Flowers OT

Thanks, syrumani. The above ones are called sun lovers coleus which are a little different than the shade lovers. What I like is they are so easy to root and make more. Put some cuttings in a glass of water and in no time you'll have roots for more plants.

You have done so much on your balcony. I can't wait to hear how your upside down tomato will do. Roma is a great variety and usually prolific and not too seedy. Nice meaty one. Good for salsa, cooking or eating a fresh tomato sandwich. Mmm. I still need to plant some tomatoes.

I don't suppose those sun lover coleus are available at HD or Lowe's? For Mother's Day, I got two of the black wire frame window boxes and an urn type planter from Walmart. I've got some milkweed I was going to plant in them, just to see how they'd look hanging (IF they'd hang!), but I bet some coleus like that one would look even better! Would definitely bring some attention to the place!

As for the upside down roma - it's still growing. I've heard tomatoes don't do so well in these things, but maybe this one will like me. 2 of the 4 tomato plants I've got going are something called San Marzano(?), which from the descriptions, are roma-types too. I've heard the flavor in those are excellent, so I'm really looking forward to those! The other two were labeled as something french, so I don't know what they are called at the moment. I'd have to go back and check trades . . .

I've got PLENTY of tomato seeds (well, I think there's plenty!) - do you need any? I can make a list once I get home.

Sometimes I have seen the sun coleus at HD's but they are not labeled as to variety name.

Copied and pasted from here:

http://leon.ifas.ufl.edu/News_Columns/2004/coleus_finds_its_place_in_the_su.pdf

"These sun coleus, as they are called, should thrive in gardens throughout the coastal South. Give them moist,
well-drained soil improved with organic matter, and fertilize them as you do other annuals. They will respond
by putting on a dramatic show. Pinching back the growing tips encourages bushiness and provides an easy
way to obtain additional plants.
Propagation is easy. Simply take tip cuttings from actively growing stems that are at least three inches long.
Remove leaves from the bottom of the cutting and place in a small pot filled with potting soil. Keep moist, and
within ten days or so the cutting will be well rooted. In a couple of weeks it will be ready for transplanting into
the garden. Coleus cuttings also root readily in water.
Friends who visit my garden frequently leave with cuttings from my coleus plants. In a few weeks they, too,
will have these beautiful plants growing in their gardens. I'm hooked. You will be, too, once you try these
colorful, versatile plants."

A fun website to browse is Rosy Dawn Gardens (coleus specialists).

http://www.rosydawngardens.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=2

Thanks for the tomato seed offer but I just go buy plants. There are so many neat varieties of all kinds being offered these days. Lots of folks are going for the heirloom varieties as well as the modern hybrids.

Our HD and sometimes Wal-Mart have the Sun Coleus but no variety names or labels. I love Perilla too and a couple of years ago I had some container plantings with huge Perilla's. My favorite Coleus ('Chocolate Drop') I had for quite a few years, didn't come back this year, we had a couple of freezes this winter and I guess it was just too cold.

Coleus is one of the easiest plants in the world to propagate. A few years ago I had trays and trays and a few pots of cuttings that had rooted but I hadn't taken the time to plant them in the garden. I ended up being out of town for two weeks and they didn't get watered! Arrrgh! Lost every single one!

That Rosy Dawn site is amazing! Someone on another forum posted the link for that one a year or so ago and I think (but am not sure) there was a Coleus co-op at one time from there?

Nichole: Please keep us posted on the upside down tomato plants! I had Roma's and some others last year, the Roma's were my favorite and the best tasting. I forget what kind I planted this year but there are only two and they are both the same ... might have to plant up some Roma's in the next day or two, LOL!

I've got coleus on the brain, now. I think I'll have to get DH to stop at HD on the way home tonite!

Lovely GL.I especially like the Perilla.
Lynn

I love coleus. The one on the right loves the sun. Orange and pink. I love orange and pink together.

Nichole, Alabama Sunset has been around for 20 years and tolerates heat better than any other coleus......you ought to be able to find it anywhere in Texas...........

Except at the HD close to the apartment. Those were some of the saddest plants I've ever seen. I'm thinking I may go to a real nursery after work . . . or maybe during lunch.

Gorgeous, Sally!

Syrumani -I agree with Gail..you should be able to find lots of sun coleus in your area from nurseries. Plus they might be labeled.

I called the Schultz Nursery on Broadway . . . he said they have 5 "flavors" of sun coleus. So, I will stop there after work, before the club meeting. I switched schedules with someone today, so I have 90 minutes to stop at the nursery, then get up to the meeting.

alabama Sunset is simply stunning!

I did it! GL talked me into it! I went back to that nursery I told you about on Wednesday, Gail, and got a 6-pack of the Alabama's . . . it may be my imagination, but they do look a little brighter than they did the other day. I'll take a picture once I get them planted in the boxes. ^_^

Another good one for sun is the Kong Koleus ... very colorful, one of my favorites!




I have Agapanthus blooming now. This is the blue version. The white one isn't even showing signs of buds yet.

Pretty Lin--especially by the pool!

I love kong coleus

Thanks, kivit. I think your lupins are so lovely. One of my favorite perennials.

Syrumani...the coleus will get prettier with a little sun and some TLC. Glad you found it locally.

Had to look up agapanthus..Lily of the Nile...the blue is so refreshing.


This hybrid broom is Cytisus scoparius x dallimorei 'Lena' named after the German hybridizer.

http://www.paghat.com/broom.html

A closer look at the flowers on 'Lena"..

Oh I love those colors!!

Beautiful! New to me.

Beautiful pictures everyone. I see agapanthus all over Corpus Christi......wonder if I could grow them.

Those colors are so vivid, GL!! Never have seen that plant.

Goldleaf, what a gorgeous plant!!!

In Cal. Agapanthus is everywhere. Blue and the white also. I love them. Don't have any in my yard though.

Wow, LOVE, LOVE that Cytisus! Those colors are amazing! I know I've heard of that plant before but don't remember those colors, think I've seen a plain yellow version somewhere when traveling. Wonder if it would grow in my zone? Gotta go google, LOL!

Gail & Sally: I think Agapanthus would do wonderfully well in Texas gardens! They love full sun and attract butterflies, bees and hummers! Mine die down in the winter and re-sprout in spring when the weather warms up. They bloom all summer and long into the fall. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/139/

I got my sun coleus planted in the planters this morning! Then guess what happens? We finally have a little bit of rain!

Sydney wanted to say Hi!

And make sure she was in every picture . . .

My first purple bean!

These will be yellow when they grow up . . .

I hope this will turn into a tomato some day . . .

Cute little girl!!! That purple bean look like a hyacinth bean with the flowers.

I thought I had sold most of my hoyas on ebay........but look what I found today..........

She turned the big 3 years old yesterday!

Which hoya is it?

Her foliage looks like another old carnosa I had but the other one was blooming pink when I sent her off to someone new..............I will have to take a pic of her foliage and bloom for the hoya forum.........