I'm going to start this new thread with my favorite latest photo! "The Garden Party" hehe
We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/863225/
This message was edited Dec 9, 2008 2:32 AM
Container Renovations 4! (smile)
I'm at such a standstill right now when it comes to planting new containers. My pots are all doing well and some are out of control. I've learned a lot from everybody at Dave's Garden though and this year started layering foliage plants over the annuals that have a short life-span in this heat. It's working out well as when the annuals expire, I still have a beautiful foliage plant. I cannot believe how much these planters have grown...
I planted 2 of these huge planters and this one is doing fantastic! The other one that is 5 feet away is not so great. The ice-plant is starting to rot, as it stuck to the outside of the container. They're both getting the same amount of water??? It has been raining a lot lately though and maybe because this one is located under more eaves...it's not getting so much rain??? Who knows? The copper plant in this one has gone nuts, whereas the coleus in the other planter is the focus! It's funny isn't it? 2 planters, planted at the same time with identical plants, 5 feet apart and turning out so different.
I'm so glad I dug out all of the Blackie Sweet potato vines I had in the pool planters last year! NOT! They've come back with a vengeance, but are pretty nice when they're trimmed and not hanging into the pool.
I was in the pool when I took this shot. These still are my favorite container plant - Foxtail ferns. They've tripled in size and are just as robust as they can be - a year later!
OMG...I really do have such a wonderful man. This is how we weed the pool planter...and there's always a helper on the deck waiting! hehe
You know...It doesn't get too much more peaceful and beautiful than this! I'm very thankfull everyday!
You have a beautiful place Kat.
KatG, love that garden party especially with your baby tucked in there..........LOL. Your pots are wonderful. That last shot looks like a magazine ad for a vacation spot..........no wonder you're thankful.
Hey Kat
In your first picture, what is the long green plant (not talking about the blue daze or the succulent) that is the hair of two of the planters?
Kat, I think if I lived there, I'd never leave home :)
Lovely, as always
Patty: That's called Rhipsalis and I don't know the variety/...but it's perfect plant hair!
Love it! Gorgeous as always! Very peaceful!
Thank-you all for the incredible compliments. Denise. I grocery shop and park my car on Friday and unless we really have to go somewhere, it stays in the garage until Monday. I just love being around my home on the weekends.
Let me tell you all a little story...
Today will mark the 29th year I came to Florida from Canada. I was 22 years old and came here because my Boyfriend had started a business selling homes to Canadians and my job was to be the "tour guide" in Florida. I came down by myself, not knowing anybody, the area or basically anything! hehe. (I later married my wonderful man and we were together for 15 years. He passed away from Cancer in 1994) The second day I was here, I was sent to this particular address and I took a wrong turn somewhere along the way. Port Charlotte is laid out kind of strange...one minute you're parallel to a highway and then suddenly you meet it.
On my way to find this address, I came across one of the most beautiful sights...a beautiful pond and a little waterfall. There were a couple men fishing here in hip waders and all I remember was that it was at the end of a road with a cull-de-sac. No homes, no development at all in this area. It was like something out of a Disney movie...just beautiful!
This entire view was imbedded in my mind for years and I never came across it again. I thought about it many times and just figured that maybe somebody built a home in front of it...or maybe I was just imagining it. This was in 1979.
About 5 years ago being in the Construction business, I was building a home in this different area. I happened to drive over to see my clients property and low and behold, I drove down the street - and here's my lost pond/waterfall! OMG! Not only that...there's a sign on it - Lots for Sale! At the time I had built a new home and had only lived there 3 years and figured I would never move again...WRONG! It took me a long time to build this home as it wen't through 2 hurricanes, but it was well worth it. It really is a paradise. I call my home "Casa Karma" because I truly believe it was truly meant to be. The other nice thing is, I live 7 minutes from shopping, work, etc.
Today I went down to the dock to take a photo of my Giant Crinum Lily...First bloom. The added bonus was that beautiful Heron standing in the background! What a gorgeous bird!
Thank-you Jeanne...How are you doing these days? How's your gorgeous garden?
You must be a mind reader! I was just going to tell you that your story is a beautiful one! You've been very successful, and blessed. You are a very sweet person and certainly deserve it!!!!
I'm o.k......long story. Garden needs some work. I'll D-mail you.
Today was a really good day. We've had a lot of rain lately but it ended a couple of days ago and my plants were thirsty. Took me a couple of nice relaxing hours to give them a good deep watering. I hate the thought of watering...but after about 5 minutes I really get into it and I love it! hehe. Did a lot of clipping and hosing down the lanai.
My dear guy came over and he loves pruning! Go for it man! haha. He does a good job too. He did some drastic weaving of Bouganvillia on my dock arbor. Those things are killers as they have thorns about 3 inches long. He usually comes back bloody, but was smart and wore gloves today. I'm glad, because the last time he was so beaten up, I asked him if his staff thinks I beat the crap out of him on the weekends? hahahaha.
These pavers are enough to drive you crazy if you're messy like me when you're planting. I really need to get a potting bench outside the lanai. They do look good when they're cleaned up though...
I did get my planting fix in for the weekend! Planted these two planters for my dear mans lanai...
2 identical planters - Foxtail ferns in the middle (they'll take over when the annuals phase out), mexican heather, the yellow flowers are Hella-something, a few little Brazillian red-hots poked in there and some creeping jenny. The planters we bought at Lowes - Plastic, but really nice.
I thoroughly agree with you on the watering. I dread it but once I get out there, I'm OK. I love to water top down and I think my banana trees just love it. The whole garden smells so fresh and clean afterward. It's like a mini rainforest!
It has been pretty out...but we sure do need the rain. We are down 6 inches!
We may be on the dirty side of Tropical Storm Dolly, so maybe we will get some much needed rain next week! I hope so. I could use the break!!!!
Everything is still very green so far! My white ginger is still going strong and is just intoxicating. We still have plumerias as well. We have the starts of bananas on at least three trees, so far. Some of the Altheas have bloomed. The hibiscus bloomed and are now starting to form new buds. I wish they would bloom more often.
Those are lovely, Kat! You do such a great job!
Jeanne: Tropical storm Dolly? Haven't heard about that one yet? That's obviously a new storm. I really do hate this time of year though, but don't you think the weather people are out of control? That Jim Cantori on the weather channel is a real piece of work! Here he is on a beach in Sarasota (40 miles from me) telling everybody to "Batten down the hatches folks". He's got his parka like hoodie on and there's people in their bathing suits in the background collecting shells on the beach. Something is wrong with this picture!
Our local weather people are as bad. You're watching TV and there's 3 beeps and a big streamer on the screen that goes by telling you there's going to be a Thunderstorm??? A thunderstorm! So? This is Florida in the summer.
I went though Hurricane Charlie which was very devastating. Don't want to do that again. However, I don't need flashing updates that it's going to rain! Doppler radar is great, but has become a media tool that makes people crazy. I like the olden days better, when you just
looked outside and thought...Oh great...It's raining.
I always try to put pretty pictures on this site...but here's what my backyard looks like in a storm...
KatG
I always want to see more more and more photos from your garden because your container arrangment and picture quality is always great.
You photo can tell us wheather can be cruel any time and any where. I love your pool area .
Thanks for the photos.
Kaleem
And I need to know the name of the plant which is in this photo and on the most left side with full of blooms.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=5289368
Kaleem
What a nice story. That spot had your name on it you just couldn't see it. Some things are just "meant to be"..........Casa Karma, love it!!
Kaleem...I think that is my new favorite plant! It's called Pagoda Flower or Clerodendrum paniculatum. It's also very easy to grow and requires hardly anything except water. That bloom is still going strong a month and a half later. Here's more info from plantfiles:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/135093/
KatG.....We have them along the fence, and they grow to about 15 feet. Unfortunately, the lose their leaves too, and are only sticks the rest of the year, but once they come back and bloom, you remember why you like them so much. I'll try to get a pic...the large cluster is really pretty. They also seed like crazy, I have them all over in the grass...but if you let them get about 7 inches, you can pull them up and repot them.
:)
MerryMary, I live near you. What kind of sun do yours get? When do they lose their leaves, and for how long? Thanks!
They lose their leaves around Christmas time....and then don't spring out again until around late March. They are in the ground, and in full Florida sun (all day)
:)
Well, I think I could live with sticks for 3 or 4 months. This may be the ideal plant to place on the blistering west side of our house where only plumbago and lantana thrive. That color would look pretty with plumbago. My husband always thinks it's funny to find lantana for sale. He says if you live in FL and wait awhile, some is going to spring up anyway.
I had no idea they would lose their leaves, but that's okay. I wonder if it makes a difference if it's in a container? I'll move them in (with the 1000 other cold sensitive ones! haha) if there's a real cold spell.
I actually noticed somebody was selling this plant on the marketplace the other day. http://davesgarden.com/products/market/view/1794/
It really is a gorgeous...the flowers on this one have to be 18" long. I bet it's just a gorgeous site having a bunch of them against a fence or foundation.
KatG....the good news is they do survive and re-leaf and re-bloom. I'll look to see if I can dig up a few seedlings before the lawn guy gets them, and pot them up. If yours doesnt make it, I'll have a back-up for you, without buying one again. They are extremely hardy though, almost invasive.
I've just about got my DH talked into replacing something I don't like with the pagoda plants! I just need to show him the photos, and that may do the trick. We have a large front yard, so self-seeding isn't a problem. In fact, it might be an advantage.
Thanks MerryMary...
Bivbiv...Show him this photo. This is today. Just incredible blooms!
They really are strange growing flowers. Here you can see an older bloom - it just keeps growing from the top.
This Stephanotis has been amazing this year. Non-stop blooming for months now. I've kept them in containers though as my soil is terrible and they're in the South side of the house. They seem to like it there and they haven't asked for any special treatment.
This pot of Oxalis has just taken over. Poor Baby Sun Rose is starting to get covered up.
It's getting a little Jungly! hehe
I planted some Cat Whiskers in with my Giant Bird of Paradise and they're blooming like crazy!
As you can see, the gorgeous Bacopa I had planted under the Persian Shield has finally bit the dust. Some of my Persian shield looks awful, but this pot is doing well. And so are these little daisy's.
Caladiums on Crack! They just keep on going - Through 100 degree weather, drought, something eating them (only the green part). Nothing seems to deter them! Love them.
