Great pictures. We had several large ones in our yard when I was growing up and I thought they were the only thing Hummingbirds ate. Sometimes there were 8 or more at a time on these plants. I guess they were the only thing blooming also.
Gardening with Texas Native Plants & Wildflowers Part 8
IS IT NOVEMBER 12th YET ?!?!?!?!?!?!? CTRU Part Deaux
Heading out tomorrow to Kinky Friedman, our next Govenor's backyard tomorrow morning. Other wise know as Hunt, TX with DW, DD, her best friend (both 12) and DMIL and my own kyack for 3 nights.
Brain Drain, here I come. I'll be posting images of anything that I can find of interest along the river when I get back.
PS: yes, I'll think of ya'll
Looking forward to those pictures Kipper2. Josephine.
While we wait for Kipper's pictures, here is one of the Plox in my backyard. I love this plant.
Well guys, last evening I cut most of the Phlox back in the hopes of getting a second bloom from them, I will let you know if it works.
In the meantime i have been potting cuttings of the Phlox for the plant sawp.
Last evening I potted 65 cuttings, and I have at least that many of the Coneflower seedlings also potted, the seed I planted in June as an experiment, produced over 100 seedlings so I am rich,rich,rich, and very willing to share the wealth.
Josephine.
So, are you taking cuttings from the top of Phlox, and rooting them in potting soil? I thought that you had dug them up and rooted them that way...
Don't laugh, I am learning!
Mel
Yes, they are cuttings from the top part of the plants, I cut the stems into 4 inch pieces and remove all but the top 2 leaves, put them in cups, water very well and keep them moist in a shady place, and it works great.
For the rooting soil I use 2 parts regular cheap potting soil, 2 parts peat moss, and 1 part perlite or vermiculite. Mix well. This makes a light soil the retains water very well. I use rhe 8.5 ounce styrofoam cups, because the don't take as much soil as the square pots, and they are deeper for rhe cuttings roots.
I hope that helps. Did you pot your crepe myrtle cuttings?
Josephine,
Josephine, thanks for the mini-cutting lesson. I was just wondering about cutting back my phlox. I have two long stems, with the spent heads at the top. I'm going to move them where they will get a little afternoon shade, but I was hoping for a way to multiply them a little.
Of four conflowers that came back for me this year, I finally got one (1!) flower! I had lots of problems in that bed this year due to moles I think (something that was burrowing and creating havoc.) None of them look like anything, but I'll see if they come back better next year. I thought they were perrenials, but you talk like they are annuals. Are they?
Great! I did this with 3 little cuttings today! I figure if they don't root, they are compost anyway... so I am trying to root alot of things these days
maggie- my coneflowers are not nearly as good as they were last year, and my rudbekkias too! I don't know what their problem is!
Mary, the Coneflowers are perennials, I just wanted to do an experiment and see if the seeds would sprout during the summer, which they did in great numbers, so now at least I know that I can raise them during hot weather as well as during the spring.
Also I wanted to increase my stock because I love them, and raise plants for tha plant swap which is coming up soon, September 25th, at Veterans park in Arlington.
Mitch has already started the thread over again because the original one had almost been forgotten, so we thought it would be good to start over.
I hope many of you will be able to come, I have lots of plants to share, and I don't have to get something back, just the pleasure of passing them along to my friends is enough reward for me.
Josephine.
I put in the wrong date at first, I t is Sunday September 25th.
This message was edited Aug 10, 2005 10:40 AM
Something neat happened this week. I had gone to Veterans park and saw a plant that looked really pretty and different, and I wondered if it was a native.
So I posted it on the ID forum and a lady who is a Dave's member form Masnfield saw it and said she works close to the park and she would go and check it out.
She didn't know either so after much wondering and with the other member's help we found out it was Dog Fennel, a very pretty feathery plant and it happens to be a native. Here is the link to the files.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54505/index.html
Great work - now the big Q did you get any cutting? LOL Mitch
Sounds like it's quite invasive tho. I was hoping that it might be a member of the carrot family, but not the same type fennel.
The Hunt, TX pics are on a new thread on the TX Garden forum
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/536643/
Thank you for letting us know Kipper2, the pictures are very nice, looks like you had a great time.
Josephine.
Paige, about the Dog Fennel being invasive, I don't know because there are only two large clumps at the park, and there doesn't seem to be any seedlings, we will have to watch it this fall, and see what it does.
Josephine.
It could depend on the area. I just read the ratings about it in the Plant Files, but there has been debate on whether one person's invasive is the same as another's.
What happened to your Standing Cypress? I read that yours didn't make it again? I wonder why?
I guess the flower beds in my back yard are too shady, and the slope is too crowded, I have tried three times in different places and no luck.
May be it doesn't like this area, I don't see it much growing around here.
Josephine.
here's an image of the Spicy Red Japonica that Dearest Hazel gave me at the April CTRU. Finally got it into the ground 1 month ago and it's taking off !!
Thanks Hazel aka ..
And I couldn't pass up this image with 2 variaties of Passion Flower right next to each other.
Those pictures are really nice Kipper2, I had never seen a white passion flower.
The Japonica is lovely also, thank you for sharing.
Josephine.
Josephine, When I planted the 2 white ones in the backyard I was told that they were the wild native variety. Yes, they could be called invasive since they put out shoots from the roots. I have been pulling baby shoots from up to 7 feet from the main stalk. Transplanting some for friends and throwing others away .
Kip
Funny that you should say that, because my native purple does the same thing, and I pot them up too, you never know when someone will show up who has never seen a passion flower and be amazed by it, then you can give them a plant and make them happy. Isn't sharing wonderful?
Your plants look very strong and healthy, my are all mixed up with the Crossvine, carolina jasmine and honeysuckle, so this year they are not doing much.
Josephine.
Hey Everyboby! Guess What! Dave made the Color Picture Threads Ditectory, a Sticky! I wonder what brought about this miracle, but whatever or whoever it was, THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
I AM THRILLED.
Josephine.
Kipper,
I've read what people have posted in different threads, but, up to now, I've only seen the flower which doesn't tell you much. Which of the two flowers has the palmate leaves? Passiflora incarnata has 3-lobed leaves and very often has red tinged stems. My P. incarnata's first few flowers are very pale almost a light blue. They darken as the season goes on. Something always eats the fruit before it ripens.
I saw the photo link you posted. Beautiful!. Where were these photos taken?
I saw some beautiful wildflowers today! (while I was releasing captured mouse #6) Tomorrow my son starts school again so I will be able to go back and take pics and hopefully dig some up! :) Here's one I am so excited about finding!
Paige, that is the Eringo, aren't they beautiful? I remember you and Mel saying they grew around your area, I haven't seen any of them around here, you two are so lucky.
Josephine.
KK- that is like the ones that I was going to take you to see. They are on the way to Benbrook Lake near Hulen/Lakeside area... Yes, they get very pretty, and lots of purple!
mel
Good idea Mel, Hey KK, that is a neat shade of purple !!!
Bettydee, I have them totally covering the bench swing frame in my backyard
Yes, these are the Sea Hollies that I have loved in pictures only. I was waiting for Mel to take me to see them, then came across these already blooming. I was surprised, but happy! I dug this one up and brought it home and hope to go get some bigger ones and maybe some seeds. Roaming around with my bucket, shovel and gloves is one of my favorite things to do! lol
I am looking for some suggestions from Texas gardeners. I am being forced to relocate from my home by my HOA. I was hoping to find the perfect gardening site on 1-3 acres still in driving distance from Houston, but unfortunately, I am not sure where to look. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
thanks, Robin
Which part of Houston do you need to access ?
trois
Robin, you might want to try a seperate thread on this, there could be others who can help who are not "watching" this thread. Also, be sure to let us know, as Trois said, what part of Houston you need to access. (North? NE? NW? South?)
Maggiemoo, and what's the problem with the SW side ??????
We have some nice people down around here and some nice communities.
PS: a cut :o)
:-)!!
Josephine, ya got mail.
Kip, you are quite welcome. I am so happy that the Spicy Red Japonica is doing so well for you. Thanks for posting the photo of it. I just love mine. It is very large now. I bought one that is "supposed to be" a dwarf, but it is growing pretty fast.
Hazel aka ...
Those Japonica's get big like trees, right? I saw them last year at Sea World and love them. Yes, as all plant lovers, I was taking pics of the landscaping while on vacation. lol Oh, I just noticed that Hazel is from SA, so they must grow good there.
Hazel, I've been wanting to ask you how you know all that you know about plants? I'm impressed.
My Rattle Bush ( Sesbania drummondii ) is in full bloom right now,
it looks very pretty.
My Purple Gerardia is finally blooming, half sized flowers and 3 weeks late. They are still pretty. There is considerable color difference this year.
This message was edited Aug 23, 2005 12:33 PM
