Virtual Garden Tour 2000-2021

Discussion in 'How's It Growing?' started by Margot, May 15, 2020.

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  1. pmurphy

    pmurphy Contributor 10 Years

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    I finally had a day where I didn't know what to do with my self - I spent over a week dismantling the waterfall to repair a leak and then repaint (and of course didn't have enough paint so had to wait an additional two days while it was shipped in). But it's now done and running again so I thought I'd take some photos...

    This is the waterfall now (should last another 6 years at least before needing to be repainted)
    Canna 'Bronze Scarlet
    Some variety of hen & chicks
    Jujube tree - very tiny flowers...first time in over 5 years that it has flowered
    Rose of Sharon 'Blue Satin'
    Red Lake currant - I thought the peeling bark was very pretty (never noticed it before)
    Chinese chestnuts (edible) - we should have a nice harvest this Fall
    Solitary clematis 'Rooguchi' - this is a sprawling variety that doesn't have tendrils to climb with.
    I decided to grow some ornamental gourds around the trees on the boulevard...they are growing nicely.
    Southern bush honeysuckle 'Cool Splash' - leaves start out green and become variegated when it flowers.
    Dragon's claw arum - this is the first time is has produced seeds.
    Canna 'Roze'
     

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  2. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Beautiful!

    I have QUESTION about your water cascade — did you collect and arrange the rocks with cement — or is it a pre-formed « cascade » ?

    I am not clear the reason for paint
    (It looks nice - and I notice your special guests are admiring it too!)

    Do you drain it in the winter and take the pump in to your heated storage?

    I think @Margot had a similar hen & chick flower recently in this tour and she said how many flowers hers had this year

    Somewhere I have a photo from a few years ago of a stunning canna container at UBC — yours reminded me
     
  3. pmurphy

    pmurphy Contributor 10 Years

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    The rocks are actually an old rock wall leading up to the front yard. Years ago we re-cemented that section of wall to create an area for water to run and also created the basin at the bottom. We then painted it with Pond Armor, a 2-part epoxy paint that is safe for animals and plants. The purpose of the paint is to create a seal so that the water will not leak out (cement by itself is porous and over time will develop cracks - the paints helps to protect from this but has to be recoated every 6 - 8 years).
    As for winter, I remove the pump and store until spring when the waterfall is started again...we have drained the basin in the past but it just fills during the winter rains.
     
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  4. Xi-feng

    Xi-feng Rising Contributor

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    Just sharing my lilies here:

    20210724 Lilies-2.jpg 20210724 Lilies-1.jpg IMG_2281.jpg
    IMG_2203.jpg IMG_2283.jpg IMG_2278.jpg
     
  5. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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  6. Xi-feng

    Xi-feng Rising Contributor

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    Thank you! I'm really pleased with how well they're doing, and there are so many buds that are yet to open, so I think the show is going to go on for a while yet (if the wind and rain don't get to them!)
    You're spot on with Stargazer, though the pack of bulbs I planted said 'Pretty Woman' for the white ones. The pink/yellow is 'Heartstrings' ( https://www.yougarden.com/item-p-650097/lily-heartstrings ) -- it bloomed a good two weeks before the others and the flowers are all finished now, but was lovely while it lasted.

    And thank you for the compliments on the edging - yes, I spent a good few days earlier this year setting it all up myself. I think it came to about about 7 - 8 rolls of bamboo fencing roll that needed to be dragged and secured into position, each one weighing around 35kg (I felt pretty good as a single woman getting all that done by myself, I must say!)
     
  7. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Hello @pmurphy - this is the beautiful container arrangement I saw a few years ago on a very hot day at UBC

    What I like is the startling colors and textures (I tend to choose safe colors but in a container — there’s a good place to let loose from our safe side)

    I like also that someone gave thought to putting plants together that like same water and light etc (not like droopy lobelia next to hot sun geranium (perlagonium) In same basket)

    SEE PHOTO attached

    your canna reminded me of this canna arrangement with an echinacea (remember when it was THE plant du jour :)
     

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  8. pmurphy

    pmurphy Contributor 10 Years

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    I love the arrangement!
    The gorgeous canna in your photo is Canna x generalis ‘Pretoria’ aka Bengal Tiger....I have a couple near my pond. And just wait until they flower!
    These photos are from 2018 but you can see it really is a stunner...
     

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  9. pmurphy

    pmurphy Contributor 10 Years

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    Here's a few more that are starting to show off...

    Canna 'Lucifer' - or so the tag said when I purchased it 4 years ago
    Canary vine - a fast growing zone 9 vine
    Peruvian lily aka parrot lily
    Brazilian tree fern - I really love the color of the new fronds
     

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  10. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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    Hibiscus syriacus

    In late February of the years 199*, I took 4 or five cuttings from a plant that was planted opposite the street, and was removed soon after.

    One of them rooted and is now a nice 1m50 Hibiscus syriacus that is just beginning to flower. I don't like -at all- the violet-purple ones, but this one looks gorgeous to me:

    hibiscus-syr_210727a.jpg hibiscus-syr_210727b.jpg hibiscus-syr_210730a.jpg
     
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  11. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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  12. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    First two shots are of an actual rose (Rosa) and not Hibiscus syriacus
     
  13. Durgan

    Durgan Contributor 10 Years

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    Escapade Rose I think. Will look tomorrow.
     
  14. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    I have moved this to its current location, to follow another Rose of Sharon/Hibiscus syriacus posting. Note that the link in posting #961 goes to a page that has several Rose of Sharon photos.
     
  15. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    That leaf is a picture in itself — there are some days when that juicy tropical orange like your pictures is a marvellous focal point in our city / town size gardens.

    I think this past 2021 heat and water conservation is teaching me to have more basic (like my fav vine maples and sword ferns) with a few focal points
     
  16. AlainK

    AlainK Renowned Contributor Forums Moderator Maple Society 10 Years

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  17. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    The plant name was not one I knew til I bought a place as an adult (a way back)

    I was very accustomed to Hawaii and didn’t understand “hibiscus” in Canada — tho obviously a resemblance in the flower.

    The name reminds me of one of the Joab Family characters in Steinbeck classic novel Grapes of Wrath
     
  18. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Back on virtual tour — Lilies!

    With all the coast heat and dry weather - I have lost some buds (dessicated)

    I don’t water a lot (understandable restrictions)

    And it is remarkable how sturdy these lilies are -

    And the hummingbirds and butterflies (I have not seen many bees) flutter in to check out the pollen

    @Margot several months ago on wishlist we spoke of lilies - so on my wish list for you are def one of the lilies in pictures below — have to contact your garden Center now to make sure they order some from Florrisa store brand (Dutch wholesale name escapes my mind right now - oh - Van Noort I think

    Lilies grow tall and they do flop over

    So I stockpile some attractive twigs from osier dogwood (remove leaves) and use them to gently and artfully support tall lilies (careful your osier twigs don’t root!)

    I grow all my lilies in large pots - probably cubic foot dimension - our coast winter is mainly shade and wet and this is my way of getting some repeat bloom.

    Photo captions
    1. First is not a lily tho I wanted to show it off - Dr Bonnie Henry cosmos - bright orange and kind. My neighbor grew them from West Coast Seeds, I think, and shared them with us. Enjoying shade of native BC vine maple (acer circinatum)

    2. Casablanca at night - huge white blossoms very heavily scented

    3. @Margot - this is the label of the one I think does best: black beauty

    — the lilies I have are slightly scented and the hummingbirds love it (I assume they are feeding) - my lilies are at least 10 yr old in a large container. Highly recommend.

    4. Sunflare photo of Black Beauty

    5. Black beauty

    6. Classic stargazer propped up on twigs

    7. Casablanca (PJM rhodo background - thirsty rhodo :(

    8. The lily is Miss Freya
    The hydrangea is Blushing Bride
    The Colorful leaf on left is coleus
    The maple is Esk Sunset
    The huge background trees are native Doug Fir and cedar
    And you might glimpse a native sword fern / rugosa rose / hosta (maybe Midwest magic or stained glass)

    And that is our heavily scented lily tour du jour
     

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  19. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    You have such a great memory @Georgia Strait! I will definitely find the Black Beauty lily; haven't planted any lilies at all since saying that I intended to do so a few months ago.

    Actually, I'm feeling pretty discouraged if not depressed about the future of my garden at the moment. I simply cannot give it the amount of water that it needs - because of watering restrictions and also the time it takes to hand water a large area. Besides that, twin fawns born just outside our fence are finding multiple ways to get in through holes made by rabbits. Bobbex is protecting my most treasured plants but the prospect of fortifying several hundred feet of fencing is rather overwhelming to me in this heat.

    I have given up a little native plant propagation enterprise I have pursued off and on for over 30 years; just not worth all the work anymore. It actually was quite a relief to dispose of dozens of little pots of this and that that needed daily watering in numerous locations. My focus now has to be choosing which plants to coddle and which to let fend for themselves.
     
  20. Xi-feng

    Xi-feng Rising Contributor

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    A few more of my lilies. They did so very well this year!

    20210726 Lily-1.jpg 20210726 Lily-2.jpg 20210726 Lily-3.jpg
    20210726 Lily-4.jpg 20210726 Lily-5.jpg 20210726 Lily-6.jpg
     
  21. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    It's been a while since I've had anything much to post. My garden is primarily a spring garden. I spend most of mid-May to mid-August picking up Arbutus leaves (and sitting in the shade with a fan to tell the truth). I'm really not into daisies and lilies and dahlias though I do admire them in other people's gardens. For me, the serenity of all shades of green and textures of leaves is preferable to a riot of colour.

    So, with that in mind, here are the few things that are making me smile in my garden today.
     

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  22. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    @Xi-feng, do you think the pink lily in your 5th photo looks like the one posted for ID at
    Stargazer ? Do you know the name of yours?
     
  23. Nik

    Nik Contributor

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    Well, I couldn’t stay away from this forum for a long time… Just a few recent shots from around the yard, before I disappear for some time again. I am following certain threads, just not posting much.
     

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  24. Acerholic

    Acerholic Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout Maple Society

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    Wonderful to see you back N.

    D
     
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  25. Xi-feng

    Xi-feng Rising Contributor

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    Hmm, it's certainly possible (I did plant a lot of Stargazers...) but it's quite a tall one and my understanding is that Stargazers are generally lower to the ground. I also planted quite a lot of Blue Wonders in that area, and it looks very close to the stock image on this site so that's my guess!

    Lily 'Blue Wonder' | Thompson & Morgan
     
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