Fall is in the air and around here, some of the flowers might still bloom. I'm curious to see which ones are the hardiest.
In the meantime.... I have to give some credit to this garden for me being pregnant. Sounds like a strange thing to say, but it's said "in the garden, you're closer to God." I worked in the garden before the sun rose. It was a very quiet time and it was peaceful. Some mornings I prayed.
When I found out I was pregnant.... and I wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant, according to the doctor.. we had given up hope.. we didn't do fertility drugs or procedures or anything, our baby is purely God's miracle... well, I think gardening helped me to heal my spirit and soothe my soul.
And yes, I think it had something to do with allowing my body the ability to conceive.
So, was this garden slumbers in the fall and winter season, I give it thanks. It will remind me of blessings and miracles and beauty.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Night Blooming Jasmine
I love flowers that bloom at night and I finally have one! I knew I wanted a jasmine, but didn't know there are night blooming ones that bloom throughout the summer.
I planted this jasmine and I hope that it survives the heat of the summer.
To be honest, it's not a pretty plant. It's a shrub and the buds are white, tiny and tubular. The bloom? An itsy bitsy five-point star at the end of the tube. But wow, you don't need to see the bloom. You can smell it!
The people at the nursery said my neighbors will come out at night, just to smell the jasmine. It is a delightfully light scent. And... I get up early in the morning to water the plants, so double bonus for me - I get to smell it again in the morning!
Butterflies are attracted to the smell. I imagine the butterflies will appear more frequently in the early morning hours.
Interestingly, the night jasmine is in the Solanacaea family, akin to peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. It's true name is Cestrum nocturnum and has a nickname of "Queen of the Night."
It doesn't do well in the winter months and it's recommended that mulch is added around it to keep the cold away from the roots. If it's not too harsh of a winter, then the plant should survive.
During the heat of summer, it needs to be watered frequently, but during more mild temperatures, once every 4 days should be enough.
The soil needs to be damp, but also well drained and it will grow, grow, grow. Accordingly to Kim, it can be a monster. But it's also easy to keep trim too.
It requires 4-6 hours of sunlight. Some shade is recommended, but for me.. I have it straight in the sun. It should be in shade by about 3:30, so hopefully it will do well.
I planted this jasmine and I hope that it survives the heat of the summer.
To be honest, it's not a pretty plant. It's a shrub and the buds are white, tiny and tubular. The bloom? An itsy bitsy five-point star at the end of the tube. But wow, you don't need to see the bloom. You can smell it!
The people at the nursery said my neighbors will come out at night, just to smell the jasmine. It is a delightfully light scent. And... I get up early in the morning to water the plants, so double bonus for me - I get to smell it again in the morning!
Butterflies are attracted to the smell. I imagine the butterflies will appear more frequently in the early morning hours.
Interestingly, the night jasmine is in the Solanacaea family, akin to peppers, tomatoes and eggplants. It's true name is Cestrum nocturnum and has a nickname of "Queen of the Night."
It doesn't do well in the winter months and it's recommended that mulch is added around it to keep the cold away from the roots. If it's not too harsh of a winter, then the plant should survive.
During the heat of summer, it needs to be watered frequently, but during more mild temperatures, once every 4 days should be enough.
The soil needs to be damp, but also well drained and it will grow, grow, grow. Accordingly to Kim, it can be a monster. But it's also easy to keep trim too.
It requires 4-6 hours of sunlight. Some shade is recommended, but for me.. I have it straight in the sun. It should be in shade by about 3:30, so hopefully it will do well.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Purple Salvia
It appears I'm a fan of salvias. I like the idea that if it's not too cold of a winter, they will come back. They have cool shaped, tiny little blooms. I've already mentioned the blue/black salvias and the red salvias... here are my purple salvias. They are located in the hibiscus garden.
It's called autumn sage purple, Salvia greggii and it will get as high as 2-3 feet. It likes sun, at least 6 hours. I'm a little worried that the hibiscus might shade it too much, but it should get plenty of afternoon rays.
It's called autumn sage purple, Salvia greggii and it will get as high as 2-3 feet. It likes sun, at least 6 hours. I'm a little worried that the hibiscus might shade it too much, but it should get plenty of afternoon rays.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Four O'Clock
Four O'Clock or Mirabilis Jalapa Yellow - This is from Kim's garden. I'm trying to root it and was a struggle at first. The leaves always look wilted.
It got the name because of the time of day (4:00 pm) that it likes to bloom or during a dark cloudy day it will bloom earlier.
Hummingbirds are supposed to really like this bloom. It's a perennial - yeah! It's a leafy shrub-like, multi-branched tender perennial that grows 18-36 inches tall and just as wide. Kim did warn me that she is constantly having to trim it back.
I planted it in the passion flower garden. I'm wondering how that's going to work out. At one point, the purple passion vine tried to attach itself to the four o'clock and I had to unhook it. Should be interesting...
There are two pictures below - one shows the plant during the day - so wilted. Then in the afternoon, the leaves perk up with no sun and the flowers bloom! Very pretty yellow stars!
It got the name because of the time of day (4:00 pm) that it likes to bloom or during a dark cloudy day it will bloom earlier.
Hummingbirds are supposed to really like this bloom. It's a perennial - yeah! It's a leafy shrub-like, multi-branched tender perennial that grows 18-36 inches tall and just as wide. Kim did warn me that she is constantly having to trim it back.
I planted it in the passion flower garden. I'm wondering how that's going to work out. At one point, the purple passion vine tried to attach itself to the four o'clock and I had to unhook it. Should be interesting...
There are two pictures below - one shows the plant during the day - so wilted. Then in the afternoon, the leaves perk up with no sun and the flowers bloom! Very pretty yellow stars!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Flamingo Flower
Also known as Justicia Carnea, the Flamingo Flower has bright pink long flowers that bring to mind a flamingo.
Unfortunately for me... I didn't realize this was a shady plant. I have this one in full sun. We'll see how it survives. If it doesn't make it this year, I'll know better for next year and I definitely want another one.
It's perennial and "easy to grow." I imagine that's contingent upon it being planted in the correct spot! Oh boy.... Here's a picture:
Unfortunately for me... I didn't realize this was a shady plant. I have this one in full sun. We'll see how it survives. If it doesn't make it this year, I'll know better for next year and I definitely want another one.
It's perennial and "easy to grow." I imagine that's contingent upon it being planted in the correct spot! Oh boy.... Here's a picture:
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Purslane
I planted this as a "filler" in the passion flower garden. I didn't know that there are recipes using the flower to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels because of its omega-3 fatty acids. I'll have to Google more about this!
It's perennial, that's good to know. I actually bought this plant and then found out that I have some growing between the cracks in the sidewalk. How funny. Maybe I'll transplant the sidewalk ones before the lawn people come....
The plant blooms morning until sunset. The blooms only last one day, but the plant is typically loaded with flowers.
It's perennial, that's good to know. I actually bought this plant and then found out that I have some growing between the cracks in the sidewalk. How funny. Maybe I'll transplant the sidewalk ones before the lawn people come....
The plant blooms morning until sunset. The blooms only last one day, but the plant is typically loaded with flowers.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Passion Vine
The header picture for this blog is a passion flower. LOVE them! It's my favorite in the gardens.
When I saw two different colors of the passion flowers at the nursery, I wanted both. There's purple and the magenta:
I didn't know that the passionflower (passiflora incarnate) is used to treat anxiety and insomnia. "Scientists believe passionflower works by increasing the levels of a chemical called gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA lowers the activity of some brain cells, making you feel more relaxed."
It's a perennial climbing vine. They are easy to grow once established, but can be difficult to keep over winter months because their roots are prone to rot if kept cold and wet.
Passion Flowers have small root systems, making them difficult to transplant. (My friend, Kim, will agree with this as it took her 5 times to transplant a passion vine from her friend's garden.)
Right now, I'm trying to root two from Kim's garden. (The above pictures of the passion vines are in my backyard - I call it the Passion Flower Garden.) The three vines from Kim are in the front garden, planted in the wall box:
The one towards the back looks good and one of the vines in the front has a new leaf, so that's a good sign. Don't know about the vine next to it. This is my experiment in rooting new vines.
In the meantime, there's something you should know about these vines. Butterflies LOVE them. Specifically: Gulf Fritillary
Within MINUTES of planting the vines, butterflies fluttered in. You'd think, "That's great!" Yep, I did too. Let me tell you about butterflies. They lay eggs. The eggs turn into caterpillars.
Meet the Gulf Fritillary caterpillar:
My husband, Greg, said, "He's ugly!" I thought so at first and then I thought he was cute. Within a few weeks, I thought he was horrible....
Let me show you what Mr. Gulf Fritillary in the caterpillar stage does....
He ate a HOLE through the passion flower bud! Through all of them! I took a video and pictures and showed it to a local nursery. The guy, Scott, said, "Normally they don't eat large buds like that. It must have been hungry." Then I showed him a picture of 10 caterpillars in ONE area of the vine, that wasn't all of them. Scott said, "WOW. Looks like every butterfly in your neighborhood came to visit your vine." He gave me a pesticide to use on the vine. The caterpillars had basically killed the passion vine, almost. Scott did add, "The passion vine is a host plant to the butterflies. They don't generally kill the vine, because they need the host alive. But in this situation there are too many caterpillars and you need to give the vine a chance to grow back."
I sprayed the vine down and no caterpillars. Both the magenta and the purple vines are coming back, happy to report! I even have some new purple buds on the vine!
So, if you get the vine, having caterpillars is perfectly OK, but having too many - know that you can do something about it :)
When I saw two different colors of the passion flowers at the nursery, I wanted both. There's purple and the magenta:
I didn't know that the passionflower (passiflora incarnate) is used to treat anxiety and insomnia. "Scientists believe passionflower works by increasing the levels of a chemical called gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) in the brain. GABA lowers the activity of some brain cells, making you feel more relaxed."
It's a perennial climbing vine. They are easy to grow once established, but can be difficult to keep over winter months because their roots are prone to rot if kept cold and wet.
Passion Flowers have small root systems, making them difficult to transplant. (My friend, Kim, will agree with this as it took her 5 times to transplant a passion vine from her friend's garden.)
Right now, I'm trying to root two from Kim's garden. (The above pictures of the passion vines are in my backyard - I call it the Passion Flower Garden.) The three vines from Kim are in the front garden, planted in the wall box:
In the meantime, there's something you should know about these vines. Butterflies LOVE them. Specifically: Gulf Fritillary
Within MINUTES of planting the vines, butterflies fluttered in. You'd think, "That's great!" Yep, I did too. Let me tell you about butterflies. They lay eggs. The eggs turn into caterpillars.
Meet the Gulf Fritillary caterpillar:
My husband, Greg, said, "He's ugly!" I thought so at first and then I thought he was cute. Within a few weeks, I thought he was horrible....
Let me show you what Mr. Gulf Fritillary in the caterpillar stage does....
He ate a HOLE through the passion flower bud! Through all of them! I took a video and pictures and showed it to a local nursery. The guy, Scott, said, "Normally they don't eat large buds like that. It must have been hungry." Then I showed him a picture of 10 caterpillars in ONE area of the vine, that wasn't all of them. Scott said, "WOW. Looks like every butterfly in your neighborhood came to visit your vine." He gave me a pesticide to use on the vine. The caterpillars had basically killed the passion vine, almost. Scott did add, "The passion vine is a host plant to the butterflies. They don't generally kill the vine, because they need the host alive. But in this situation there are too many caterpillars and you need to give the vine a chance to grow back."
I sprayed the vine down and no caterpillars. Both the magenta and the purple vines are coming back, happy to report! I even have some new purple buds on the vine!
So, if you get the vine, having caterpillars is perfectly OK, but having too many - know that you can do something about it :)
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Chicago Picotee Lace Daylily
I almost forgot about this flower in the hibiscus garden! Probably because it only bloomed once and it looks a little on the weak side. For some reason, the lilies don't do too well in my garden or maybe it's just the incredible heat this summer?
Here's a picture of the Chicago Picotee Lace Daylily when it bloomed:
Here's a picture of the Chicago Picotee Lace Daylily when it bloomed:
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Hibiscus
Hibiscus are eye-catching with their large, brightly colored blooms. With just a small amount of care, they will bloom throughout the year. Hibiscus like warm temperatures, but not extremes. I read somewhere that they like much the same conditions as people - acceptable between 60 to 90 degrees.
Here are my pink hibiscus:
If temperatures drop below 50 degrees, most blooming will stop. Flowers will decrease in size as it gets cooler. In temperatures over 95 degrees, the flower buds will drop off before they bloom. Hibiscus can survive the heat, but they will need adequate water.
Here are the yellow hibiscus in my garden:
In hot weather, water the plants consistently. If the leaves look droopy, they need more water.
In the cold weather, fungus disease could attack the roots. Don't water as much during the winter to deter the fungus.
Here's a picture of the red hibiscus. The pink hibiscus (first couple of pictures on this post) have dark centers. The red hibiscus don't.
One more picture... not of hibiscus... in the same garden with the hibiscus, I planted vincas and white pentas as fillers between the larger bushes.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Bottlebrush Plant
I like different. The bottlebrush plant's blooms are cool looking. It's a desert plant that is perennial. It's supposed to be hardy, low care, relatively drought resistant, easy to find and cheap to buy. All of which is a plus in my gardening budget.
They like full sun and though they are drought resistant, they need a water source. It's not a fast grower, which I'm grateful for... because these things can get really big. I'll have to buy some shears to keep it in line once it starts to get tall.
The bottlebrush will attract nectar feeders, like hummingbirds :)
(I mention this plant right after the rose garden, because it's planted next to the rose garden.)
They like full sun and though they are drought resistant, they need a water source. It's not a fast grower, which I'm grateful for... because these things can get really big. I'll have to buy some shears to keep it in line once it starts to get tall.
The bottlebrush will attract nectar feeders, like hummingbirds :)
(I mention this plant right after the rose garden, because it's planted next to the rose garden.)
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Hybrid Red Rose
That's all I have for the name "Hybrid Red Rose." Nothing else to go on from the tag and the nursery (Jefferson Feed) couldn't tell me anything further either. Other than, it has a lovely scent.
I will say this, of the three, it's beautiful with the red blooms, but.... it definitely tends to produce a lot more yellow leaves and doesn't appear to be very hardy. I'm concerned for the livelihood of this rose in my garden.
If I had to go with another rose bush, I'd stick with a Julia Childs, but we'll see how this one pans out.
The blooms are beautiful!
I will say this, of the three, it's beautiful with the red blooms, but.... it definitely tends to produce a lot more yellow leaves and doesn't appear to be very hardy. I'm concerned for the livelihood of this rose in my garden.
If I had to go with another rose bush, I'd stick with a Julia Childs, but we'll see how this one pans out.
The blooms are beautiful!
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Julia Child Roses
Julia Child roses - personally chosen by the award-winning chef herself, this English-style rose looks like a rose should look with double layers of petals and smells like a rose should smell - perfume in bloom (likened to a sweet licorice scent).
Another reason I picked this rose bush to go in the rose garden at my home is because it is disease resistant. The bush grows into a more rounded form, with little pruning to maintain.
Another reason I picked this rose bush to go in the rose garden at my home is because it is disease resistant. The bush grows into a more rounded form, with little pruning to maintain.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Knock Out Roses
When I researched roses, I wanted something very hardy. (Years ago, I tried to grow roses and killed them.) This time, I wanted to do my best.
My grandmother told me one of her roses was "knock out roses." I thought she was kidding about the name, but it's true.
Knock Out Roses are GREAT to grow in Louisiana! They have a continuous blooming cycle and if it's not too cold during the winter, it will bloom throughout the year.
These roses need full sun - 8 hours of sun daily to perform and bloom their best. They are easy-to-grow, but they still need raised beds for proper drainage.
Prune mid-February by conducting a two-thirds height-reduction pruning. Prune again in early September by conducting a one-third height-reduction. Add mulch as needed - two to three inches of mulch are great for roses.
OK, two negatives to this rose....
First, it has NO smell! Seriously, no fragrance, but it's hardy and disease resistant. I figured it was an excellent rose bush to start with.
Secondly, the roses are kinda small, not layered heavily.
The rose bush gets as big as 4-5 feet tall. In the below picture, the bush is about double the size as when I first bought it this year.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Blue Daze
Blue Daze - beautiful bright blue flowers! I love it. It's a hanging pot in the large section of the front garden. They bloom just about every other day. But warning - don't even think about not watering them daily!!
If you skip a water day, they let you know - the leaves shrivel up. My parents had a hanging basket of blue daze. They went on vacation and didn't water it. I stopped by their house and thought, "Oh my gosh, it's dead." It was brown as brown could be... I gave the hanging plant a thorough watering, stopped by the next day and it was already perking back up. So don't give up on this little guy. He needs water daily, but he'll come back too!
I wish there were more blue blooming flowers. I'd get them in a heartbeat!
This might be the end of the front garden by the door. Oh, wait, there's a vine I left out, but I grow that same vine in the backyard garden, so I'll get to that later. I also have a rose garden and hibiscus garden. Those are next up :)
If you skip a water day, they let you know - the leaves shrivel up. My parents had a hanging basket of blue daze. They went on vacation and didn't water it. I stopped by their house and thought, "Oh my gosh, it's dead." It was brown as brown could be... I gave the hanging plant a thorough watering, stopped by the next day and it was already perking back up. So don't give up on this little guy. He needs water daily, but he'll come back too!
I wish there were more blue blooming flowers. I'd get them in a heartbeat!
This might be the end of the front garden by the door. Oh, wait, there's a vine I left out, but I grow that same vine in the backyard garden, so I'll get to that later. I also have a rose garden and hibiscus garden. Those are next up :)
Jungle Flame Ixora
It's an evergreen shrub that will produce clusters of red flowers. It loves warm climates, grows quickly and is hardy. (Only, I didn't know they could get 8 feet tall! Woah! I'm hoping I have a dwarf version.) The Ixora requires full direct sunlight and if you water it too much it might not flower (good to know).
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Red Salvia
Salvia Coccinea 'Lady in Red' - that's the name of this one. I've read that it grows in full sun, easy to grow (I can't agree, given I killed the first one). It doesn't tolerate the winter well, but my grandmother says it comes back every year.
My grandmother gave me this plant while it was blooming. The first go round, the plant died. She gave me a couple more and I planted them together in the hopes that one of them would make it. They are struggling, even after a week of being planted. I'm hopeful.
I took a picture of the plant and posted it on Facebook. It's an unknown, but a couple of people mentioned it might be a red salvia. I did a Google search and found a match with the Salvia Coccinea. the blooms are so delicate.
I have to add, the original first plant my grandmother gave to me, after I planted it - everything turned brown and died. But there's this one little itty bitty tiniest piece at the ground that is light green and fuzzy feeling. Is it the swan song of the plant or a future growth. It gets watered with the rest of the garden, so we'll see what happens.
Below is the second attempt from my grandmother's garden. I sure hope it lives!
Update: MawMaw's plant is still alive :) It's been over 2 weeks now that it's been planted. I should have cut the top sprouts and it would have bloomed more. But I do have one tiny bloom - see below:
Another update - it appears it will live! Yeah! More blooms on the smaller plant:
My grandmother gave me this plant while it was blooming. The first go round, the plant died. She gave me a couple more and I planted them together in the hopes that one of them would make it. They are struggling, even after a week of being planted. I'm hopeful.
I took a picture of the plant and posted it on Facebook. It's an unknown, but a couple of people mentioned it might be a red salvia. I did a Google search and found a match with the Salvia Coccinea. the blooms are so delicate.
Below is the second attempt from my grandmother's garden. I sure hope it lives!
Update: MawMaw's plant is still alive :) It's been over 2 weeks now that it's been planted. I should have cut the top sprouts and it would have bloomed more. But I do have one tiny bloom - see below:
Another update - it appears it will live! Yeah! More blooms on the smaller plant:
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Unknown Lilies
I don't know if these lilies will survive. Our dog yanked one out of the ground and chewed on the roots and destroyed three leaves. It was supposed to be a spider lily and I was looking forward to seeing it bloom. Now, it's barely hanging in there.
These are the "unknown lilies" because they came from Kim, but I don't know the exact names or the colors of the blooms. I'm almost positive this is the one, that if it survives Penny's attack, will be the spider lily:
This next one is struggling. I have to stop myself from helping it take that white casing off of the tip. I read somewhere that it's good for a plant to struggle, because it makes it stronger. Well, this unknown lily has been struggling for a week... Will it survive?
Update on the above unknown Lily - The paper stuff is still on the plant, but it has some new leaves. In the below picture, it looks like it's praying :)
This is the third unknown lily. It looks a little sick to me. Kim said to keep watering them and so I am...
I think Kim said one was supposed to be red, another purple and the other one, the spider lily.
In Googling what a spider lily is supposed to bloom.... oh, I want one!! Now Kim has me wanting a Lily Garden.... and I know JUST the place to create the garden. But I don't know if the heat of the summer is the best time to start a Lily Garden.
I'll keep an update on this page as the plants live or not.
These are the "unknown lilies" because they came from Kim, but I don't know the exact names or the colors of the blooms. I'm almost positive this is the one, that if it survives Penny's attack, will be the spider lily:
This next one is struggling. I have to stop myself from helping it take that white casing off of the tip. I read somewhere that it's good for a plant to struggle, because it makes it stronger. Well, this unknown lily has been struggling for a week... Will it survive?
Update on the above unknown Lily - The paper stuff is still on the plant, but it has some new leaves. In the below picture, it looks like it's praying :)
This is the third unknown lily. It looks a little sick to me. Kim said to keep watering them and so I am...
I think Kim said one was supposed to be red, another purple and the other one, the spider lily.
In Googling what a spider lily is supposed to bloom.... oh, I want one!! Now Kim has me wanting a Lily Garden.... and I know JUST the place to create the garden. But I don't know if the heat of the summer is the best time to start a Lily Garden.
I'll keep an update on this page as the plants live or not.
Friday, July 20, 2012
Star of Gold - Day Lily
"STELLA!"
That's this day lily's name "Stella de Oro" - Star of Gold.
The blooms only last a day (hence the "day" lily name). But this particular day lily blooms a lot. It does need to be deadheaded, including the stem of the blooms. I need to remember that, because there are two stems that need cutting on mine right now.
It's a compact plant, reaching a height of just 12' with a similar spread, blooming from May-July. It's a favorite in many yards because of its constant blooming and wide range of planting zones.
Stellas bloom best when in full sun, but they will tolerate shade. She's such an accommodating lily!
That's this day lily's name "Stella de Oro" - Star of Gold.
The blooms only last a day (hence the "day" lily name). But this particular day lily blooms a lot. It does need to be deadheaded, including the stem of the blooms. I need to remember that, because there are two stems that need cutting on mine right now.
It's a compact plant, reaching a height of just 12' with a similar spread, blooming from May-July. It's a favorite in many yards because of its constant blooming and wide range of planting zones.
Stellas bloom best when in full sun, but they will tolerate shade. She's such an accommodating lily!
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Society Garlic
It's an herb, but it's in my large front garden. It smells like garlic but it's not the garlic you find in the grocery store. However, I was told by Sue, who shared the garlic from her garden, that yes, the garlic leaves can be chopped up and used for a light garlic flavor in a dish.
I figured the garlic was just there to "fill space" in a very large garden bed. Then I find out from Kim that society garlic blooms. Cool. The other morning I went outside to water the garden and from the low sunrise light, I thought I saw a small slug on the garlic. I actually picked up a piece of mulch to get the slug off of the leaves... but it was attached. It wasn't a slug, it was a bud! Here's a picture. The bud is in the middle (mid way to the leaves) of the leaves. Kind of hard to make it out, because it blends with the mulch color.
I'm eager to see the blooms! Interestingly enough society garlic (and onions and garlic) belong to the lily family. Society garlic is a plant from South Africa.
Looks like this is a plant that can grow year-round outdoors. It tolerates summer heat well and is supposed to bloom for months. It does best in the full sun and light, sandy soil. It will die in temperatures below 25 degrees, but it will grow back rapidly too.
I'll update another picture when it blooms :)
Just starting to bloom, you can see the bud better below:
Closer look at the bloom:
I never knew garlic could look so lovely! I have another group of society garlic in a different section starting to bloom :) They are great to have in a garden :)
I figured the garlic was just there to "fill space" in a very large garden bed. Then I find out from Kim that society garlic blooms. Cool. The other morning I went outside to water the garden and from the low sunrise light, I thought I saw a small slug on the garlic. I actually picked up a piece of mulch to get the slug off of the leaves... but it was attached. It wasn't a slug, it was a bud! Here's a picture. The bud is in the middle (mid way to the leaves) of the leaves. Kind of hard to make it out, because it blends with the mulch color.
Looks like this is a plant that can grow year-round outdoors. It tolerates summer heat well and is supposed to bloom for months. It does best in the full sun and light, sandy soil. It will die in temperatures below 25 degrees, but it will grow back rapidly too.
I'll update another picture when it blooms :)
Just starting to bloom, you can see the bud better below:
Closer look at the bloom:
I never knew garlic could look so lovely! I have another group of society garlic in a different section starting to bloom :) They are great to have in a garden :)
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Crossandra Apricot Sun
In the previous post, I wrote about Crossandra, Yellow Splash and how it liked indirect sunlight.
The Crossandra Apricot Sun likes full sun. It's a tropical evergreen subshrub that grows 1-3 feet tall. It's also "everblooming" if it doesn't get too cold.
And get this... it "needs high humidity." Hello and Welcome to Louisiana, make yourself right at home!
When I saw this plant at the nursery, I was attracted to the color of the blooms. Greg calls it "sherbet" and I agree. It's a new member to my garden... wish it luck!!
Update: So far, so good. I planted this in the front garden (large side) where it should get plenty of sun. There for a while it was looking icky, but it's perked up and still blooming :)
The Crossandra Apricot Sun likes full sun. It's a tropical evergreen subshrub that grows 1-3 feet tall. It's also "everblooming" if it doesn't get too cold.
And get this... it "needs high humidity." Hello and Welcome to Louisiana, make yourself right at home!
When I saw this plant at the nursery, I was attracted to the color of the blooms. Greg calls it "sherbet" and I agree. It's a new member to my garden... wish it luck!!
Update: So far, so good. I planted this in the front garden (large side) where it should get plenty of sun. There for a while it was looking icky, but it's perked up and still blooming :)
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