Perennial Fuschia, Mandaville Vine and Oriental Lillies

Sunday, July 11, 2010

I don't know about any of you who follow my blog, but I had never heard of a perennial bush type fuschia. A couple of Sundays ago, I was at my favorite local Garden Center for half price annuals to replant in my porch containers to replace the pansies that had bolted in the summer heat. As I was wandering through their outdoor selection of perennials, I came upon these bush type fuschias. They have very miniature blossoms on them and can take some shade and sunlight. I asked one of the nurserymen about them and he said I could transplant it into a porch container for the season, but, if I want to keep it, I needed to establish it in my garden by mid September. The first pictures are of the fuschia. It has just started to bloom and I am hoping to attract my hummingbirds to the front porch with it. It has the tiniest little blooms, just like the large varieties, but in miniature. Mine is dark pink on the outside with purple on the inside. Potted, they need to be watered thoroughly every other day. They are heavy drinkers.

My indoor azalea is three years old now and blooms consistantly every year. This year, the blooms are very large and not as many as before. It had a lot of new growth this Spring. I keep this on the floor of my Florida Room the cold months of the year. In May, I bring it outside on my front porch. I have purchased two more of the same plants the last two years, but, neither has thrived and had to be pitched. I call this my "miracle" azalea. They need to be kept moist all the time for best results.

I have about five oriental lilies up in front of my tree hydrageana. Cannot tell you when the last time was that I saw them bloom as the deer always eat the buds just as they are about to bloom. This year, they ignored them! After watching them for about a week, they are finally opening and are just spectacular. Thought you would enjoy seeing pictures of them.

This is the second year that I have a Mandeville Vine on my front porch. My oldest daughter-in-law Janet gave it to me for Mother's Day this year. When I got it repotted and trimmed up with new soil and a larger space for it's root system, it immediately "took off" and is now starting to bloom. This years plant is red, last years was pink. It also needs to be kept evenly moist, but, do not place a saucer under it as the roots will rot with the collected water in the saucer. It needs to freely drain. I have tried saving it over the winter and within two weeks, the plant completed disintigrates. So, it just gets pitched in the compost pile at the end of the season. Until then, we will enjoy its beautiful blooms.

The last plant I would like to share with you is my Oak Leaf Tree Hydragenea. I placed this in my garden about 10 years ago, and have only trimmed it back once. That was the year that it did not bloom. Right now, with the summer heat setting in, the white blooms are turning pink and brown. They will be totally brown by summer's end. The blooms make interesting dried material for your winter garden. I trim them off in the Spring. Needless to say, my husband would like to see me cut it back all the way to the ground. He is the shrub and grass man in the family, needless to say.

Hoping you enjoyed a tour through some of my gardens. Until next time.

Rosemary, Garden Gate Designs
www.gardengatedesigns.etsy.com