Fall Garden

Hi All,

In southern CA the mild sunny days and overcast nights have brought out an abundance of flowers in our home garden. I snapped some photos this morning of hibiscus in the ground. This is the first location where I've been able to have a planted garden that won't freeze in winter (most years) instead of growing all hibiscus in pots that overwinter in the house or greenhouse. Cindy planted most of them herself, and to my surprise they love being in the ground as long as we water them deeply enough. Many are blooming better than even my greenhouse plants right now. That will change when the colder weather of December-Feb comes, but Fall flowers in the outdoor garden are a delight right now.

This first photo is of a Saffron, doing its normal thing along the front walk. Like Living Legend, it is a great bloomer in almost all situations. More photos with comments will follow this one, if I've done it right.

Charles

This is Living Legend, blooming right next to Saffron along the east facing front walkway.

beaut's!

Around in the side garden that has full all day sun, another older Living Legend bush has 4 newly opening flowers and two 3rd day flowers open. Living Legend is a very stout, full bush that opens 7-9 inch flowers constantly. Like Saffron it represents the hybridizing work on hibiscus bushes that I've been doing for almost a decade now, once I found that the show flowers I first collected just did not make it as bushes. As I'm sure many of you have discovered, the show winning flowers are still found mostly on bushes that have many flaws.

Charles

I MUST have some Hardy Hibiscus! These are gorgeous! Misty

Around back and in full sun are 2 of the oldest "garden" style hibiscus that have been grown all over the world for many decades. In the foreground is 'White Wings' and behind it is 'Albo Lacinatus', very similar but in pink color. Both of these bushes survived the unusual freezes of Jan, 2007, with just some tip damage and are now roaring back and opening dozens of flowers each every day. The flowers are small and not well formed compared to today's hibiscus, but its hard to beat a bush that has 50 flowers on it!

Tarantella is a variety that I imported from Australia several years ago. Along with Rosalind, it is one of those Oz varieties that have passed the test of time. Look carefully at this bush of Tarantella, and what may appear to be yellow leaves at first are really big buds ready to open in the next couple of days. Great bloomer, this one!

Charles

Here is the aforementioned Rosalind.

Charles

Cindy's Heart was also blooming in the early hours this morning. She is turning out to be one of the longest lasting hibiscus flowers I've grown, usually staying open with good color for 4-5 days most of the time. These 3 are in their 3rd day now, and in full all day sun. And yes, I did name it after my wife, Cindy, who works all day with special ed kids and then spends several more hours working in the HVH office and as the HVH web master. She MORE than deserves a flower named for her and I'm glad she likes this one as much as I do!

This message was edited Nov 8, 2007 6:30 AM

Fat Actress! You may have seen the tv comedy show of this name starring Kirstie Alley. I was watching it one evening and thinking what to name this new variety and then it hit me. The bush on this one is very big, with big leaves, and a full presence. The flower is a great big full double with attitude, so what could be better than Fat Actress? Anyway, here she is not blooming today but showing about 20 big buds that will be opening soon.

Charles

Since Fat Actress was not blooming here is an earlier photo of it to complete the picture.

Charles

Butter Cup is one of my favorite "brown" flowers. It actually only has a small amount of brown because it is drowned in buttery yellow and the eye is a shiny lavendar. Staunchly upright and well foliated (nice leaves) it blooms very well and holds the blooms straight up.

Also blooming today is Bubble Gum Fun. This is another of my current favorite flowers, with its rings of bright color showing well in the Fall weather.

Charles

Fabulous had such a pretty look as the sun peeked through the marine layer this morning and fell on it. Great bloomer, though I wish the bush were fuller.

Charles

Last is a new double that I wanted to show everyone. Named 'Las Vegas', this big heavy double shines as bright as The Strip at night. This one was blooming in the greenhouse yesterday.

Charles

Hi Misty,

You were visiting this thread as I posted but I only now noticed. Thanks for the comments. One thing, though, these are all tropical hibiscus of the species Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. They need to overwinter in a house or greenhouse or otherwise be protected from freezes below 30F. The flowers are much more sophisticated than those of the Hardy Hibiscus species, but their tropical origins have to be respected if you want them to live through the winter. South Florida and coastal TX and CA are about the only places in the continental US that they can grow outdoors year round and even then the occasional freeze may damage them.

Charles

WOWIZER! I want to live next to you - your garden is breathtaking! That's what I want my hibiscus beauties to look like when they grow up! :) I'm wondering though - my Saffron growth is much different than what I've seen - the leaves grow close to the plant in a downward direction staying close to the stem - it however gives me bright yellow blooms as well as deep orange... I have it combined with Heavy Metal - could this be the problem?

Thanks, I bookmarked the page! And yes, I would love to live next to them as well! GH is on its way before next season! I love tropicals and I intend to have as many as my garden will hold! Misty

Charles, those pictures are just beautiful!!! Ya know, I don't have a "Cindy's Heart" yet, but with this picture, it's going on my list straight away! Plus, it has a charming name for a charming person ;-)

karen

Charles, those are all gorgeous! I really love Las Vegas--that one's definitely going on my wish list.

I think you meed Las Vegas for your birthday Liz. :-) That one really does shine.

I think I need Las Vegas for my birthday too...unfortunately I already checked HVH's website and it doesn't appear to be available just yet, guess I'll have to wait! I'm still not sure all the hibiscus I have are going to fit in my greenhouse for the winter, so I really shouldn't buy any more until I know I have room!

Hi Ultimateshopper,

I'd have to know all the details about how you are growing the Saffron but I suspect that this type of growth is related to growing the plant too dry. That could happen if the pot is too small or if the watering isn't thorough enough (the root ball should be soaked through so that at least a little of the water flows out of the bottom holes of the pot). Watering should also be frequent enough that the pot does not dry out completely between waterings. Also hibiscus are much helped by fertilizer, and using one suitable for hibiscus on a regular basis is important for good growth. The yellow flowers also surprise me, as I've only seen deep orange on the Saffrons here. That could be either a light problem (too little probably) or a lack of nutrients (again, fertilizer will help).

If none of this fits your situation please let me know further details about the growing conditions and I'll give it some thought.

Tulsa is a little far for you to visit, but if you are ever around on a Saturday from May to October, please come to an open house which are held right here where the garden is.

Charles

Charles

To everyone who liked the new double, Las Vegas, that cv and 100-plus other ones will appear in the 2008 HVH online store when it opens at the beginning of January (for reservations, shipping follows in April and May). Thanks for the comments.

Charles

This message was edited Nov 8, 2007 9:10 AM

ohhhhhhhhhhhhh I love that Fabulous & Bubble gum Fun!!! Lorine

Loooooove that Saffron. I have looked at that picture so many times now, gosh I need that flower. pam

Hi Charles - I'll Dmail you so as not to bore others, but I'll have to put myself on the list for Las Vegas for next year - it's STUNNING! I'm still trying to twist DH's arm for another visit to San Diego (we went out there a couple years ago for our 15th anniversary) we visited the "Field of Flowers" so I think it's only fitting that the next visit be to HVH's open house one Saturday! :)

Beautiful plants. Can't wait to see Fat Actress. That one makes me chuckle. Saffron and Living Legend are great looking too.