I thought mine had died, but then it came back bigger and bolder than before. I just love it!
It's beginning to look a lot like the Tropics!
Boy....I get timed out, and the conversations just zoom right on by....I thought my Alamanda had died...not my surfing experiences.....ha. Don, I sure hope all your gorgeous plants appreciate all the trouble you go to on their behalf. Talk about labor intensive! Jim....welcome to the tropics! Sorry if our silliness got out of hand. Just finished listening to Beach Boys "Pet Sounds"....I love that CD. Now I'm back to jazz - Sidney Bechet for any of you jazz fans....the caladiums love him....dance away to the beat!
Jim, that looks like a great greenhouse! What are you planning on overwintering?
Don, your gardens are wonderful, I think you have as many varieties of tropical plants as we have on the whole island!
Jenny
Jenny - I think you're right! He sure has me beat!
And I think that all of you wonderful people babying your beloved plants through the Winter like that are amazing...I won't complain about the cold again....Bravo!
I am falling asleep back tomorrow to stir it up! (had lots of visiters and it is way past bedtime for me at 12.20 in the Am 7th of August here and 12c .....Spring fast approaches!
I will dream no doubt of Beach boys singing and Captain Blood (our very own Errol Flynn)......waving a sword at them! lol.......and of my first date walking along the sand at Cronulla Beach on a beautiful spring night (my choice)....life beckoned with endless promise and the World was my oyster....I was 15
and it was 1965.....we married in 1967......no muscle bound man could take the place of my guy......no handsome face could ever take the place of my guyyy...I"m stickin to my guy like a stamp to a letter ...like birds of a feather we stick together....Yawning with a smile goodnight....counting Elephants instead of sheep :)
Hey TM (Howard) this is Professor Puchi an Augusta hybrid with flowers the size of a bread and butter plate- mine (trees) are taller than me and you would adore them...as an aside do you see the mayham your wonderful garden has caused *giggling* it even inspired some dear british person to build a little fantasy island at home (nooogo away Gilligan!) hope you are chuffed because you should be !
Gorgeous Kukaburra!
I think my head is starting to swell!!!LOL
It only looks like I have as many tropical plants as you all,that are living my dream in the tropics!!!!
My first corsage I ever bought was a huge Gardenia,and we slow dance to Love me tender
until I smelled away all the fragrance from the flower!!!!LOL
Texas Gal,
You bet I did!!!
We were visiting Florida,and they had the Cypress Gardens,where the ladys wore those petticoat dresses,and the umbrellas were a twirling over there heads,oh and the fragrance of there perfume ,let me tell you love was in the air,the gentle breezes,swaying the palm trees leaves back and foruth,the colorful flowers of the hibiscus,the smell of the ocean,the sound of the waves,almost thought I was in the movie From here to eternity,and I was Burt Lancaster,swooing Debra Kerr.....
Wow,Will I dream tonite!!!!!!
Ginger,Maryann....Hmmmrs Howell!!!
Yep Tropicman, I bet you could be quite the swooer! Such a romantic! Loves gorgeous flowers, appreciates good music, what a catch! Can you cook, too?
AH, you did mention a girlfriend.....lucky girl, she is!
Don, I just think its fantastic that you not only grow these beauties in a place where "they said it couln't be done", but that you encourage others to do so as well. Keep up the wonderful work!
TropicMan - As always your garden is impressive...... wish I was coming to Wichita to check out your yard.... Mikayla still talks about your birds from our last visit and my yard didn't reach near the lushness your yard appears to have achieved.
That's right "garden"...."garden".....! LOL
G'Day Shari! just after 6am here...weds., 8th August...8c temp.
It's a bit cool but the day will be beautiful......Hi and Aloha all.....just love your description of what a gardenia means to you TM.....in a way it seems a shame that we have lost some of the elegance of yesteryear......but I must be frank....I don't miss the whale bone corsets...the suspender belts and stockings...having to starch all my petticoats .....to wear on Saturday night to the dance. I Think the ladies will agree that although extremely strange looking- things called pantyhose were a revolution and whew comfortable.....guess it was a downhill slide from there.......Don't we all still envy the elegance of the past.....but then I enjoy the freedom and comfort of the present ....still we have our
meeeemories misty watercoloured memories...... of the way we were......*grin*
Wow, y'all are all jolly festive on this thread...lol!
Tropicman, just wanted to say that I'm quite envious of your zone 6 garden, you've done a marvelous job. I am going to try stealing some of your ideas...I had blown off plumeria completely, as I figured it would be too hard to grow, for example.
I have a semi-tropical garden here in 7b, but it's basically new. Trying to focus on the hardiest stuff first and going from there....I'd post a picture but it won't be too impressive...lol
Hey Chrissie....yes, I'm sure most of us would agree that it is great not to have to wear all of those petticoats. Here the younger generation doesn't even wear the pantyhose. They wear open toe shoes and go bear legged with skirts, shell tops, jackets for business!!!!!!!!! Or sundresses with little jackets and sandals. And yes I caught ......the way we were........It is much better today!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry Tropicman for the girltalk! Gardenias are still some of my favorites, Southern Magnolias, also! Have two small trees in my front yard. They smell soooo good!
This message was edited Aug 7, 2007 2:51 PM
Tropicanna, sure you can grow plumies there, you just have to take them into the garage when it gets below 40 deg. but they will make it. Even here in 9a we still have to protect them from the cold. Per Southeast Texas Gardening they say 40 deg. I had read 50 somewhere.
We used to lived in NC....family in the Marine Corps before moving to Texas.
This message was edited Aug 7, 2007 10:02 PM
Happy day everyone! It's not quite 9:00 am here....getting the day going...Sunny for the last couple of hours, but the rain is looming. I really need a dry day to get some sand under my patio slats. Arrgh. Plumeria really shouldn't be a problem Tropicanna - and they would give you a tie back to here! That would be cool. I used to have a Magnolia tree outside of my apartment back in the dark ages when I lived in San Diego. I just loved the fragrance that would come through the window of an evening....better than any candles, or incense that's for sure....and I like both! Never could grow it anywhere else I've lived though....much the pity.
I have the Southern Magnolia in the smaller form it is called Little Gem and it has that sames delicious lemony fragrance.......and the lovely flower as it's larger cousin....shiny laquered leaves with lovely chocolate velvet underlay....love it and you have two? *green*.....I have Spanish moss draped under the boges and roses ......all dripping down almost to the ground....they love the constant drip drip drip after watering or rain .........I find them very Southern indeed ...and get excited when I see them hanging down from every branch of all the trees in the Movies.......while the others are watching some kind of maneater (crocs/gaters piranahs etc devouring the cast ...I am looking at the grey whisps gently blowing in the breeze........
Tropicanna ...shelter is the key ....lots and lots of plants grown close together...they greenhouse themselves that way. Put the Tropical "looking" ones on the outskirts and in order of tenderness on the inner plantings and understories.You know all this already right...sorry! .....TM knows his craft and I am sure he will guide you well.:)
77 I know that TM would not mind hearing about what it took his charming companions to look so fine for all the guys.......getting ready would take all day!
Wella... wella... well....tell me more tell me more .... Summer days drifting away
Texas77-where were you? Ft. Bragg or Camp Lejune....lol---I grew up on the coast, close to Cherry Point and Lejune.
actually, chrissy, I didn't know all that about plants greenhousing each other, but I am erratic about what I'll run a hardiness trial on and what I won't. I'm pretty new to all this, so trying to be my normal adventurous self while also maintaing touch with reality in there somewhere.
But chrissy, where are all the guys TM's plants are waiting for? I'm missing them this way..lol
Troppicana, We were at Cherry Point for 8 years. Where on the coast were you? Sounds like you were very near!
This message was edited Aug 7, 2007 5:53 PM
Haha...Atlantic Beach is where I grew up, surely you visited there. Had lots of friends in Havelock, too
I miss the coast sometimes, that's why this forum is so cool
Oh yes, been there many times! Loved the beach!!!!!!!!!!!
Some one mention Connie Francis!!Wow she was a hot looker!!!!
Sad though,how her life turned out to be,she went thru a lot of bad luck!
But on the other hand,I'm watching Jane Russell tonite with Robert Mitchum,in Macao.
Ok here's my take on the years of time gone by.
Todays ladies no longer leave the thought of imagination !!!!
people don't day dream like they use too!Thats what made the old movies so enjoyable!!!
Where are the Rita Haywoods,Lana Turner And Ingrid Bergman!!!
Today there is Paris Hilton.Nicole Ritiche and Britney Spears,Madonna,don't do a thing for me or any red blooded male that I know of!!!!
Where are the movie stars of today!!!!!
Tropicanna,thanks for the kind words,you to can grow anything you set you mind to grow,I didn't grow everything on the first try,took time and time again before I learned the likes and dislikes of a certain plant!!!
Vs 71099,you and your daughter are always welcome to come get lost in the gardens of Babylon!!!
The parrots always love playing with the kids,there just big kids themselves!!!!
Shari,like you the fragrances can over whelm the heart and sole,the lure of a womens
perfume,can drive a man wild!!!!!
Lets say your in a crowd of people,you might not notice the beauty of a women,first hand right away,but the fragrance of her perfume,will make you take notice and go looking quickly!!!!
Every morning this week ,before I leave for work,I tour the gardens in the dark,with only the garden lights to see,and I've been smelling a fragrance that I normally don't smell,well tonite as the wind was blowing quite hard I got the glimpse high up,and it a bloom from my white wisteria,that april freeze,froze all my flower buds,before they had a chance to open!!!
Just one long spray of flowers,just about to dry up,would have never thought of the wisteria blooming in 100* heat,in the middle of the summer,when they normally bloom in the coolness of April!!!
Don you are a bit of a poet, my friend. And Wisteria! Now that is one lovely, old-fashioned beauty. And I always loved the fragrance.....not many people grow it anymore, but I have heard that it is on the way to being "in" again. I certainly hope so. Even just the name makes me think of simpler times.
And I agree with you completely about the starlets...but my question is why are the ones you mentioned even names we recognize? What have they done besides get themselves into one scandal after another. At least Madonna has talent. But PH, NR and BS are pretty much just that....BS!
heehee....you two have a crush going...lol...duck and run time!
nah....I'll just tell your dad to spank your backside! My DH is about the best guy in the whole world when he's not bein a dork, or a potty mouth, or a grump. Wouldn't trade him for anything. But when I see artistic talent like Don's I admire it....isn't that what we all have been doing?
LOL, Shari, I knew I could stir you up....I needed one good laugh before I went to bed. Take care, sweetie.
Pleasant dreams, kiddo!
Definately Islandshari! There is alot to admire about Tropicman! One in a million!
And parrot.....you have a parrot! Wow! We need to see some pictures! I love parrots! I would be happy with an imitation one in the garden, much less a real one. Tell us about your parrot Tropicman. Sounds like a great new thread.
Texasgal,your something else,remind me of a time when I was young!!!LOL
Parrots I have 5 some can talk,and they all make lots of noise!!!
Spike a sulfur crested cockatoo.is right behind me in his huge cage,talks to me all the time,
He like to flirt with the women,I took him outside the other day and the new neighbor lady came over and said I knew by the cage you had a bird,and I just could hardly wait to meet him,first thing spike says was hi baby!!!!LOL
He had her heart right then and there!!!!
Shari I agree with you on the stars that are in one scandal after another,or rehab time.!!!
Thats all they have for our children and grandchildren to look up too,same with some of the sports players,I'm ashamed to see them take the steroids just to make them get the fame and big bucks!!!
Don, post some pics of the birds, you really are tropical all the way!
Shari's right - you have the soul of a poet (and a green thumb!)
Oh yes, please post some pics of the parrots! I really wish we had some here, but nope...just fairy terns (pretty!) and plovers (dumb)!
I like the bird idea, too...was going to get some cute lovebirds...but then remembered the prize-hunting cats I have, and it just seemed like a cruel thing to do for the tropical look..lol
Here's a view of my favorite bed, most everything is in it's first year.....notice the hot chain link fence.
And last weekend I found some reed fencing to cover the chainlink...not perfect, but a slight improvement. In the afternoon, the sun shines thru the reeds and you can still see the other fence behind it...but at least we aren't staring directly at our neighbors.
HeyTM( Howard)........Wisteria does spot bloom ....my beautiful purple on does that...what does yours smell like mine smells of sweet peas and orange flower water.....about the perfumes right on! love my smelly ....just out of interest which fragrances rang your bell? We gals would love to know what men appreciate...my hubby had a broken nose years ago and can't smell anything any more...but prior to that he always told me how nice I smelt...I sure do miss that but then I have always worn it for myself.....not for anyone else although it is nice if others like it.I honestly thought that most men take no notice ....that is very cool...so go on try to remember what perfumes rocked your world....by the way your cheeky cocky came from Ozz it explains a lot about his character ha ha ha
About modern stars...well the real star thing does not exist any more.....it went the way of the corsets and stockings......but they had their scandels too but the studio bosses would buy silence.Being famous takes it's toll on many.
is it taking it's toll on you yet Don?....:)
As fall is approaching soon what will you be looking forward to in your tropical paradise......what lovely flowers will be there for you to enjoy?
Shari do you have a fall (Autumn) or does it stay the same all year.....anyone else looking forward to cooler times in the garden.....even though we are being tropical
that would be interesting.... some mentioned the lack of men on this thread......since it may be my fault I will refrain from singing in case.....it is me scaring people away.....hummming....walk like a man ...walk like a man......:)
chrissy, you're cracking me up with the singing...so I found a tune that hopefully y'all will remember (this is about as mainstream as I know)---the video is pretty much nothing, so just turn up the volume and get ready to prance around......lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj2ceTbz3JY
Thanks Mate .......love all good music from any era as you may have guessed
Love big band era Benny Goodman....etc....rock and role...some good jazz ...the blues.....mod -hippy- disco-hymns-...anything that is
Outa sight ...baby yeh it's outa sight.....every thing is alright....so ok don't know if you know who I am talking about but as a very young teenager I would dance all night at a place called Surf City (Kings Cross Sydney)...and I knew a lot of stars
to be....many just beginning their careers....we were all so innocent then all having an orange juice and chatting in the breaks ....I knew the Bee Gees when they had short back and sides hairdoes.....I think you folk know Billy Thorpe...
the Easy Beats and many others that you wouldn't know....always have loved to dance and sing...........and now there's people swayin and music playin theres dancing in the streets....they're dancin in....Chicargo...down in New Orleans....Oklahoma City ...all we need is the music sweet music ......
Tropicanna - your tropical bed is great! Love the Cannas! and all....! If those do okay through the winter, you won't have to worry about the fence this time next year....it won't be seen, ha ha. But the reed does look better than chain link. You did a good job with the whole thing.