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Annuals to Grow Again

Category: Plants | Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:01 pm

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Like many other gardeners I try to limit the number of annuals that I put in my garden. It is nice to not have to worry about starting seeds and caring for tiny seedlings....BUT this year I discovered some new-to-me types that will be a MUST for next year!



Decor Zinnias- I can not praise them enough! The plants are HUGE sprawling shrubs almost with stems thicker than my thumb! The flowers are coral or chartreuse and perfect for cutting. On the coral flowered plants some flowers are as big as my hand. One of the coral colored ones has a flower that is almost a rich rose...so pretty. The chartruese are a little less vigorous but the flowers are so full and so pretty, they completely outshine the green envy type I've also planted.

Grandpa Ott's Morning Glories- Another WOW! One tiny plant has grown to envelop this entire stump (see above picture, behind zinnias). The vines have wrapped around themselves to form a 2 inch thick rope. Every day it is covered profusely with velvety electric purple blossoms. BTW, I fertilized mine and it hasn't hurt the blooming one bit!



This is supposed to be a perennial where I live, but for most it is an annual....Moonflowers! Mine are finally starting to bloom...the buds look like soft serve ice cream cones and in the evening open into giant trumpets with a beautiful fragrance. My husband and I decided they smell like fresh clean laundry...kind of a clean cotton scent. The vine is pretty on it's own...heart shaped green leaves and stems of purple.



I will also always grow Cosmos. I knew I loved them...the tall stately plants with feathery leaves and stems...but I tried a new one...Candy stripe..and I love them! They come in striped pink, or pink edged white...both pretty, but I think I like the white the best.



No matter what, I know I will be growing these annuals again. I am separating the Decor zinnias by color so I can try to grow the green ones instead of the Envy variety.

If you can find these types I would highly recommend them. It is very hot and humid here and they have all performed like champs!

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Passionflowers...again

Category: Plants | Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2007 4:02 am

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I've got to get this passionflower addiction under control..... I found out that my passiflora is a Imperiatrice Eugenie....



I couldn't remember what type and then I finally found a picture. Then I found this site called www.georgiavines.com and I was really in trouble. I just bought the p. triloba. It is supposed to be a HUGE vine up to 30 ft....and FRAGRANT.

Link to p. triloba:

http://www.gkexoticplants.com/passiflora/P._triloba_front.jpg

I think my back garden is going to smell like a bordello, what with the nightblooming jasmine, moonflowers, mandevilla, star jasmine, and now extremely fragrant p. triloba.

I'm working on getting a ruby glow passionflower. The magenta petals with purple filaments look quite striking. I'm planning to put it on a trellis to hide the pool pump. In front of that I have a raised bed where I'm putting the night blooming jasmine. I need to think of something to plant in front of that.

A link to a picture of Ruby Glow:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53806/

All the flowers in the back garden are in shades of pink, blue, purple, white, and chartreuse. I am more of a "cottage" garden person, but I am starting to slip more and more tropicals in. Alot of the cottage type flowers just don't seem to like our humidity and heat. I try and fight it, but it kind of depresses me watching my lavender plants rotting before my eyes. Two are hanging in there, but I don't know if they have long to live.

I'm also trying to get some Aristolochia (dutchman's pipe) vines growing. I've got the seeds and now I'm playing the game of waiting for them to germinate. These are kind of weird flower...they remind me of a pitcher plant, but swallowtail butterflies use them as a host.
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/59261/

I've also got some bananna passionvine seeds germinating (I hope)...the flower is such a pretty pink...with a green center. This is my second try...I hope I can get them going.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/1561/

Last edited: Fri Jul 06, 2007 12:37 pm

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De-Vine Addictions or Passionflower Passions?

Category: Plants | Posted: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:05 pm

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I am so pleased! I just found purple moonflower seeds on ebay! I've been wanting some and searching all over. While I was there I also found auctions for other types of passionflower:

Love In A Mist



Blue



Banana Passion



Golden Apple



Be still my heart!

I've already planted so many vines. I like the idea of training vines over less than impressive trees and plants too. My boxwood will soon be wearing a lovely gown of Grandpa Ott Morning Glories:



I just can't get enough of vines! I've got:

Mandevilla
Asiatic Jasmine
confederate Jasmine
Cathedral Bells (Purple AND white seedlings)
cardinal vine
heavenly blue morning glories
Grandpa Ott's Morning glories
purple passionflower
white moonflower
pink trumpet vine
chocolate vine (just planted)
Coral Vine (Queen's Wreath, Love Vine--just planted)
Banana Passionflower (just planted)

Most are in shades of purple, pink, or white...save the cardinal vine and heavenly blue.

I think one big attraction is that they grow relatively quickly and you can actually see a little difference each day. Every time I see a new (to me) type I get really excited.

I saw a magnolia vine...rubra I think, with these lovely red flowers...absolutely luscious! That will probably be next on my "list".



I really need to control my ebaying, but at least seeds are fairly inexpensive!

Last edited: Wed Jun 06, 2007 9:11 pm

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