Red Dragon Fleece Flower 11/09

I so love plants from this family

I love these colors together, especially on one plant...
Tiny, delicate white blooms...

Since it is sterile, it won't re-seed all over like regular fleece flower...
I'm amazed at how well it filled in this spot...

It's hardy here, and lasts through the winter with mild freeze damage...
Loves water, but will do well without...
New growth in cooler weather is this brilliant purple and reds...

Brilliant...

Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon'

(per-si-care' ee-ah my-crow-ceh' fal-ah)

Common name: Smartweed, Knotweed, Fleeceflower

Family: Polygonaceae (Buckwheat)

Height x width: 24" x 30-40"

Growth rate: vigorous but not invasive as many other relatives (sterile so not seed invasive, non-stoloniferous so not root invasive)

Foliage: main feature of this cultivar, being deep burgundy in early spring with dark and mint or white-edged center ("chevron"); in summer may be a blend of burgundy, red and silver; color varies with temperature, being more intense in sun and heat; elongated heart-shaped 1-1.5" wide and 3-4" long; dark red stems and often pink central vein

Flowers: none significant

Hardiness: USDA zones 4-9

Soil: tolerates most including heavy clay

Light: sun or shade

Pests and problems: none significant

Landscape habit, uses: clump-forming; borders, accents, mixed containers, massed; effective combined with silver foliage such as Silver Mound Artemisia, yellow flowers such as from Coreopsis

Other interest: originated with Crystal Palace Perennials in Indiana, being introduced commercially through PlantHaven

Other culture: low maintenance

Propagation: cuttings, but license required for commercial propagation

Sources: Crystal Palace Perennials (IN), Shady Oaks Nursery (MN), for list of wholesale sources contact PlantHaven

BT&OW: 10/26/09

Winter chill is on its way, and Saturday was a lovely day for a little re potting!!! These are year round inside plants because I don't have a good spot for them outside during the warm months.
I treated myself to some new potting soil.
Then I decided who would do best where.
As you can see, some of the house plants weren't doing well at all.
I replaced the soil in the largest pot, and added all these in for these results.
This will be in the living room.

Then I took my overgrown, root bound kitchen window pot, and, replacing the soil, added all these newbies, along with a couple tried and trues.

This is my succulent pot that goes over the kitchen window, I plopped in the old previous photo plants.

This was my kitchen window a year ago...

This is it today. We'll see how well those succulents do up there with not so much light. I also took out the long white pot on the left and watered it well, and hosed off the leaves.

I'm loving this pot, we'll see how well it does so closely planted. Meanwhile it's a showstopper:)
I re potted my Meyer lemon and pernilla (sp?), and added in an eggplant, stevia, pepper plant, and lemon balm. All this will have to come in this winter. Think I might get a bigger pot:) We'll see if the veggies keep producing in my sunny window, and make it til spring:)
I potted my stringy plants and weedy pots (snake plant, and hardy gloxina), ed grown pots together, and added a pretty geranium.
The bloom is so velvety and lovely...

Just a few more to prepare, and I'm all ready for frost and freezing weather. Have a great autumn day!!

BT&OW: 10/20/09

Can you see Bilbo, the Golden Garden Gnome, in each picture???

The sun is out, its cooler, and very lovely outside now.

Everything is lush and happy.

Ahhhh, fall in East Texas:)

Our growing seasons are Spring and Fall.
Summer is our 'down time'.

Here in East Texas we get lots of rain in fall and winter.
That and the cooler temps bring out the blooms and make foliage colors really pop!!

Making our plants happy happy happy!!!

And the gardener very happy also!!

Bilbo's next assignment is New Mexico!!!
See April, the Dirt Princess of Trials and Tribulations of a Southern Gardener blog for the official announcement:)

Have a wonderful Bloomin' Tuesday!
Join MsGreen "thumb" Jean for Bloomin' Tuesday! Come join in or see others!

Also Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer's

BT&OW: 10/06/09

more to come, see the frog???

Hello, little froggy!!

I can not even describe the joy of finding this a 'bloomin'!!
First bloom on my two year old plant.
Gardenia-y, Jasmine-ly Divine-ness...

~Butterfly Ginger~

Have a wonderful Bloomin' Tuesday!
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Also Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer's

BT&OW: 09/30/09

~Sea Oats~

~Reliable, easy, and abundant~

Have a wonderful Bloomin' Tuesday!
Join MsGreen "thumb" Jean for Bloomin' Tuesday! Come join in or see others!

Also Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer's

Bloomin Tuesday: 09/22/09

First Bloomin Tuesday and Outdoor Wednesday of Autumn. I'm not ready for the growing season to be coming to and end. BUT I am very ready for cooler weather.

Last week I posted that I was VERY surprised to see this Lantana not blooming lavender... (honestly messing with my mind)

Well, imagine my pleased surprise when I saw this growing UNDER the other Lantana!!
Yep, Lavender Lantana, NEXT to the not Lavender one:)...

I went plant shopping last week:
Here is what I bought, all tucked in the flowerbed:
Hamelin Dwarf Fountain Grass and Maiden Grass...

Found the name of this one.
Sky Flower (Sedum Autumn Joy in background)
Bought two of these. At .82 cents I couldn't refuse.
They will give some needed height.

I treated myself to this beauty: Pink Cone Flower

Pink Cone Flower...(with White & Red Rose of Sharon)

New stuff, Lime Green Bluebeard, Serena Angelonia, Sky Flower, Pink Cone Flower...

Bluebeard, close up...

I think this will really jazz up this bald spot...

Straight on...

Close up of Sky Flower, Texas Betony (red), Crinum, Day lily, and Senrena Angelonia

I caved and bought Mums, two yellow, and one maroon.
Also Goodwill had these black pots.

Found an old yellow pot, and now I'm ready for Fall:)

Happy Bloomin Tuesday AND Outdoor Wednesday:)

Have a lovely week:)

Sky Flower info:
Scientific name: Duranta repens
Pronunciation: doo-RAN-tuh REE-penz
Common name(s): Golden Dewdrop, Sky-Flower,
Pigeonberry
Family: Verbenaceae
Plant type: shrub
USDA hardiness zones: 9B through 11 (Fig. 1)
Origin: native to Florida
Uses: border; mass planting; specimen; container or aboveground
planter; naturalizing; screen; reclamation plant; espalier;
foundation; attracts butterflies; cascading down a wall

Have a wonderful Bloomin' Tuesday!
Join MsGreen "thumb" Jean for Bloomin' Tuesday! Come join in or see others!

Also Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer's

BT&OW: 09/15/09

We have had rain, glorious rain!!

Amazing how things come to life after a good rain.
My front deck plants are happy, happy, happy!!!

Pride of Barbados is fixing to bloom:)

My tropical Jasmine was full of buds, but the rain knocked them all off.
These are just pretty, and not smelly:(

My Maple Sugar Hibiscus turns a redder color in the cooler weather.
It got so tall, I moved it to the back of my plant line up.

Can anyone tell me what this is?
It showed up in this pot last year, so it is perennial...

in cooler weather older leaves have a purple tinge...

It will bloom tiny white blooms soon, I would love more info if anyone knows...

Man O Man I love my pond area!!

Cardinal's Flower Lobelia cardinalis
This is my first bloom this year.
I dug this one up from a local swampy area.

Sooooo pretty!
All my swampy plants are in a pot submersed in my pond.
I think the proper term is 'bog plants'.

Found this little guy by following the chirping,
but I wasn't him making the noise,
hmmm,
wonder who else is hiding out over in the potting area?

I planted 3 types of gourds in this pot, looks like only one lived.
Will it be birdhouse, egg, or dipper gourd?
Only time will tell (if it doesn't run out of good weather first:)

In my pond are lovely lilies.
I have two kinds, both plant swaps.
Neither have either bloomed in the year I have had them,
but they look very healthy!

This one's new leaves are bronze...

My Green and Gold Artemisia has gone crazy...it over hangs everywhere...

And under it is the other water lily...

Lovely spider appreciating the pond fishing...

This little tropical vine comes back every year, very late, and very small, but very welcome...

One Clematis bloom...

Looking back at the front deck.
This is only a one year old flower bed.
My front beds look great (back yard? not so great).
I so recommend lasagna gardening...

Tansy bloomed for me again this year:)
Woohoo!!

Sorrel, Day lily, and Powers Castle Artemisia-so lush!!

Thanks to the bug that ate all the leaves on my Pokeberry weed,
the berries really stand out now.
Loving this purple!!

See my pretty creeping Lavender Lantana??
Pretty huh?
BUT NOT lavender!!
I swear it was lavender when I bought it!
Oh well, this will do:)

Strawberry Grass, that came back from the almost dead,

I love when that happens:)

Welcome back baby!!
I am going to have to move this Taro (running Elephant Ear),
it is taking over.
Maybe I can plant an actual Elephant Ear bulb and get this look...hmmmm....

Milk and Wine Crinum Lily blooming again...love this toughy!!

I have really enjoyed this rain with no wind or lightening accompanying it. However we are maxed out, and in danger of flooding in many areas. So, its free to move on to more needy areas:)
Have a lovely week:)

Have a wonderful Bloomin' Tuesday!
Join MsGreen "thumb" Jean for Bloomin' Tuesday! Come join in or see others!

Also Outdoor Wednesday at A Southern Day Dreamer's