I was pleased to hear from some friends that they grow the vine Pigeonberry Duranta erecta down south, right in the ground. I just love this little flower, and I'm not the only one. Silver-spotted skippers are mad for it, as are hummingbird clearwing moths.
From there, the hummingbird clearwing went right to one of my favorite miniature gerania: Happy Thought Pink. A rather rare little thing, this is one of the "butterfly" geraniums, named for the butterfly-shaped splash of color on each leaf. Oh, I love this little plant. Its color reminds me of Rosepink, the pink gentian I love so dearly.
which brings me to one of my favorite subjects: geraniums. I adore geraniums. They're almost pest-free save for a few winter whiteflies. They're hardy and willing and we understand each other. They like warm days and cool nights, just like me. They're colorful and free-blooming and come in all kinds of tantalizing shapes, sizes and colors. And best of all I can make cuttings and make more of them.
They're wonderful subjects for large pots (this one's got Contrast and Maverick Red)
and their leaf colors are just as delightful as are their flowers. Needless to say I gravitate toward the fancier ones. This is Contrast, again.
Oh well. I've got plenty more plants to propagate and love. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Very happy to see lots of volunteer gray birch seedlings in my shade pots underneath the adult trees. I'll need them...birches are so short-lived it seems I'm always planting more. But they're essential for attracting fall warblers. We saw our first migrant Blackburnian warbler the morning of August 26. It's in full swing, folks...hooded warblers, scarlet tanagers, red-eyed vireos, blue-gray gnatcatchers; they're all going through on their way south. Catch the show while you can!
6 comments:
You've such a beautiful garden, I always enjoy vicariously wandering lazily through it. You can tell it's a good garden when the sphinx moths approve, too.
I like the brightness and hardiness of geraniums, but I have to admit, I've never been able to bring myself to get over their distinctive smell, which I think is awful and not something I'd want to be walking by regularly. A shame, really; as you show, they make great planter subjects.
Oooo, Geraniums! If I could grow them here I would be drawn to grow the geraniums with the different scents. I love that you got the picture of the clearwing moth. Your geraniums are beautiful!
I am going to keep my eyes open for that cultivar of the Duranta erecta. I love that flower. It reminds me of an African Violet I bought once. (Another plant that I cannot grow, for whatever reason.)
Kathy in Delray Beach
In the Houston, Tx area (zone 9)Duranta erecta grows into a huge droopy shrub. I was going to grow it in the Hill Country which is zone 8B but found out it needs too much water and the deer eat it.
And we can only grow most geraniums during the fall through spring. They burn up about June 1.
I always wish I could grow tomatoes and lettuce together. But we grow tomatoes in the spring and again in the late summer while lettuce won't sprout until September. We can plant it again in February for a spring harvest.
Hmmm--what do I like best about this post. Chet Baker so stunningly paired with red geranium?
The delicate pink geranium?
The lovely pond view?
ALL OF IT.
I too love geraniums. I have a flower bed full of a once-a-year blooming geranium with tiny pale purply-pink flowers. What might that be? Geranium leaf shape, tiny single blossom flowers, and a wonderful spicy smell to it.
Thanks for your thoughts on our tree loss--I just hate to lose trees. Just thankful that no damage to house accompanied their fall.
I, too, love geraniums. What do you use to rid them of white flies after their winter indoors? White flies love them as well as my Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus.
ps...Julie, what is the look that Chet is giving that geranium?
Kathy in Delray Beach
Post a Comment