Beautiful crowellli - do even the wave pentunias not last in Houston's heat?
Spring Flowers without Showers? Got any?
Petunia's will do fine for me until mid to end of May; but those are the ones planted in January (if they have some shade). Alyssum planted in October has already gone to seed and been pulled--but those seeded in January are just fine. Depends on the varieties and when you plant them down here.
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 10:01 AM
So pretty, Crow!! I put crushed eggshells around my bulbs to deter the slugs and snails. You can also use beer traps.
My petunias weren't Wave, but they were planted in November last year. They are in full sun and still doing well, but that won't last much longer. I have tried the Wave petunias and they are wonderful, but still don't stand up to the sun and heat of summer for me. I don't have a shady place to put them, so that's probably why. My allysum hasn't gone to seed yet, but it was also planted full sun and last November. I have noticed that the white seems to do better than the pink one for me. It seems to be more robust and stand up to heat better. The lobelia took a while to get it's feet set, but then did really well. I wish it lasted through the summer.
On the slugs and snails, I've been using a product called Sluggo that somebody on Dave's posted about. It's environmentally friendly and non toxic to kids, pets, etc. It breaks down to iron, so even helps the plants. It works, well when you remember to put it out it helps. I put some once I saw the mauled amaryllis buds and haven't had any more damage to the others.
I love looking at everyone's posts and pics, so thanks to all for sharing. I guess it won't be long 'til we have to start a "Summer Blooms" thread.
Crow
This blue star flower has never looked prettier. Wonder what I did right this year!
I love those bluestars! Crow, that's a gorgeous design of the flower bed!!!
Spring wouldn't be complete without these cherry blossoms, would it? Here is Yoshino a single-blooming cherry.
Kim
This message was edited Mar 22, 2009 1:15 PM
I can't believe the Wave petunias won't take the heat. Maybe it's the high humidity. In the past I have had the Waves on the west side of our house, and they're like a blooming machine all year, as long as you water them. I've got all perennials now, which aren't as showy, but a whole lot less trouble.
I don't think that humidity bothers plants as much as it bothers us! I think the problem here during the summer is the high night temperatures. I have read that if night temps don't dip below 75 degrees, plants can't rest. In Houston, that means that plants don't get any rest during the summer. Imagine how frazzled you would be if you didn't get any sleep for 4 or 5 months.
Also b/c they are working around the clock, they need twice as much fertilizer and water as they would at other times of the year. That's also a major problem. If a plant is a water hog at other times of the year then it's not going to make it during the summer. Petunias may not seem like water hogs, but just try to keep them watered during a Houston summer. It's impossible.
That's my take.
The May Night Salvia started blooming this week. I think this is the best I've seen this one look ever! Four Nerve Daisies in the foreground.
My Texas Gold Columbines are starting to put on their show. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/130472/
Stephanie--can you snag me some seeds from that Columbine for the Roundup? I'm down to a single plant (mine is the Hinckley's native) and it won't set seeds for me. I think it needs a buddy...
=)
Stephanie, Yellow and that Maynight's blue are so lovely!!!
Which RU? I'm only going to the one in Arlington. I can send some from last year for you if you'd like, or if you wait, I'll have PLENTY from this year.
Sorry Steph--thought you were going to the east Tx RU. Save me some from this year (can't sow till Oct anyway) and I'll trade you for something you want (bulbs or seeds).
You got a deal!
I'll send you some rain lilies in a bubble mailer if you like--and you can use the bubble mailer to return the seeds (I really insist on bubble mailers for seeds--the USPS machines just ruin soooo many seeds by stamping them to death! grrrr, I'll get off soap box now). Dmail me when you have some and I'll tell you what I have dug and you can choose.
Encore Azalea 'Autumn Twist'
"Neon Rose" Saxifraga
Okie dokie, Debbie!
Collincounty~Those blooms on the saxifraga are so unique and pretty!
Thanks stephanietx, found them in two different colors at Lowes. Price was right.
Just had a chance to look at the updates on this thread. Wow!!! Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice blooms everybody!!
crowellli - I am both jealous and inspired!!!! ab-so-lute-ly gorgeous!!!
Pansies are looking good now!
Fragrant "grape koolaid" still wafting in the air! Out here the Mountain Laurels bloom later than in S.A. This one is just blooming for the first time ever. Others have been blooming a while. We have many on the property.
Lovely Linda! Those pansies are a great color.
I really love mtn laurels! The blooms are so pretty & they smell great!
Someone had mentioned the Mt Laurel takes years for the first bloom.
Can anyone tell me how long I need to wait? I think this one's about 3 yrs old now (30")
I love Tx Mtn Laurels w/their grape kool aid smell. They don't have to be so old to bloom or even tall. They are so slow growing and long lived that you plant a small one today and your greatgrandchildren will still be able to see over the top of it, they say.
Crow, your flower beds are just wonderful. I love it when a plan comes together. I am planting stuff these days that I never heard of 2-5 years ago. Lobelia - saw it at HGC last fall and had to have it. Planted 3 plants in different places for accents and it is still going strong. Kept hearing about salvia. Saw some "Salvia Superba (something or other - can't read my writing). It's dark blue/purple (not the Black and Blue). Bought 2 plants of the salvia and it's looking great. Kept hearing about coral bells - bought one named Stormy Seas and can't find it in PlantFiles but it's pretty w/its purpleish foliage. Heard about stonecrop and Dragons Blood jumped in my cart as did a lovely, inexpensive but blooming Autumn Empress encore Azalea plus another blue flower that I shouldn't have bought but what the hey - "Grace Ward" Lithordore (bad handwriting again). There was a sign advertising Blue Daze which I was looking for but BD must have walked off and since I don't speak Spanish, I couldn't find where they had put it but the overturned pot looks really good now with the tiny blue flowers in it and the 2 salvias outside it flowing into other stuff. One of these days I'm going to go to the nursery w/my list and find everything on that list. LOL Jim finally has his tomato plants in the back yard. He want to plant them in totally unfriendly places, wouldn't listen to me about placement so I just walked away and our son and he planted all 3 . Now he tells me "Did you know we have grubs?" When I said I didn't he says "Well, everywhere we dug there were lots of grubs in the dirt. Those are good, aren't they?" "Yeah," I said, "for fishing." So there we are.
Ann
'Nelly Moser' Clematis bloom
Had to use 'flash' this am. Will get a photo with just sunlight sometime.
This message was edited Apr 1, 2009 7:34 AM
My first Nelly Moser bloom from two days ago
C. Nelly Moser yesterday. :-)
The only perennial verbena I can get to come back each year
My camellias are still blooming, also
My first planter for 2009
One of my poppies coming up thru blackjack sedum
Irwell50, love the flower container! Nice composition! Others are lovely, Camellias are those mainstay, and must have in our Southern gardens. Verbena, could be homestead V.? Lovely.
I don't know. I bought 3 different colors 3 or 4 years ago, and this is the only one that came back. Wish I could get a red and white. They can't get too much sun, can they?
My blue Verbena did beautifully for years in a container under full sun, until they got flooded out this winter. Come to think of it, my white and red V. didn't return here either. Hmmm. Thanks for mention it.
One of my Viburnums in blooms.
Okay, is a viburnam what some people call a snowball bush? One of our employees wanted to know if I wanted a cutting of her snowball bush, and I didn't know what that was.
Here you go http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/adv_search.php?searcher%5Bcommon%5D=&searcher%5Bfamily%5D=&searcher%5Bgenus%5D=viburnum&searcher%5Bspecies%5D=&searcher%5Bcultivar%5D=&searcher%5Bhybridizer%5D=&searcher%5Bgrex%5D=&search_prefs%5Bblank_cultivar%5D=&search_prefs%5Bsort_by%5D=rating&images_prefs=both&Search=Search it could take days to go through them all, but there's hardly an ugly one out there :0)