.
He seemed interested when we exchanged a few Posts lately
on the issue of all my petunias dying off....
Here is the Thread I started on this...He knows his stuff!!!
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1326373/
How far is this town from you: Hummelstown, PA ??
He (John) said it is between Hershey and Harrisburg.
Lets all send invites to him to the Swap! I have done my share already....
Gita
Wow, Donner, those peonies are amazing--seriously, like an ocean of peonies! Thanks for sharing!
Interesting to read back on the thread about peonies--I think mine are in too shady of a spot, too--their bloom has been much too halfhearted...
Gita, Hummelstown is just a 1/2 hrs drive from here. Several of the HGHA Members live there.
Holly and Ric---GO GET HIM!!!!! Throw out the "hook" and reel him in...
Send him a D-mail--and take it from there....Invite him over--
I bet he would like to join you in a HGHA tour too..
He does seem interested.....I sent him the "Haves/Wants" link...
He just replied--with a "Thank You".......:o)
Besides Karen (typ...) and him--we would have some real Pros
to go to with garden diseases and problems......
G.
Not much here for July, and now August, blooms. The oriental lilies are about done. I think the only things I am anticipating for later in the season are lespedeza, Japanese anemones, and toad lilies.
My big splash is in spring. I'm already planning for next season to put in more quantities of the same things that I already have so I have bloom drifts instead of just single bloom focal points. I'm also going to go with more annuals. Seems like a waste of money to use annuals, but they do provide a season long color backdrop. I love my shade plants and the serene green foliage, but I'm starting to get bored/frustrated with almost total lack of color to enhance it.
This message was edited Aug 4, 2013 6:29 AM
all of our hosta Regals are in bloom now. so nice to have late blooming hostas in the hummer mix. Also a volunteer nicotiana salvia has buds. Another batch of late planted salvia coral nymph and lady in red are full of buds. All basil is budding out or blooming too. ...let the pinching continue!!
Today is sunny and not humid. Picture perfect day for the garden to dry out a bit
Wind, I just want to hug and squeeze that little hummingbird! So adorable! Looks like he/she is smiling. I think they are reveling in the beautiful weather as much as we are.
Popped out earlier to check the mailbox ('cause I didn't check it yesterday) and of course I had to peek around the beds on my way back up. WOW, the Platys sure have made a comeback! Had to run inside to grab the iPod to take a few pics to share.
1-the Platys that get more shade. I think they really do like the shade more, their colour is richer and the whole plant is fuller.
2- the Platys that get more sun. Much smaller and more "sprawling" of a plant, and their blooms are much more washed out.
3 & 4- the comeback Calibrachoa from last year, and my little STEELERS Girlie watching over them. (no wonder they're doing so well, right!?) < =D
What is the proper pronounciation of---"Calibrachoa"
I tend to say---ka-li-brak hoya .... Gita
Gita, that's similar to how I've been saying it.
Speedie--that's been my experience with my platy as well. Mine was in a spot where it got partial sun, but it didn't seem happy, so I moved it to the morning-sun bed under my roses, and it seems much happier.
How much shade are the platys in your first photo getting? I'm wondering if I should move mine to my new shade garden I'm planning behind the shed, or leave it in the morning-sun bed.
I never knew they liked shade!
No wonder mine has not done anything for years!
Besides--it is VERY old--squeezed in among the iris rhizomes...
which I really, really need to dig and divide...
Talked about it last year--and, like everything else, it never got done.
I do not like this latest "trend" in my life......G.
Well, I always have a list of things I don't get done, Gita! Right now, there are several just for today! :-)
Gita,
We should have another gardening date soon.
When the times is right, I will help you dig and divide your irises. I've never done it before so it would be a good lesson!
Actually, I wouldn't mind joining in with this! I have several large iris plants in my back yard--would love to learn how to divide them.
Typ, I think it was you who mentioned Sum and Substance hosta. I have one, though it is still small. Do they have to be a certain size before you divide them? I'd be happy to share it with you.
You can divide small hostas as long as you can spot separate "plants" within the hosta -- then you break it apart following those lines. Best to do it after you've soaked the hosta in water for a while. And if you do it now, you'll need to water it daily for a while until it recovers from the shock of being divided, or keep it completely out of any sun.
Karen and Cat---
That would be awesome!!! Helping me dig and divide the iris....
I think to do this before the Swap would be too early--as there
are all kinds of other annuals and perennials growing around these iris.
Just a couple days ago--Jill wrote an nice article on digging
and dividing Iris. May have been yesterday???
If you still have your weekly DG Newsletter--it lists all the articles
for about 10 days prior.
Mostly--I have two to sprawled clumps to divide...
One is a deep purple that was in my Uncle's yard. he was an organic gardener.
These iris were all over the place. He died in 1991 and my Aunt died in 1993.
After that--the house was unoccupied for quite a while-and I went and dug
some of these up and brought them to [plant in my own garden.
They have spread--miserably! One big mass....(Pic. #1)
The other is not so spread--but still needs dividing. It is called "Ice Cap".
Pale blue tops and a bit deeper blue bottoms to the blooms.
These came from my neighbor's Betsy's yard (where the Pakistani family lives)
and I dug some of these up to "rescue" them from whatever the new owners
might do to them.
Glad I did it--as they cut down every shrub and, eventually, all the trees in
their yard--dug up whatever bulbs were in their way, etc....
Betsy's Father owned a Bulbs Nursery on the Eastern Shore.
He was from Holland--and gifted Betsy (his daughter) with many nice bulbs.
SO! Here is the NOID Purple Iris--and the "Snow Cap" one....
Of course--you realize--that you will go home with some extras....:o)
Sounds like fun, Gita! The irises are beautiful. I saw Jill's article on dividing irises -- very interesting! It will be nice to learn how to do it.
Those are the two Irises that Gita sent home with Ric and I how pretty they are.
Gita, My Brazilian Plume Flower is starting to bloom again. I'll get a pic when it is in full bloom.
Here's a few pics from the gardens,More Glad pictures, love the accidental placement of the dark lily with those coleus, the Hardy Hibs are looking pretty good even if there leaves are a bit raggy, Blushing Susie (from RRR)
Wow, this sure is a lousy time to NOT live close to Gita!! < =( I'd gladly share out my share of the spoils with Cat and Happy, just to have the experience to help dig and divide and learn. I read Jill's WONDERFUL article as well, found it, and the accompanying pics, to be excellent.
Let's see, the Platy that is thriving more than the other. She is situated so that she is between and set a bit behind the Otto Lyuken and Jerusalem Cherry, with the annual Begonias and perennial Verbena shading her feet. Does that make sense? If she gets any sun at all, it's quite HEAVILY dappled. And they are "touching shoulders", if you will.
The other one which is rather languishing... well, she is to the left of the Otto Lyuken and a bit farther away, so she gets more sun (didn't realize she'd want so much more shade!) She does have a lot of the perennial Verbena and annual Begonias shading her feet, but the rest of her is getting a LOT more sun exposure, and that is washing out her blooms and making her sprawl a lot more. This Fall I will cut her back again and move her closer to the Otto Lyuken (so they will 'touch shoulders' too), that should help. ... and I'll find a seedling Jerusalem cherry to move over to the other side... < =D
(should have thought of this... ya can't see 'em in the pic, BUT... the "good" platy is between those 2 shrub-looking things between the windows, the "less-good" one is to the left of the left-most shrub... and please ignore the weeds in the pic, they WERE taken care of after this pic was taken!) =P
OK Gita! Early October then, maybe? That purple iris would go beautifully with my yellow one.
Holly, that coleus/lily combo is great!
You "accidentally" placed that perfect lily so perfectly with those gorgeous coleus!?!?! How do you "accidentally" do something so awesome!?!?!? Hahahahaaa!!! Come here, let some of that rub off on me, would ya please??
I love that 'Blushing Susie" vine, Holly. The flower color is so pretty. I also got this plant from RRR. It has a couple of flowers on it now.
Does anybody know if it will produce seeds that can be collected and planted next year? Or it is one of those hybrids whose seeds don't come true?
This message was edited Aug 5, 2013 11:11 AM
I haven't been able to collect seeds from mine, I have tried to look for them and they don't self seed in our area. I think RRR buys seeds every year. Maybe she will see this and have more info.
Well I didn't really pay attention to the colors of the lilies when I planted them just took them down there and plopped them in. Then later I took the leftover annuals and plopped them in, too. LOL
Karen and cat.....
Early October it is! Just remember that I work on Sundays--
so it will have to be a Saturday...
Holly--
I had one of RRR Blushing Suzies in 2012 and it DOES make
seed pods--and I DID collect some seeds...
They were kind of low on the plant--maybe on the very oldest bloom sites?
Small, puffy, Jelly Bean--sized pods.
I DID seed them this last spring--and they came up--got a bit lanky
and all but one died. I nurtured it--gave it a wood skewer stick to
climb on--even made it survive (barely) until planting out time--
but it never made it....Too long in the seedling stage...too small a pot...
Whatever---but the seeds did germinate...
I don't know about the Hybrid thing...and I cannot tell you what it
would have looked like...
Here is the BS Vine from 2012--it did not bloom too well either...
Maybe not enough sun? I had it by the pole in the back yard...
where my Epis hang...Big Maple over it...
My Pinky Winky's finally turning pink! The blooms started out all white at first. This was a great end of season deal that coleup found.
This message was edited Aug 5, 2013 2:34 PM
SS - I had a "Quick Fire" hydrangea that is supposed to bloom pink but kept blooming white. A Meadows Farms employee told me to sprinkle pulverized lime around the drip line. Within two weeks, the blooms have turned pink. I forgot to ask how often I should re-apply the lime, but actually seeing it change color was awesome.
teri--
And--I like mine blue. I envy folks that must have naturally acid soil
and whose Hydrangeas are deep, deep bluish purple. SOOO pretty!
I have the Endless Summer Hydrangea. When I bought it (long ago)
it was all pink...I set out to turn it blue, but it took 3 years until it was blue.
I was not using any special acidifyer additives--just Holy Tone--some
coffee grinds--and such. So it took a while...
And--I have been lax about it in the last couple years and now I see
signs of pink again. And to think I have a whole bag of Aluminum Sulphate
in my shed....
Aspenhill, that's really strange. Paniculatas like Quick Fire and Pinky Winky are not affected by ph. They're supposed to start white and then turn pink as they age, no matter the ph.
some flowers and things with wings
anemone and petunia
Jen--
What is the blue flower in your 1st picture?
It's pretty.....Gita
It's an annual called Evolvlus 'Blue Daze'
LOL, Speedie--yes, I wish I had some of Holly's accidental magic as well! :-)
Gita and Typ--early October works for me! Sat the 5th? Sat the 12th is our fall bulb event at Critter's. Looking forward to it, whenever it's scheduled for! Speedie, wish you could be there, too!
Speedie--I also moved my platy to a more sheltered spot--it is nestled in between my coleus and my kalanchoe, under the rose bush. It has several blossoms now, although they tend to wither quickly with a look of 'I got too hot'. So, I think even there it may be getting more morning sun than it wants, so I may seek an even shadier spot for it, like under the dogwood where the brunnera and jacob's ladder have done well (the lungwort has been getting too much sun under the dogwood, so I think I'll move that to the new shade garden).
SSG, I love your pinky winky--so pretty! :-)
Gita, I have an Endless Summer as well. It was blue when I brought it home and it has stayed mostly blue, although some of the recent blossoms have been more pinkish or purple. I think the soil it came in must have been very acid, but as it stays in my garden longer, maybe the more neutral soil in the larger bed is affecting it? I'm fine with bright pink, bright blue, or purple. However, the very large hydrangea in my back yard bed has been putting out some blossoms that are sort of a whitish pinkish bluish noncolor that I'm not terribly fond of; I'm not sure what it means...
FlowAjen, love all the butterfly photos! How do you manage to capture them so perfectly?? Whenever I try, the butterfly is already gone before my camera has even clicked, and then it looks so tiny in the photo I can barely see it... Here's my own feeble attempt to catch a butterfly on my phlox David. ;-)
cat--
here is my Endless Summer Hydrangea last month.
You can see some pink creeping in and the blue is not very intense...
Your blue on the picture looks very deep.
Gotta feed it some acid stuff.....Gita
I keep the camera on macro for foliage setting when shooting the butterflies, takes a lot of patience and a lot of blurry shots before I finally get a pic I like