Fall Blooms!

erica arborea

this is my plant, pic taken yesterday

same plant a few days ago.

then I was so shocked to see this one coming up already. Unfortunately it was getting dark, so the pic is sort of fuzzy.

ok, now the pic :-p

redchic, don't panic, the maths is optional!! visual thinking is just fine.

Few!!!!.... thanks. Good to know as I was getting worried :-p

Redchick, That schizostylis against the backdrop of sky and the tree branches is absolutely spectacular! Wow! The fuschia is beautiful too. I'd like to get one of those someday, have to come up with a good place for it. I've never seen an Erica arboria. The color is really lovely. How tall is it? And what is that intriguing plant with the black leaves in your yard? I like plants that have unusual foliage color. The pink flower in the first picture is pretty too. Do you happen to know what it is? What a treat to house sit for a person with flowers like that.

This message was edited Nov 30, 2008 6:13 PM

Love the pics redchic

Thanks to both of you! The weather was dark grey all day long, so I didn't take any more pics today. Oh well.

Mauryhill....The tree heather (erica arborea) gets to be generally from 6-10'. I believe that particular variety is called Spring Smile. That's the only variety that I could find that said that it would have pink ends in the winter. They can be pruned into nicely shaped small trees or shrubs, or left to be a seemingly strange shaped thing. The blackish plant is Phygelius 'passionate'. I was actually surprised by it this fall. I just bought 2 of them in July, and was hesitant to get them because usually I don't like phygelius at all. However, like you, I like unusual colors and especially dark ones. The price was right and I thought that even if it didn't bloom, I'd still like it for the foliage. I noticed it all the time until the blooms died, then I forgot about it. I just happened to notice it a week ago when the sun was out after a rain and it looked soooo interesting with the water and sun on it. I had to hunt around to find tags because I actually forgot that I had bought phygelius! I'll post the picture in a bit that made me notice it again for the first time in a couple months. The plant with the pink flower that was first is a Bergenia cordifolia (not sure what variety), blooming out of season. I agree with you completely about house sitting there. It's always a treat, especially since it's very near to where I work. It's so nice to walk around the garden there after I get off of work and relax, or even a walk during a break.

Keep in mind, I haven't planted the phygelius yet because I was so hesitant about planting a plant that I don't usually like, although now I'm in love with this one variety. So, they are sitting, in their pots, in a area that I haven't done anything with yet.

I have noticed that, depending on the light, the leaves can look anywhere from dark green to black.

this is what it looks like during the summer. This isn't one of my plants (they're still in 4" containers :-s ) or pictures, but it's the same picture that is on the plant tag. Mine looked just like that, only smaller, about 4 months ago.

Mauryhill.....have you seen Rhody Ebony Pearl? http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/170882/ (I took those photos last year with a crappy camera - the color is true, but the detail is not so good) the foliage on this plant is a different color every season. Part of why it's taken me a little longer to plant them is because I'm trying to figure out how I can put these rhody ebony pearl and the phygelius within 5-10' of each other in the yard. Unfortunately the rhody has been planted for 5 or 6 years now, but it's in too shady of a spot for the phygelius to do well. So, since I know that rhody can take more sun, i'm considering moving it to a sunny, but cool (temp.) place where the phygelius will do fine.

I took this picture last week with a better camera. Keep in mind that this is where I keep all the plants, in pots, waiting to go in the ground----somewhere, someday. Except of course, for the one plant that I want to move, the Rhody. It has been there for 5 or 6 years now. Anyhow, it's very weedy and messy there right now.

This message was edited Nov 30, 2008 11:44 PM

redchic, do you have the zone those two dark plants grow in? That Rhodie is something else. I really like both of them.

The tag on the phygelius says zone 7a. But, i'm postive that I've read on several occasions that they can take being a little colder, but they will die back to the root. The Rhody is at least 6b, that zone was given by the original grower of the Rhody, based on the parent of it. However, it hasn't been really tested out in colder climates as it hasn't been on the market that long. So, it's likely pretty close to zone 6b, but it could go as low as 6a or 5b. Sorry that's the long definition, but I thought worthy if you're a few degrees cooler than the listed zones.

This message was edited Dec 2, 2008 2:45 AM

Thanks, my problem is I live at 600' above sea level directly across Hood Canal from the Olympics so we get colder than most of the area. And we usually get a late freeze that gets anything not proven hardy. Is there a supplier for the Rhodie?

WW - I have grown Phygelius in several places on my property.
All were successful - one too much so, that I ripped it all out, or so I thought.
It come back from the roots with a vengeance!
My property is at 450', totally exposed to the SE winds: the cold air that rolls down & sinks usually causes plants to meet their demise. But not the Phygelius....it's truly an energizer bunny.
I'm zone 7: they did fine with prolonged lows in the teens. I know folks in Colorado that are growing them, too. I think you'd be surprised at how hardy they are for us in W. Wa..

Willow, I would imagine that you could grow the phygelius if you wanted to. It's actually a really tough plant, that's part of why I haven't liked them in the past---they can be hard to deal with at times. I think that many folks loose it due to poor drainage in the winter rather than hardiness.
I'm surprised to hear that they are growing them in Colorado! That could mean that they are truly hardier than given credit for and that lends towards the drainage theory as well!

I not sure who all carries the Rhody Ebony Pearl. I purchased mine from Greer Gardens ( http://davesgarden.com/products/gwd/c/428/ since they are in Eugene and very reputable. But here's a link to a search for other suppliers if you want to look around. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=rhododendron+ebony+pearl&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8

so here's a little closer pic of Rhody 'Ebony Pearl' The clouds vs. sun messes with your head about how dark the leaves are. When it's sunny they're reddish green, and cloudy the seem almost black.

This message was edited Dec 2, 2008 1:18 AM

I couldn't resist another one of the phygelius. Yep, it's official, i've completely fallen for the plant now, so much so that I actually took the time to add it to plant files.

This message was edited Dec 2, 2008 2:43 AM

taken the other day.....

remains of a hydrangea querc. bloom

I love purple berries!

Love the Ebony. And the pics.

I have a Hellebore, Blooming this is 'Snow Bunting'

Does this count, House plant only will bloom in this spot, on the headboard of my bed. ( you don't see the dust)
'Christmas Cactus'

Close up

I thought this is a mind teaser. 'Who is Bigger'

As far as I'm concerned.... anything that isn't a plain, dead, stick is good from October through March. Even interesting sticks are worth their weight this time of year :-p Your hellebore is a really nice, healthy looking one. White ones don't do as well for me as the other colors. I love the Last one. It almost looks as though kitty is trying to size up the plant to see whose the bigger match!! :-p

Thans red. Love the purple berries. Tils, I love the giant dahlia picture. My cactus are all blooming also, white, red, pink and salmon colors so far.

Love the color of the leaves on the phygelius! That is a different type of growth habit than what you usually see. I can't believe it, but I have three roses in bloom today. So wierd.

Wow, both the Rhodie and the Phygelius are rather amazing plants, very unusual looking, and the purple berries are spectacular too. More plants to put on my "want it someday" list.

That yellow dahlia is really pretty, just the thing to brighten up a Fall day. I have sadly had bad luck with dahlias. They get powdery mildew. Is there something you can do to prevent that?

My Christmas cactus is also blooming, but it never has bloomed at Christmas.It is really a Thanksgiving cactus every year, and it blooms in the Spring also. Seems healthy, but I hope I'm not wearing out the plant with all that repeat flowering.

Its funny, to see how well we read the posts, more the Pic. and that includes me.
But the answer to the Question mind teaser, Was Tilly. The Dahlia is only 3". The way the shot was, made it look the opposite.

Holly, mine is the same, starts budding around late Nov. and again in the spring. If its happy and healthy, I don't think they will ever wear out. I don't give mine any special treats, just water and a new pot every so often. And alot of times I forget to water it.

Thanks all. Willow, I think that you should move them to the top of your "want some day" list. Mainly because neither the easiest to find, so you'd be good to get them when you see them! The Rhody is really interesting when it gets frost coated.

I've never been able to get a christmas cactus to bloom for me. I think that my place doesn't get enough light. So, I love looking at everyone elses.

I'm surprised about your roses Pixy! Hopefully they didn't freeze now. I had a couple of shasta daisy's sprout up again last week, but they froze solid.

I think that I'm out of blooms, so it's more "winter interest" for me now. I guess that I'll take what I can get this time of year.

more JM leaves. All of these pics were taken at about 1pm

This message was edited Dec 6, 2008 1:51 AM

strawberry leaves

again.

The frost encrusted leaves are really beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

Frosty warts :) Burrr...

Frost lambs ear..brrrr

Hey Red, I just found this. Hear I thought I just was being mean to it.
I hope this link works
http://www.king5.com/video/ciscoe-index.html?nvid=214334