"Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. " ~Lindley Karstens
Showing posts with label Cleome. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleome. Show all posts

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Spring Fever

My garden is definitely having a Spring Fever! Almost everyday I discover something new blooming.  Come to discover them with me...

This Gazania flower is almost too pretty to be real!  I started some seeds last fall, and only two seedlings eventually made it.  This week I discovered the first bloom, and it is not like those common yellow/orange tone flowers often seen sold in the garden center.  Isn't it a beauty?  Since the seed package I tried is a mix, now I am wondering what kind of flowers the other plant will have.  We shall see.


This is a real surprise to me!  I bought two yellow African Iris (Dietes bicolor ) when I just started my brand new garden almost two years ago.  They look like ornamental grass with their waving green sword-like leaves, and have multiplied nicely over the the time, but never bloomed. See what I found hidden in all green today?

Dietes bicolor 

Oh, my first Nun's orchid blooming!  I ordered this from Internet last November, and did not expect I can see a flower this soon.  It is still young, and only developed one flower spike.  I hope next year, it can bloom as prolific as what has been shown in other blogs.  Am I being greedy?!

Phaius tankervilliae
Common name: Nun's Orchid
I love the foliage of Variegated Devil's Backbone (Euphorbia tithymaloides 'Variegatus') since it adds nice texture and variation into the flower bed.  I did not know it even can bloom.  The flower is small and red, not very significant, but surely is showy and unique!

Euphorbia tithymaloides 'Variegatus'
Variegated Devil's Backbone
Remember how I whined about I missed my first bloom of Neomarica Caerulea 'Regina' (Giant Apostle's Iris) due to the busy schedule?  It quickly opened another sets of flowers to reward me! The flowers only last for one day, but surely worth the waiting!

Neomarica Caerulea 'Regina'
Giant Apostle's Iris
I bought this Proven Winners Senorita rosalita Cleome Hybrid  last summer after I encountered the mass of blooming of the classic Cleome in China.  This one is much smaller than the classic one.  I have to say even it is "Proven Winnders", I don't think it is really made for South Florida.  It has been attacked by a stem borer twice.  Each time, the  stem tip wilted and appeared dead.  Cutting them back to almost the base of the plant seems have saved it both time.  This attack has not occurred during the winter, and finally gave it a chance to bloom again! Hooray! 
Senorita rosalita Cleome Hybrid  
Yay, my ornamental pineapple bloomed too!  Just love this intense red on both leaves and fruit.  The leaves only turn to this bright red when the plant in blooming.


This Inca Lily (Alstroemeria) was one of those plants that I bought when I didn't  know much South Florida friendly plants (not I know it all now) at all.  After finishing its flower period last spring, it quickly melted away in the Florida heat.  Fortunately I did not throw away, and kept the pot in a shady place, and gave some occasional irrigation.  Once the weather cools down, it develops the new leaves, and now finally rewarded me with its flowers!

AlstroemeriaInca Lily
My Double Delight Rose still occasionally opens some flowers to reserve its spot in the garden. Yes, you are here to stay!


So much Spring Fever in my garden, contagious enough to spread to this gardener too!  I can feel so many ideas dancing in my mind to wait for me to execute!

Is your garden having a Spring Fever?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

One Unknown Plant , Some New Blooms and A Feast for Tomato Hornworms

Need some help to identify one self seedling from my garden.

The seedling appeared near to my Brazilian Red Hots (Alternanthera), so I assumed it was Brazilian Red Hots. Once the seedling got a little bigger, I transplanted it, and waited for its vibrant variegated foliage with purplish centers and fuchsia edges to show up. Now the plant seems already grew to a mature size, but that expected color is still not shown.


Can somebody identify it for me (above, located at the left side of the oyster plant)? Or it is just a weed that I have been nurturing from the beginning? I did not see any flower buds so far, so not sure if it is a flower plant or just foliage.  I don't see any other plants in my garden that look like this one.

Meanwhile, there are some new flowers blooming in the garden.

Very first a couple of blue butterfly flowers on this very young plant!  Love its unique shape and beautiful blue color! 
Clerodendrum ugandense (Blue Butterfly Bush)
 I really loved beautiful Cleome flowers planted in mass in Chengdu Panda Research Base in China.  After I came back, I happened to see this Proven Winners Senorita rosalita Cleome Hybrid for sale in the big box store, just could not resist bringing one home. 

Proven Winners Senorita rosalita Cleome Hybrid  (Spider Flower)
It was said this type will not self seed, and is not sticky and doesn’t have thorns, but the flowers are smaller than classic cleome.  Although I think I still prefer the bigger flowers :)

Three different colors of Torenias were bought for my new partial shade garden.  I know they are annuals, but will enjoy them as much as I can, and hope they will seed themselves for next year too!




Oh, I have to show you what happened to my Datura metel (Devil's trumpet).  It was blooming very well with half dozen of buds waiting to open as well.  It looked great in my new flowerbed.


Until tomato hornworms found it...  I actually found there were 13 of them on this plant!!!   This time, I decided to leave them alone to expect they will become beautiful moths someday...

In just two days, my bush looked like this, no single leaf was spared!  What a feast they had!


My question is after they finished the leaves, where did they go?  I can not find any cocoons anywhere nearby.  The nature is a real amazing thing!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...