Feel free to upload your new blooms right here!

Oh, that looks like the Lipstick 'Rasta' .... one of my favorites!

Thank you for the offer but I have a Nematanthus like that one already! In fact, I sent you a little pot of it in your box with the columnea - you should get it tomorrow! Maybe you can share with your Grandmother!

You grew those beautifully, Kim! Very nice...great job. I'll have to take a pic of the A. Black Pagoda cuttings you sent and post a photo. No blooms yet.

Thanks for offering cuttings of your Goldfish plant. I will have to take a raincheck. Too much to deal with right now. Keep me in mind for the spring, okay? It's lovely.

Ok Ladies you are just both just sooo sweet.
Lin, I will share it with Gram. The funny thing about it is, when she saw mine she wanted it so I told my dad to get her one for Mother's Day too but he didn't. Why? I don't know. After all, SHE is his mom. Men! So I'm sure she will be beside herself when I give her that one Lin. You are so sweet to think of my Gram :)
Snowrose, thank you so much for the compliment :) That means so much to me coming from you :) I truly am in awe sometimes on this thread of the talent and friendship that exists here :)

Kim

And, you fit right in Miss Kim!

You are right, Kim. We do have some wonderful people on this forum. Have the leaves started turning colors yet up in Maine?

I have lots of seeds from this strep. Anybody want some?

ME, ME, ME! I would love to try seeds again. I got some from Jannich a few months ago and they sprouted and then died. :(

I will pay for the envelope and postage if you can send me some!

Lin, it will be my pleasure to send some to you. I'll just stick them in an envelope with a stamp.

Oh, Thank you so much Snow! Maybe this time I will have better luck!

Snow, they are beginning but not a real lot yet. I'm not sure it's going to be a stella year for the leaves as it's been SOOO dry here. I water every day (newly planted plants and seeds) because it dries out so quickly. Can feel fall in the air though and the mornings are very chilly. We have had frost already.

I am just now coming back on line........................glad to see your Gold Fish plant blooming...........maybe mine will too.....................

Those episcias are the ones (crying) that I chopped the top off to send to a friend........they didn't even root...................not now..........but someday Snow I just want some stolons from those beauties............Even when I had them I have never seen episcias grow that big!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No problem sending more stolons, Gail. Anytime.

Kim, my brother is in New England right now. Going to the White Mountains in New Hampshire and then on to the coast of Maine. I told him to stop at Bailey's Island and go to Cook's Lobster Restaurant.

Not a gessie but I love this Dragon Wings begonia. It has grown so huge over the summer from cuttings. This plant is in a 12" pot and blooms constantly with showy red blossoms complimented by vibrant green glossy leaves. I plan to grow lots more of these next summer. I highly recommend this plant. They are fairly common in some parts of the country in the spring when annuals are being offered but they were not to be found around here for some reason. That's why I will take cuttings over the winter for insurance.

That's a really nice Begonia, Snow! I had one similar that had pink blooms but about 2 weeks ago I found it completely dead. It was a huge plant like yours too. :( It was hiding back in a corner on the deck and didn't get water! I'm a bad plant mommy sometimes!



Here's Optimara 'Annabelle' tall and lanky as usual, but blooming!

And .... Rebel's Easter Treat with chewed leaves from one of the cats ... Grrrrrrr!

I did finally move all of the AV's from the bottom shelf of the stand and moved all of the terrariums/ covered glass container's to that shelf!

Beautiful, Lin! They look great. Loads of blossoms too.

The first time I tried strep seeds, they all failed. I had nice healthy looking seedlings and was so happy with them. A couple hours later, I looked again and they had all dropped dead. Damp Off fungus did them in so fast. Since then, I have been successful and have blooming plants now from seed. So, this time you will be lucky, Lin.

Remember us talking about hoya DS-70? I found one but am not too keen on it...foliage or blossoms. Seems to bloom easily but the flowers have an irritating unpleasant smell. This is a case where the photo does it more justice than it deserves...I should say 'in my opinion'.

When I first started growing hoyas Snow I had DS-70. It was an EA plant from Home Depot. Needless to say, it died. The flowers are very pretty and I liked the foliage. Mine never got a chance to flower but you say it's unpleasant huh?

Very pretty though :)

Good Growing :)

Kim

My DS-70 is blooming right now and I can't say I think the smell is pleasant either. Mine is outside hanging on the front porch, I bet if it were in the house I would really dislike it if it were as overpowering as the Lacunosa. At least the Lacunosa has a very nice scent! It was just too much in the small room I had it in ... my allergies kicked in big time!

oooooh Lin, be careful with the Sheperdii that I sent you. That has a very strong scent. It's one of those scents, sometimes I like it other times I don't. The smell is always strongest at night. I have it in my bedroom and it hasn't been so bad that I had to move it but some nights WOW.

This isn't an AV or Gessie but I'm so proud of this and want to share it with you all. This is Zora. I saved her from HD last year as she was dying from over water. She seems happy now though :)

Oh My ... Kim, that is a Beautiful Desert Rose! Gail sent me one awhile back but it died ... too much water when I was away and we had a lot of rain. I forgot to tell hubby to move it under cover - when I got home it was mush!

Thank you so much Lin, that means alot coming from you :)
I brought her to work today and my boss first asked me if it was real and then asked me if I had another one? I think he wanted to bring it home to his wife *lol*
I'm quite proud of it because I seem to have a problem killing the "easy to grow" plants but the more challenging ones seem to do OK *lol* Go figure.

how much fun looking at all the beautiful pictures....................
Snow..........don't feel like you need to overwinter your angelwing begonia........they are everywhere here in all nurseries starting in March...............

Lin.............back to a question of yours from waaay up in the thread............those blooms on the one you said didn't really look like a chimera (I had lost the name)...........now there are more blooms and the color definitely radiates from the center of each bloom............but I still need to find her name........i will go to LL website and look ...........I may recognize name with picture............

I would describe the DS-70 flowers as pungent and irritating to my nasal membranes. Never again will I take a whiff of that. It is outside and most likely won't be making it's way in taking up space for nicer ones.

That adenium (desert rose) is stunning. It is in the right pot. Sets it off perfectly.

Thanks, Gail. I will take some cuttings anyway to enjoy over the winter when we need some cheery flowers. Take pity on us when we are freezing up here.

strep 'Michael'..

Beautiful blooms everyone! I've missed being on here the last few days. Darned germs! LOL I went back to the doctor today, so hopefully better times are just around the corner. I do have a few things blooming that I wanted to share.

Snow, I hate to hear that you don't like your DS-70. Lin sent me a start of that one, and I absolutely love the foliage. It's dark and slightly rough. I love to rub the leaves between my fingers. :o) Mine hasn't bloomed yet, though, so I don't know about the fragrance, but the flowers look pretty. How's your lacunosa?

This is Strep Bristol's Blackbird. First time it's ever bloomed. I love the dark color. It really is almost black, but boy is the bloom shaped oddly. Maybe that will straighten out a little bit as it gets more mature.

Aeschynanthus 'Rasta' is blooming, too. I think it's so pretty!

I used the flash to capture the yellow color in the throat of the bloom. Not a great picture, but you can see the yellow.

Wow Snow, that is REALLY beautiful!!!
I don't have any of the Streps or anything like that as I failed miserably with AV's.
I seem to be doing OK with the lipsticks and goldfish plants and am thankful for that because I do so enjoy them.
Don't think I will replace my DS-70 after listening to your description of their aroma *lol* NOT something I want hanging in my house it sounds like *lol*

Kim, your Desert Rose is gorgeous! I want one so bad, but they never sell them around here. Makes me mad! LOL

oh my goodness..................more goodies to show you all have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lin, I just found the chimera at LL..........just forgot the name (LOL).......'.Winter Love' I think under the N-Z at Lyndon Lyons.........looks exactly like mine and her bloom doesn't go all the way to the center............let me see if I can hyperlink...........
http://www.lyndonlyon.com/AV%20Gallery%20Chimeras(grid)N-Y.html

Rain....................where have you been hiding all these beauties!
Snow..........that strep is another 'Snow to die for' strep................

Hmmmmm Amy.....maybe we need to chat :)
I have 2 nice size older seedlings :) I could send pictures.
Always looking to try something new to help get me through the winter *lol*
Lin and I just traded if you want a reference :)

LOL Gail, they're all over the place! Just ask my family!! ;o) I'll go snap a few more pics. Seems like several things have bloomed just to make me feel better. :o)

I'm always up for a trade, Kim! LOL

Y'all, I am so enjoying all these beautiful blooms!

Snow: Strep Michael is Gorgeous! What is the name of the Strep that you have lots of seed from? I can't wait to try those seeds! I am determined to have them survive this time!

Amy: That Bristol Blackbird is a Beauty too ... I like the unusual shape of the bloom! It is unique in it's own special way .... maybe no other like it anywhere! My Lipstick 'Rasta' is still blooming away also. That is a Great close up photo of that bloom! You know, now I've got to go look at mine close up ... the plant is hanging out on the front porch and I've never paid any attention to the blooms close up!

Miss Gail ... where are you? Thank you so much for starting this thread! I hope you are having a great time with your son and his girlfriend visiting! When you get a chance, show us some more of your "Blooming Beauties"!

Ok, don't mind me Gail! I see you got a couple of posts in before I even saw them! LOL. :)

Thanks, Lin! I know Bristol's Blackbird is supposed to have blooms that are a little different, but that one is SOOO different, it caught me off guard! LOL

Here's Sinningia 'Flair' I know it's not a fully open bloom, but I've been watching this one grow and grow for a couple weeks now and the excitement is more than I can stand!! It's beautiful already!! LOL

Bristol's Tropical Twister I love this one!!

Strep Cassandra I don't know what's wrong with my camera lately. Blasted thing is haunted, I think. It turns itself on and off with nobody around it. It doesn't capture colors correctly anymore, either. This is actually light pink, not light purple.

I sure can vouch for Kim! .... Here's what I got from her today!

Hoya shepherdii, Hoya multiflora, Hoya kentiana

I just finished potting up the shepherdii and kentiana cuttings ... The Shooting Star (multiflora) was already rooted and in a pot!

Not a bloom, but I'm showin' it off anyway!! My precious husband bought me this variegated Aeschynanthus to make me feel better. :o) He's the best. :o)

Amy sure is good to have you back! I hope you continue to feel better and better.Sure do love that bloom on your blackbeard.Very unique..and Tropical Twister is one of my favorites! I found that is one that is almost a constant bloomer for me. uh oh...I sure do love that variegated lipstick.That was really sweet of your hubby!

Keep those pictures coming everyone,You all grow such amazing beauties...I sure am loving seeing them all..

Forgot to say .... the Shooting Star Hoya even has buds as you can see! I can't wait for those blooms to open!



Here's my DS-70 blooming:

Yay Lin!! More Hoyas!! I've definitely been bitten by the Hoya bug! Those are gorgeous! And the multiflora has buds!! :o) You lucky lady!