Merry Hibismas!

Island Passion (Matt)

June's Joy (David)

Liz (Charles & Cindy)

This one is normally bigger and ruffly. But, the fact that she is alive and blooming again is a true miracle. She was a "flood" victim.

Snow Queen (Lowes)

Last for today:

Tarantella (David)

Just gorgeous pictures. I am planning on getting some hot ones from your growers, Cat. I haven't killed any of my hibiscus yet this winter, so I am hot to trot. I can just feel spring already in the air. I am sure I am wishful thinking but I swear even the birds were so loud today.

I sure hope you're right about spring being in the air Kell! I'm not holding my breath though until we get through January...that was when we had that horrid cold snap last year so I won't feel safe until Feb 1!

Oh you had to bring me back to reality. Yes, I was hit hard too by that. I really should move my bougies and brugs up on the porch. They would get freezed dried where they are.

I am trying to figure out where we should move too. I was thinking I could go a bit colder for I will have the land to get a huge GH. Though I really would like to go a bit warmer in winter only.

So never a frost after February? I know in 2005/2006, we only had 1 frost in November. Just enough to kill off my annuals and freeze my brug tops. I still have some coleus out there. Looking bad, but still alive. And my petunias and Calibrachoa are still looking good.

I'm sure there'll be some frost in February, what I'm worried about is those 20 degree temps that we had last January, and I don't think we'd have that kind of temps in February. I think in Feb all we'd have would be frost and some 25-30ish temps. My outdoor plants can all survive that, it's the low 20's they have problems with!

Here I cringe at anything less than 34. All my plants do fine if it stays at 34 or above. So far so good. I didn't realize you were that much colder. I really have almost the perfect weather. Supposedly 34 tonight but then back up to the 40s for the rest of the week.

Which is good for we are going to Carmel for a few days and I won't be able to make the midnight run out to cover up my plants as I have been known to make in years past.

I think my house is in an extra cold microclimate--my nighttime lows always seem to be about 3-5 degrees lower than what the weather report says for Dublin. Dublin's been down at 30-31 a few times, and here at my house it's been 26-27.

When I take down my Christmas lights, I'll wrap them around the hibs pots. Hopefully, come February, they will keep them warm enough when the cold really hits.

Too cold for me Liz!!

Gee Cat, how cold will it get in February? I was going to say the magnolias here will be blooming in February but then I remembered lots bloomed already in November. Full bloom! They got confused. I wonder if they will rebloom.

It could get in the low 30's at night. One year it got to 27* and everything died.

That must have been so sad.

My hibiscus are so unhappy outside here in pots in winter. It may be all the winter wet here that does them in. Though I have neighbors around town with huge hibiscus bushes that sail thru winter. I noticed a small bush of one of the named fancy tropical hibiscus at a house this summer full of flowers I might add. I am dying to see if it makes it thru the winter.

This kind is huge around here.

This one is supposedly "Black Dragon" but, each time it bloomed, it looked like this. Purchased directly from Dupont Nursery.

Kell,
That looks like painted lady. I have one that is also huge. It must be at least 20 years old. Came with my house.

Chiffon Breeze (Home Depot)

I know I showe this above, but this "Creole Darlin-" is gorgeous. (Matt)

Dragons Lair (Matt)

Jamalaya (Robert)

Largo Breeze (Home Depot)

Lost Treasure (Matt)

Milleneum Superstar (Matt)

Moonstruck (Charles & Cindy)

Mystic Glow (Matt)

Orville Davis (Charles and Cindy)

Ring of Fire (Matt)

Spotted Sparrow (Mr. Conrad)

Tomahawk (Matt)

You are making me all hot again showig me such great pictures. LOL. I am such a needy person.

Here is another hardy kind that grows to be big here too all year long. Do you know the name of this one?

Reminds me of my 'Peggy Hendry' but I'm sure there are other double yellows too. Mine's in a pot but it doesn't seem to be a very vigorous grower so it's probably something different.

LOL Liz, I just asked you a question on another forum. It is more golden than yellow and some have lots of orange in them.

Your second pic doesn't look at all like Peggy Hendry, I definitely don't think that's it now. Peggy is more of a uniform yellow, I've never seen any color variation.

Cat, your camera is really capturing the colors well. Jamalaya looks like it is about to pop off the screen.

Kell, LOVE your yellow/orange double - it's certainly a beauty! Actually all these pictures are a definate booster - it's been cold, rainy and grey around here lately. I have a couple blooms today & it does help chase away some of the winter blues! :) Don't know the name of this first one - but it's consistant with producing blooms (kinda looks like Chiffon Breeze?)

Simple Pleasures (HVH)

Christmas Eve Simple Pleasures (very deep colors) - If I didn't know better I would have thought it was heavy metal! :)

This is a picture of Pride of Barbados. It's more of a gold ish color than orange is it close?

After seeing all these fantastic blooms, I think I am going to bring in a couple of my hibiscus inside to get them to bloom for me. I can't wait for summer. LOL

My house is so crowded with my variegated clivia, fancy aroids and other special plants, I have no room. But I think I may have to make some. I now wish I had bought some small ones at the end of the summer. I almost did but common sense for once prevailed. All mine are way too big for inside.

I have been so chuffed that a Tacca I have had in my dining room for about 1 year is now in bud. I have been thinking I am all that. LOL

This message was edited Dec 27, 2007 4:24 PM