ceejay,
any suggestions. I did consider the wisteria taking over so to speak. but When I look at other options like English Ivy, clematis, Honeysuckle(neighbor threatens to destruction if I plant that), and such I really lose something, either the scent, the view, or something else.
I guess I want my cake and eat it tooo. I might have to settle. but before I due I want to feel atleast that I have researched and gotten all the opinions I could prior to the settle.
thanks for the reponse.
calvin
OCRCG Thread
Calvin, you could try Crossvine, it is evergreen, not invasive, very hardy Texas native, and blooms profusely in the spring, however it is not scented, but I guess you might be able to live with that.
Here is a link to mine, check it out.
http://www.texasstar.org/index.php?pg=cross-vine&sec=49
Josephine.
A non-native that does good for me is coral vine (whiich might be from Mexico--I'm not sure).
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2050/index.html
It's growing up a tree I can live with losing (a redbud 2' from the fence and leaning-growing into sort of a wierd, low shape). It will eventually die from the vine and then I'll be forced to deal with that poor gardening blunder from 12 years ago. Coral vine is very drought tolerant--it literally laghed at last summer. Always freezes down to ground level every winter--forces me to clean up and look at the tree. Has strong tendrils but easy to braek with your hands. Never needs fertilizer...and pretty late summer till frost.
All in all, I'm much fonder of the coral vine. But I have another redbud elsewhere, growing very well.
Debbie
I wouldn't use wisteria either. I have some and I like-- ok I like all vines pretty much, but my EG Wisteria is more than likely going to take over the entire house...thank god I planted it where I am renting- always best to try out invasive species there! LOL. Also would not use English Ivy.
I really do love my RC, it's beautiful. I was not too sold on Cross vine, but then what can I say, I kept seeing the word VINE after cross and i was sold. What I did is buy 3 different - Dragon Lady, Native & Tangerine- (If one is good, more is better, right Deb?) and I planted them together. This vine is generally well behaved and not too aggressive.
I also love the Coral vine...what's not to love. It was aggressive where I had it, which is to say that I did not choose my site carefully. Toward the end of the season I dug it up, which it hated and I replanted it where it will have more room. That would be 2 consecutive years that I have done that, tho not for the same reason, and I am not sure if that's my problem or if this is just the way this vine is, but it's rather slow to start in the spring; however, once it does it is sheer beauty! I have seen a few very large ones from a distance and they are amazing! I suppose that if I would ever stop digging mine up it would get big and stop traffic. They come in white which seems a bit boring for me and the regular pink as well as a dark pink and if I had the room I would all 3...hmm maybe I see them as some see diamonds...Vine are a girl's best friend!
LOL
I love it April...my coral vine is slow too but is about to pull the tree down now. And it hasn't even really got started yet. Kinda a bad shot facing west....but as it arches down to the left behind those hamalia patens (I know weird color choice) its grabbing the branch of that red bud (and pulling it down...lol). And mulch girl at work here....mulch up above the bottom running gate on the fence. And yes, that's string...but it just needs it 'til it grabs that tree good.
Life's looking a little better tonight, only 5 more days to go (gulp). If I can keep some of my co-workers from going postal...I think everythings gonna be OK. lol
Oh I love mixing those colors!!! Good choices! Well I don't know why you would use string, that is soo yesterday, I steal my husbands fishing line, LOL- it's cheap and readily available!
5 more days, you must be extatic!!! How will you survive the summer days w/o the sound of the buzzers/bells all day? So what are you planning for your 1st week off?
April
Now off topic.......
Did ya'll have a really nice mom's day? I have to admit that I did. I got up at the crack of dawn (445 am) and proceeded to get lost going to meet Marylyn at the daylilly sale. Now I've worked all over HISD at some point or other and don't know how I managed it but I did. Was 45 minutes late--I'm sure glad Marylyn was still loading plants into her truck. We then proceeded to get lost and have breakfast--then off to Joshua's and more plants!
Got home and the rest of the weekend was quietly spent alone. lol Teen-ager (17) was working, I was soooo disappointed. Now just when I thought I was going to get some bags of leaves for mulch...no...it's a moose I spot coming through my back gate. And I found the most perfect place for it on the patio with my new skullcap (to replace the million bells which I promptly killed within a week....lol). Ignore those unplanted RU plants still sitting in the background.
You know, he makes more sense than most of the people I know right now. SSShhhhh don't tell the Dave I've been talking to him.
Back to topic--these tomatoes need to hurry up. Thay are blocking my view.
Gotta find inspiration wherever you can find it....lol
More tomatoes and rangoon (other side). Gonna plant my new pink daylilly right at the end of this lattice. Whatcha think? I know the picture could be improved if Brad would juxtaposition himself between the rangoon and the tomato plant but, he was busy with April I hear......
Debbie
He is precious!!! Sounds like you had a wonderful Mother's Day - shopping for plants is just about at the top of my list!!
Out kids are grown and living in other states. We went to church, ate out, then came home and took a nice big nap. Or tried. The storm and hail were so noisy it was really hard to sleep. When we had a chance to inspect the garden, we found that all the leaves were holy, holy, holy (you know the tune). How did you all fare?
CJ we got not drop one over here...I'm lugging hoses.
April--its ok, I can share......
Debbie
What IS that plant? LOL
Now CJ... I call that gardening inspiration....there is some sort of plant there.
coral vine sounds great. rc out and wisteria too. coral vine takes the lead........... thought I would keep the race and hunt open for more input.
Cross vine is very good too, I just aren't growing any right now. I need another 90' of fence line. Will cross vine do well against the east or west side of house on a brick wall? So many vines, so little vertical (or horizontal) space left.
Cross vine can take more shade than most and will still bloom- not deep shade! Debbie the moose is the cuttest thing this side of my grandson! and the pink day lily will look TA-DAAA! in that spot.
I love your pictures, everything looks so good! I only did patio tomatoes, every year I say I won't do that again, and every year I get suckered in. So far have had 3 off of 2 plants & more to rippen. My kids won't eat anything I grow...why? haven't the slightest but don't care, more tomatoes for me. Nothing like a home grown tomatoe. Dumb kids, don't know where I went wrong.
Debbie you better be careful w/ my next husband! Don't make me call the flying monkeys!
Seriously, what could be more cute than my little sweetheart?
April--they are both very inspiring...even the puppy is happy! he is one seriously cute kid; mom's of America, lock up your daughters!
He's my raison d'etre, ooops, pardon my french- LOL.
You know my dad use to say "Every mama crow thinks her baby is the blackest." My kids look at me w/ a blank stare when I say that. It's always nice to hear someone else compliment your kid or in this case, grandchild- not only is he cute but has been able to dribble and kick a soccer ball since 18 mos and helps me w/ my plants...points out often when one of my plants hasn't made it, not that I need a 3 y/o to tell me when a plant is dead! LOL.
Funny my 17 yr old seems to have a twinkle in her eyes and glee in her voice when she points out my garden failures...I wonder at what age these sadistic tendencies set in....lol
I think they are always there! and they don't appear to go away w/ age, my DH has often pointed out my failures, although never in public! LOL.
These tomatoes are history this weekend! It's pitiful when you can hardly see your rangoon creeper for the tomatoes....
And did someone declare it national Texas Star day and no one told me? You know its getting hot when these guys start blooming!
This message was edited May 23, 2006 6:33 PM
Those are beautiful Debbie, mine are not blloming yet.
Thanks Josephine....we need rain!
Nice Debbie, I can't wait until my TX Star blooms this year.
Debbie are you really coming to the Arlington (Dallas) plant swap? I hope to make it, if my health isn't any worse by then. It will be good to see you. I didn't get to speak to you much at the CS RU there were so many of us there. Also I thought more would stay the night and go out to eat with us. It was a blast but I was exhausted when I got back home.
yep--I'm really gonna come..get a motel and everything.lol
Also going to the Houston Bulb and Plant Mart Oct 12-14. They aren't gonna see much of me at work for those 2 weeks. I can't wait to see the expression on their faces.
Debbie
By the dawn's early light...my patriotic contribution.
I wonder if this would do well in semi-shade on the brick wall by the front porch. Can you imagine how good it would smell there?
Debbie
Seems to be a good companion plant for tomatoes too....lol
Going to be hard to find a good plant for this area when I yank the tomato. Hard to compete with a rangoon creeper...maybe tall summer phlox?
everyone seems to love rangoon creepers....
That's gorgeous! Is he for real? Looks like a throw down....LOL
Really though, that's awesome!
Actually CJ he was wet from all the rain and I think having trouble flying away at the time--not a 'throw down' but sort of a captive audience all the same.
The rangoon is sooo happy not being choked out by a tomato--a rangoon creeper is worth a million tomato plants--he my priorities are in the right place!
Aren't they gorgeous? Throw down...hmm I was wondering that about the opossum, LOL.
I would like to throw him down--but then I'd have to touch him....yuk.
I think those summer phlox will be good light pink blend for them and not over-power them. And I'm thinking the white Texas Star for behind them....now I need something short for the front.
Is yours looking good these days too? What I like about them is last year, when it started blooming, it kept blooming until the first strong cold fronts hit. Can't ask for much more perfection out of a plant can you? Going to get out there in a few and spend about an hour 'weaving' through the lattice and make low down cuts on the plant. Hey with them going for $20 bucks in Austin I can really do some trading if I can get the cuttings to root--and I know folks who have done it from cuttings.
Yeah mine has not stopped blooming- last year, it's 1st year it was intermittent blooming, but so far this has not stopped. Last year I rooted cuttings this year all attempts have failed- last year I was uneducated, this year I know too much.
I was going to just try rooting hormone and shade. Did that work? I could do air layering but don't want all those pots out there around the bottom of it...kinda ruins 'the look' if ya know what I mean...lol
Last year it worked and I was stingy w/ my cuttings, took little tiny cuttings. This year took more normal sized cuttings and have tried 4 so far none have taken.
They grow so fast--OK, I'll take small cuttings.
Boy this west side where tomato was removed is setting buds like crazy...it really appreciates the extra sun. I think I'll give it a heavy fish + seaweed feeding today and soak the roots. This is a plant that like a good heavy soaking of water. I'm quite convinced the extra water from all that rain is helping it bloom.
I'm thinking I might move those two crinadonna bulbs over at the front bed bottom of these. Colors would look good together next year....
