If you have your tropicals grouped together in a sitting area or around a pool, please post a pic. I would love to have a few new ideas. I have 3 brugs, EEs ect. to work with. Anyone have some caster beans seeds? Or calla bulbs/calladiums to help out with my project? Check my trade page please, I have others perennials not listed.
Thanks,
Teresa
My tropical outdoor's area. Pics please
This is my deck last summer, hope it's along the lines of what your looking for.
Red leaf banana, oleander, and in the middle you can barely see a travellers palm. There are many more tropicals in the mix as well.
Sunkeeper
Hi Teresa, there is a beautiful pic on this thread. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/557171/
and this one http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/519158/
sunkeeper, that is gorgeous!!!
Brinda, love those links!!
Hi Teresa,
I have mixed Caladium bulbs, shoot me a dmail if you would like some!
Here is an area I did last year. The brug is hiding behind the others, lol.
Everybody is in containers.
Good luck with your planning!
Jackie
This message was edited Mar 23, 2006 8:39 AM
Well, I'm back. Sunkeeper are those the hardy bananas? I just love visting beaches and I try to make my own little tropical area.
I love your container garden, do you use the soil with moisture crystals. I have had trouble with mine in containers. My pots may be to small.
Teresa
Thanks , and I love Sunkeepers photo too. Check out them Naners!!
I don't use the crystals. I have all different size pots, but what probably helps me is that the arrangement is in an area that gets a bit of afternoon relief from the 3-4 o'clock sun. I use mostly the professional type mix with potting soil added so that I get a decent mix of drainage versus retention.
Did that even make sense? lol
Some of my pots are pretty small, so I watch them. Do yours dry out? My pots in full sun are harder to keep up with, but I think that's where the potting soil or "garden soil" getting mixed in helps.
Jackie
Teresa, I have extra red castor beans if you would like some. And I might also have some extra cannas that I could bring you in May when I head up to my folks.
This message was edited Mar 23, 2006 2:10 PM
Also, if you haven't seen Brian's thread on the Tropicals Forum, be sure to check his photos: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/557171/
Here are my photos
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/585085/
Hi, Nat
Please do save me a few seeds. I am the worsest when it comes to seed saving!
I lose a lot of cannas, anyone have good tips on storing them for the winter?
Teresa
The castor beans are easy to save as they are big spiny pods with the beans inside. I just grab a few flower head and stick them in the garage until I am ready to harvest the beans.
I can leave cannas in the ground here, but have stored them by digging them up, and putting them dirt and all inside trash bags (inside my garage). The dirt keeps the rhizones from totally drying out.
hI hELLOBEBE YOUR nEW yORK NEIGHBOR. WE HAVE HAD BELOW TEMPERSTURES AND SNOW FOR THE LAST TWO WEEKS I CAN,T WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO BREAK. MY PLANT ROOM DOWNSTAIRS THERE ARE BETWEEN CUTTINGS AND PLANTS AROUND 300 WAITING TO GET OUTDOORS. this is a picture of my grandson Shawn
Hiya Bob, your grandson is adorable. I bet he'll make a great garden helper, that is if he is not overwhelmed, lol! We're still having cold and flurries, so I know exactly what you mean.
All the photos are great.
Teresa, did you still need caladiums bulbs?
Jackie
Hi, Jackie
If you have extras I would love to trade for some. Check my trade page or I have several perennials that I never list.
Drummat, Shawn is so cute, what a smile! My little boy is 14 now and over 6 feet! Enjoy every minute.
Teresa
Teresa, I sent a dmail. :)
Hi...Teresa...I am new to this site, and love it. I DO HAVE Castor Bean Plants, won't have seeds again until this fall, but would be glad to send you some. I have the Green, Red, and Purple. We just love them, they even reseed in my zone. I have them everywhere. They really add to the tropical type setting. You could go ahead if you would like and send me your address and I will put you on my list of seeds for this fall. Here is a picture of my green ones thaken August of 2005.
I know you will love them as I do. I do nothing to them except watch them grow.
Marthalouis
I had just two plants last summer but you know mine my reseed too. I hadn't thought that about that in our zone.
Thanks for the offer, and welcome to Dave's. I stay on the Daylily forum mostly that is my passion. I also raise, iris, hosta, coral bells, ect.
Teresa
Bluegrassmom I bring the banana plants inside for the winter along with many other tropicals then enjoy a jungle of greenery during the snowy cold months. It's like going on vacation anytime I want and I love it! At the moment I have so many things in bloom, Oleander, bird of paradise, brugmansia, jasmine, clevia, snap dragons, geraniums and tomatoes growing on some vines that I can't wait to bite into. Soon it'll be time to move them all out again for another season of growing under Mother Nature's sun rather than lights.
Sunkeeper, you do have a bunch inside! Do you ever order from Worms Way?
I know they have grow lights, ect. I received their catalog yesterday. They have a cutting gel that I am interested in.
www.wormsway.com
Teresa, another good choice for your zone that really adds a tropical look is hardy hibiscus. They are easy to start from seed (and much cheaper also)!
Are there any without that sprawling habit? My neighbor has a red one, it makes a shrub like bush but then it can lay outward, looking like it needs a trim.
Teresa, there are some like the Luna Series that stay smaller and more compact. http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/HILBP.html
Thanks, Nat
Have you seen this thread and images in the container gardening forum? It's my inspiration for a patio setting!
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/563917/
Isn't that gorgeous Sue? That was my favorite thread through the winter. It gave me much hope! LOL
I love the tropical feel ....especiall around the pool area...
The pics are gorgeous....
Peggy
Are those tall casters Peggy? Or are they...hmmm...can't put a name to it now... I need something like that to provide a bit of dappled tropical looking shade. tell me more please!
Great pictures. Wish I had the climate to go with the plants. Winter space is a big problem here.
What great pictures on this thread. I just want to dive right into your pool Peggy. What a happy sight. LOL
Sunkeeper, I just love your assortment of such great plants. Your banana is HUGE for a pot. You put me to shame and you are in zone 5. Can you take a pic of your travellers palm? I have always wanted one. Is it finicky?? All you need are a few brugs in there. LOL
Marthalouis, do castor beens then live in your zone all winter? I do not know how I got the idea they need to be replanted every year??
Jungalgal, you name is so fitting. What a yard you have! I want a one like that.
Jacki, your mini potted jungle there is so cute. I guess we all want that tropical look no matter what zone we are in.
And of course Bob, Shawn steals the the show. LOL. Sorry you are still so cold there. I am going nuts here with all the rain. But I do get glimpses of a better time coming soon!
I just looked out the window, my little piece of paradise is looking so bleak and drowned. Oh spring come back.
me too, sis kell. I thought they had to be replanted but mine didn't even lose a leaf this winter, in zone 9a.
Prettylady, you are fairly close to me. Do you trim off the low leaves on your castor beans? Mine didn't get that tall last season, what is your trick? My daughter plays volleyball and we travel to McClean Co. during the season.
Teresa
So Sister gaud queen Voss......LOL............... do they just keep growing then year after year? They must get so huge. I remember Root loved them.
I am fairly new to tropicals, what are some that are semi tropical that you could leave out in zone 6 winters? Some folks leave out calla lilies. I am afraid to leave out my hardy banana!
Brugie, any suggestions? I see that you are in zone 5.
I've never felt comfortable leaving any of them out. Your hardy banana might make it, but you would lose the top and it would start over from the base, depending on how deep you mulched it. I think I lost my Dwarf Cavendish this winter. The garage was too cold for it, probably. Really, I can't think of any tropical plant that would make it in my zone. I think that is why tropical is like zone 10 and higher. LOL!
Peggy,
That gave me inspiration for my pool area.Geat photo.
Angela