Agapanthus Update

Still waiting for buds in the Front Beds where Storm Cloud and the regular blue grow. I think this fall I'll dig and pot some of those. Maybe the rest need to be in a sunny bed somewhere. I think I have just the place: front of the Mule Barn.

We get all excited about spring bulbs. Summer bulbs are just as marvelous. I am enjoying Kniphofia and Gladioli right now. Oh, and Lilies! The Asiatics bloomed and now LA lilies; the longest lasting are the plain white. I am more appreciative of white flowers than I used to be. 

Agapanthus Advancement

Will it EVER open fully?

Outside, so far, all Calla Lilies are Yellow, seen outside the greenhouse.

It is a wonderful year for lilies of all kinds.

White LA lilies are blooming throughout the garden.

Not everything called a Lily is a lily. We know that. Lily of the Nile is in the Amaryllis family and Calla Lilies are of the Aracae subfamily Aroids. Many of us tend to call everything a Daisy or a Lily or a Rose and that about covers it. Knowing the family does help with figuring out what kind of care a plant might prefer.

Coming soon is the Porch Geranium Festival in June near Atlanta, or as some folks call them, Hyderangers. Mine are blooming.  

   

Bloom Day Preview

Last night I realized how long it had been since I made a blog post. Spring sprang and then summer followed right behind.

We'll have a Brugmansia bloom in another night or two, maybe. I failed to mention before that when they first put out new growth, two of the stems fainted and fell over. I never knew why. I cut them off at ground level. The stems looked fine, there was no insect damage nor evidence of disease.

I got the Okra bed dug and seeds planted alphabetically before an inch of rain fell this afternoon. The electricity went off for 2 hours during which I had a nice nap which I needed after all that digging in the sun.

I bought Ferry-Morse seeds: Clear Clemson Superb and Louisiana Green Velvet.




In the Greenhouse, blooming:

My new Pelargonium, which we call zonal geranium.

Pentas cuttings needing planting out for butterflies.

Look closely behind; there is a green tomato.

My tomato plants have green tomatoes and lots of

blossoms on new plants and the old one. 

Just outside the greenhouse:

   
Calla Lilies, so far only in yellow.

 

Agapanthus bloom about to pop open. This is a seedling from seeds 'borrowed' off plants in a parking lot in Florida. 

The REAL Bloom Day post with more flowers is here: Bloom Day in the Hot and Humid Coastal South.

Another Look in Greenhouse and Out

Last week I mentioned that Bromeliads outside might have to move to shade.

 Evidence of too much sun is the light spot on the left. Evidence of enough water is the little critter in the cup. Tiny frogs inside and out of the greenhouse love those little cool spots to camp. Broms are behind the greenhouse for now.

Inside, the seed-grown cycad has a new frond. It unfurled yesterday. One of the outdoor cycads has new growth. The others are waiting.

The stacked red pots hold my single Agapanthus seedling, now about 4 inches tall. To its left is a repotted Tillandsia, actually 3 plants that grew around the old plant from last year. I think they make a better show in a single pot and saves so much space. I checked with experts -- they're happy enough to hang out together.

I shoved the bird's nest fern under the shelf months ago because it wasn't really happy in the house. I kind of forgot about it, except for occasional water directed under there. Imagine how surprised I was to pull it out and it had all this lush growth I hadn't realized. I gave it a little haircut to remove old, ratty fronds which were all I'd really been noticing under there.

I may leave it there if it can tolerate the light, or put it on the other side under a higher shelf. New, bigger fronds were beginning to curl back on themselves. It needs to stretch.

The west end of the greenhouse is shaded with plastic tablecloths secured with fancy paper clips from the stationery department. Last year I used thin polyester that came wrapped around new chairs. It disintegrated, as will the plastic but 2 one-dollar tablecloths are cheap enough shade. Plants remaining are grouped under the mist system for best cooling during the day.

We're seeing 90+ degree days in the greenhouse on 80+ degree days outside. When it gets really hot, more plants may have to summer outside.

Some of them might prefer to come inside to summer with me where it's cooler.

I'll Need a Purple Crayon to Draw my Garden

Purples and Blues abound in the late spring garden.

Larkspur with California Poppies and Mexican Hats.

Hydrangeas, Cycad and Purple Coneflower

Stokesia

Agapnathus and Purple Heart

Vitex and a Butterfly

Laura Bush Petunias