She had to do that whole field?! Oh that's cruel! Ha ha

Heres my current joy that opened on thursday. My potted passionflower.

God laura! Those adeniums are fantastic! It must be hard to leave home with your plants looking like that! All that gorgeousness in one yard. :) the plumies are pretty too, of course. I put my foot down on addictive collecting of plants that require large pots. If only I could bonsai everything I like.

TAX free weekend in Mass... too bad theres nothing I need thats urging me to shop... im waiting to hear from friend if she's shopping today. I may tag along and be inspired...

Here's a close up of that bloom.

Tolip...what do you think? She will become super-gardener when she grows up... LOL!

Thanks for looking at my pic.

Xuan

Plumeria 'Gold Coast Peach'.
Lovely cinnamon/coconut/plumeria scent?
Can't describe but I love it!
Best first inflo I've had so far this year. :)

-Robert

Stunning photos love the color my two Plumerias have yet to flower :(
Found this list on the web just wondered if you would go along with it? might try my hand at growing some more Plumerias next year.
www.mauiplumeriagardens.com/fragrance.php

Thanks, Brian! That list is a good start for plumie scents. I have a lot of Thai varieties. I used this link-
http://heliconiaparadise.com/Plumeria_descriptions.htm

I also search the plumeria forum or just ask people what they think are the most fragrant varieties and scent descriptions.

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/plumeria/msg0522230331514.html

Keep in mind they are trees and can grown huge (that will be fun when my 17 do this!).
Also they are not as strongly fragrant as Jasminum sambac or Michelia alba though JJ's 'Scentsational' is pretty potent. :)

I think you need a lot of sun and heat to really get good inflos out of plumerias so maybe keeping them going in your greenhouse would do the trick? I'm sure there are tons of people in the UK who could give you advice. :)

-Robert

Best acquisition this year for me is the double Gardenia Taitensis "Heaven Scent". Can't believe we don't have more of these in Florida. Regular gardenia is everywhere but after its first flush in late Spring...just the occasional bloom here and there. This thing is a machine. Largest gardenia flowers I have seen almost 6in across at times. Very vigorous grower...very happy to add this to my soul garden....

Cheers for the links Robert and yes funny enough some one i sold a Brunfelsia lactea on ebay has a large selection so i may be buying some from him next year :) just all down to room really i always tend to buy plants in the summer and then when it gets to october realize i have to store them some where over winter :( (need lottery win to move somewhere hot and sunny )

Here is another beautiful fragrant orchid that has just come into bloom

Lc. White Spark 'Panda'

That is an insane amount of jasmine.
I dream of that harvest one day.

I picked up two new fragrant plants. Pretty standard, but at $6 each how could I argue?

I got a stephanotis vine, and a night blooming Jasmine.

Any idea on the hardiness rating? I'm in zone 9... pushing 10.
If it helps gardenias can survive potted outdoors year round.

The night blooming Jasmine.

{{gwi:805326}}

This post was edited by Ordphien on Tue, Aug 13, 13 at 18:14

Hi Xuan!!

ALWAYS a pleasure to see you post... How have you been???

She is lovely.. Mine turns one next month.. I love the little guy so much!!!
I'm hoping he will be a good helper too!!

Thank you for the compliments on my DR's. I have so many and these are addict ing just like the Plumeria!! I have a lot of trees from Taiwan and Thailand and they are starting to finally bloom!!!

The Plumeria are blooming so nicely too... Thanks for posting.. You always make me smile to see you!!

HI Rosey!! Lol.. You got that right.. I do hate to leave, especially whe I have a few Inflos that I know will open when I leave. I have my DH take a pic for me.. Then I'll ask him to check o. The others... Lol... He says they are all doing fine.. Drives me nuts not seeing them!!! But it gives me such satisfaction to know I will have a surprise when I get home...

Drives me nuts.. ;-)

Lovely pics.. Love the purple color.. Hope you are having a great summer!!!

Love.y pics everyone!!

Robert... WOW. .. The colors are to die for.. Lucky you!! Taj Mahal is getting ready, so is Mary Moragne, JJ Orange and Labender Splash.. PP too!! It's a good year!! The patience needed for growing these beauties is if ally paying off... I see it is true for you too!!!

Great job!!

Take care,

Laura

Lavender

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Thai SuperRound

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Laura///////HOW DO YOU DO IT??? You are only a few states south of me and yet you manage to get huge beautiful flowers on your plumeria's every time!

I wish I could get mine like yours...Could it be that you get a much hotter sun angle than me and that you are just much smarter? I even put mine on my hot roof and it takes a month or two for an inflo to grow from just showing to a flower...It's discouraging actually..:-(
Such beautiful pics as always and I am in love with your plants!
If I ever get another gardenia cutting from you, this time I know to pot it up in a much grittier mix before the winter..

Now...Laura..Where in the world can I buy a California Sunset? That seems to be my favorite out of all and between you and Robert, I want one badly! It has such nice coloring and looks almost florescent.
What do you think it smells like? Does it have a coconut kind of smell to it?
This time I am going to keep them going under lights in the basement and see if that makes a difference...I wonder if that is what Robert did?
I know he gets winters too and yet he got his to flower well too.
I love your ideas and all your displays..Great job kiddo!!!!

That Desert Rose is just outstanding! Look at all those flowers..What the heck..lol I know you grow them the same as I, but yet?
Oh well, at least I can sit back and enjoy yours..
Mom sends you a huge hug!

Xuan!!!!! Really??? I can't believe you are here..I am so excited to see you and thank you for such a cute flower!!! She is so adorable and you are already making her like plants..Such a cutie! I hope you are enjoying your stay here.
I have been under the weather but I will keep you in mind come the fall with a few cuttings:-)
Thank you. Please stick around, will ya?

Ordphein...I have never been able to keep those jasmine going all winter without mites...Just awesome.

Fragrant2008....What the heck..lol. NOt a one of my orchids are even showing signs of blooming just yet..They always wait until the middle of winter to do so.That is just strange..
Beautiful!

Blutayle....Seriously..Again, I have one of these, that huge garadenia and it has only grown 3 leaves since the spring....What the heck am I doing wrong, or should I say, when the heck is this weather going to let me grow some plants they way I wish I could...Sjeesh! They are huge. I LOVE huge gardenia flowers and Laura above was so kind enough to root me one but I lost it due to root rot..I could kick myself in the pants every time I see one..

Rosey, now that is quite the interesting flower...I never thought they could look so pretty..Great job for where you live..It seems all your flowers like you right about now...Nice!
I would say the flower has a nice view way up there.lol

Fenius....It did finally after a rough start...IT leaves looked like heck by the time I was able to put it outside, and that is with growing in warm tropical conditions in my greenhouse..I am beginning to think they only like very warm night temps above 65 to be precise which I can't provide most of the year...
Thank you

Purpleinopp..What a surprise to see you too..Good to see you and what nice pics to boot! I wish I had butterflies like that..Thank you...

Potsalot..Only you know the answer to that riddle..lol Thank you!

Robert it's a toss between the Gold Coast Peach which I still can't find or Laura's California Sun Set..They are both outstanding...Thanks for the info, pics and show..You are doing such a fantastic job on your plants..I swear you and Laura must hang out a lot..lol

Have a great day all..

If I missed anyone I am so sorry but I have to run. Sorry it took me a while to get back here.

Mike

Hi Mike sorry to hear you have been under the weather hope you are feeling alot better now :)
probably down to having a large selection of different species/hybrids of orchids which has its pros & cons but there is a fair bit of action at the moment with new flower sheaths and buds forming so maybe we can both show them off in a few weeks/months when most other plants are shutting down for the winter :)

My Gardenia Crown jewels has flowered for the 1st time been waiting for this bud to open since about june i just hope its as hardy as they say it is :)

hmm... I think I'm just going to leave my " jasmines" out all winter.
Take a chance on them surviving.

I can't find crown jewel anywhere! I sincerely wish I could. the bush is such a beautiful shape.

In other news, my grand duke finally bloomed! Smells divine. I'm so excited. It's sweeter smelling than my Arabian jasmine.

ordphien.. how's the scent of stephanotis? Is it nicer, sweeter, stronger than.. say...a jasminum sambac? That vine is on my to-buy list : )

you know... Lemme go out and smell them. And try to explain the scent. I'm bad at describing scents.

It smells nothing like sambac. Comparing the two was a little futile.

The stephanotis has an equally heady scent. It smells.. like a sweet version of pink jasmine and plain jasmine. I'm not sure of the scientific names for those. I'm only familiar with the common names. Trying to learn though.
It smells of those, but very heavy and sweet, and with a fraction of the musk scent.
I really enjoy it. So much do that I'm considering buying another to try as a house plant.

It smells nothing like sambac. Comparing the two was a little futile.

The stephanotis has an equally heady scent. It smells.. like a sweet version of pink jasmine and plain jasmine. I'm not sure of the scientific names for those. I'm only familiar with the common names. Trying to learn though.
It smells of those, but very heavy and sweet, and with a fraction of the musk scent.
I really enjoy it. So much do that I'm considering buying another to try as a house plant.

I sniffed some more and I realised there's a strong spice cake scent in it a well.

Another batch of fragrant plants are popping up.
Amaryllis. Very fresh juicy candy like floral scent.

My helvola lily is blooming. The blooms have a lemony scent, very light. It also has hints of bathroom cleaner lol.
The blooms are around the size of a quarter.
First bloom off this guy...

close up

Look how small it is!

This is what's in my fragrance bowl today.

Ordphien...Now that's what I am talking about!!

What a great looking pond and such brilliant flowers...I love it! You know the only thing I hate about Lily Pads?
You have to bend awefully close to the water to get a wiff of them and then they die back within a day or two!
I wish they would whaff the air around you without having to get so close..lol

Your white flowers are amzing too...Does anyone else except for those here at this site appreciate them like we or you do? I have no one that is not a part of these forums that appreciates all my success of flowers except my best friend....Oh well, at least he does..
I am caring for my parents and they will spend about 5 minutes once a month back in my yard..
Just the other day my mother of all people was complaining I had too many plants around the house...Please....

Please, enjoy your fragrance bowl and I hope all your company you invited over before they die do too...ha

What is that thing in the middle of your pond next to your flower? How big is it? Did you make it?
Does it have bull frogs?
Did you plant all that greenery? It's beautiful

Can you take a full shot of it for me..? Is it a water garden you put together?

I love the fact you are sharing all these sweet smelling plants with us..Thanks again.

Kemistry....If you are still here, I wanted to let you know that all my Chicken's Feet are growing now..Should I pot seperately or a few into one pot? Would now be a good time to take them out from rooting in the vermiculite?

Thank you

MeyerMike - You should try the tropical lily Dauben! It has a lovely fragrance that I can smell from up to three feet away from the pond on warm days. The flowers last around 4 days once it's settled.
It's on the smaller side, not as small as helvola, but small, lovely powdery blue flowers. Never without a bloom. Mine has hit a point recently where it almost constantly had a minimum of three blooms daily.
And shade tolerant! Mine gets only 4 hours of Sun a day.
It's in a small raised pond in a less than ideal location. To be honest I went Lily shopping with a small must haves list. Shade tolerant, free flowering, and small in size. I can't recommend it enough.
Actually.... it produces little baby lilies constantly, so if you want one let me know.
I have two friends that adore fragrance, and they love my fragrant flowers. They couldn't care less about the plant, but if they can take a gardenia or spray of jasmine home with them they at
re willing to listen to me rant about my plants.
Most of the others mutter a " smells nice here" before being completely indifferent to them though. I have two people who despise fragrance. My mother and my best friend.
My mother hates most flowers, but I am helping her with her first vegetable garden this year!
My best friend just hates fragrance, she has a garden and we share many of the same interests, but she hates fragrance. She does dutifully sniff every flower I hand to her though.
My plants are restricted to the garden and my room, I'm 21 and still living with my grandfather, so it's not my house to plant.... but one day!

I think your referring to the pot? I put a small plastic pot in the water, to hold the quarter for size reference.
No bull frogs, I have rice fish for mosquito control since it's standing water. And small tree frogs now.
I can take some shots for you. Be nice though. I've still got lots to do and my garden isn't done. ours been through a decade of neglect and most of the garden is brand new. I also still don't have grass... I keep spending the money on plants.

MeyerMike - You should try the tropical lily Dauben! It has a lovely fragrance that I can smell from up to three feet away from the pond on warm days. The flowers last around 4 days once it's settled.
It's on the smaller side, not as small as helvola, but small, lovely powdery blue flowers. Never without a bloom. Mine has hit a point recently where it almost constantly had a minimum of three blooms daily.
And shade tolerant! Mine gets only 4 hours of Sun a day.
It's in a small raised pond in a less than ideal location. To be honest I went Lily shopping with a small must haves list. Shade tolerant, free flowering, and small in size. I can't recommend it enough.
Actually.... it produces little baby lilies constantly, so if you want one let me know.
I have two friends that adore fragrance, and they love my fragrant flowers. They couldn't care less about the plant, but if they can take a gardenia or spray of jasmine home with them they at
re willing to listen to me rant about my plants.
Most of the others mutter a " smells nice here" before being completely indifferent to them though. I have two people who despise fragrance. My mother and my best friend.
My mother hates most flowers, but I am helping her with her first vegetable garden this year!
My best friend just hates fragrance, she has a garden and we share many of the same interests, but she hates fragrance. She does dutifully sniff every flower I hand to her though.
My plants are restricted to the garden and my room, I'm 21 and still living with my grandfather, so it's not my house to plant.... but one day!

I think your referring to the pot? I put a small plastic pot in the water, to hold the quarter for size reference.
No bull frogs, I have rice fish for mosquito control since it's standing water. And small tree frogs now.
I can take some shots for you. Be nice though. I've still got lots to do and my garden isn't done. ours been through a decade of neglect and most of the garden is brand new. I also still don't have grass... I keep spending the money on plants.

{{gwi:805350}}

This is my main pond. It's raised and holds about 250 gallons. It has a back row of fragrant Cymbidium orchids. It's still in progress, but it holds a tropical water lily, water hyacinth, 8 goldfish, a small school of whitecloud minnows and tree frogs.

This post was edited by Ordphien on Sun, Aug 18, 13 at 19:12

Water hyacinth

some of the goldfish

Tree frog

This is my mini pond. It holds rice fish, a mini water lily, Water hyacinth, parrots feather, and some more tree frogs.
Recently I also added a lotus, but I'll cover that later.
The container is a ceramic pot from HomeGoods which I believe cost $35...
Over all it holds 25 gallons of water, but most of it is soil, so now it holds 12 gallons of water.

from the front

Everything in this whole area got decimated by caterpillars overnight, so it's a bit sparse.
To the left is a germanium, some dahlias, pluneria cuttings, and four o'clocks.

To the right of the left chair, bolero rose, three mini roses, and the remnants of a Venus fly trap. Decided to let it flower, it died lol.

To the left of the right chair, a seedling pitcher plant, and a purple pitcher plant, to eat bugs. And a lemon grass plant, for cooking, and it repels bugs.

front view.

water lilies.

So.... I got a lotus... it's a dwarf lotus, pink apparently. it looked like this when I put it in.
As you can see from the recent lily pictures there's no lotus.
It's killed off all its top growth, aborted most of its growing tips, and is just sitting there in stasis after nearly killing itself.
occasionally it sends out a tiny bronze purple leaf that dies within a few days.
I did not repot it, I simply sunk the container in the water and was going ti wait to repot until it was dormant.
Any advice?
Any constructive criticism or hints or suggestions... or anything helpful really. feel free to tell me.

So.... I got a lotus... it's a dwarf lotus, pink apparently. it looked like this when I put it in.
As you can see from the recent lily pictures there's no lotus.
It's killed off all its top growth, aborted most of its growing tips, and is just sitting there in stasis after nearly killing itself.
occasionally it sends out a tiny bronze purple leaf that dies within a few days.
I did not repot it, I simply sunk the container in the water and was going ti wait to repot until it was dormant.
Any advice?
Any constructive criticism or hints or suggestions... or anything helpful really. feel free to tell me.

{{gwi:805366}}

Well, its a very possible cutie!!

Do you feed it? I hear they are heavy feeders and NEED plant food for energy to even put out a flower...
It could also have an immature root system since you just planted..I 'll bet you will get a very nice flower next year.

I love your choice of plants!:-) And of course your water pots!

You didn't rearrange your furniture and stuff just for me did you? I think your area looks just perfect and beautiful..
Now as for that frog? Love it love it! I wish I had a tree frog but I only have about 15 bullfrogs..lol

I tried a lotus too and all I got was huge leaves! I should of fed it more and next time I will..Of course it could be too that this is it's first year settling itself and build its root system up to provide a flower by next year..

I also love that rock idea for a pond..I wish I would of thought of that before I built mine..It could of been much deeper and less chances of freezing...I love your ideas and love the fact your tastes are a lot like mine...I love the same set up, flowers and animals...

Now if I could just live in a zone 9..I would go crazy..lol

Thank you so much for taking the time to show me..I really appreciate it. Company must love visiting you.
Cute fish too!

MIke

Love all of the pics...

Love the pond as well... The frog!!! OMG. How cute is he?

Hi Mike... Thank you... You know I work hard on my trees...

You have great plants and I know you can get your Plumeria and Adeniums to bloom for you..

Thank you for always saying such nice things to me and everyone.. You are so kind...

Made my night to read this thread...

Have a great evening..

Laura

Feed which one? The lilies I feed equally which is about 2 or three tablets every month and a half or so.
The lotus I've only had for a month. So I've only fertilized once. And then it died lol...
oh no! I can take no credit for that foliage in the photo. I bought it that way. The local nursery carries potted lotus during the growing season.
I'm honestly just hoping it makes it till dormancy so that I can repot it with just the viable tubers.

The helvola lily is officially blooming. Just needed to get settled. After those first two it sent out another bloom. I just checked and it's got for more buds on the way up, and I think I see the start of another st the crown.

Thank you! I have to say I didn't rearrange anything. My yard is set up in little seating areas. Or three seating areas rather...
Aren't the frogs cute? I've found four so far. I did buy 9 tadpoles.
I'm waiting till my goldfish are bigger before getting some bull frog tadpoles.

I wish I had the room to put it out in the dirt. I would've done exactly that. Dug deep and built up.

I could pinky imagine what you could do in zone 9.
Too be honest my house is close enough to the coast the summers don't get too hot, and winters never get frost. Ever. But without being overly foggy or cool. You would think my possibilities are endless with that. But again...
Black thumb.

New fragrant plants! Double crape Jasmine. Smells mainly at night. It's lovely! Smells just like Madagascar jasmine.

New orchid! Lc. Sagarik Wax 'African Beauty'.
Smells extremely strongly of... spices? clove? rootbeer? Still not sure. Smells divine, and wafts around my whole room.

Another new orchid. Some sort of grammatophyllum I think.
Very light fragrance. Exactly like my den nobile.

Grand Duke has made the largest flower I've seen on one of these... measures a whopping 2.7"!
It's so huge and I'm si pleased.
too bad this looks like it's third and last bloom for the year.

This post was edited by Ordphien on Mon, Aug 26, 13 at 18:21

Ordphien,
About your lotus, goldfish LOVE to eat them. They will chew on the roots, so it might be a good idea to keep it in a bucket of rain water. (chlorine kills them, they are sensitive).
Put some composted cow manure in the bottom of the bucket, stick the lotus into the manure, and Slowly add the rain water (or water you had sit out for 24 hours).
You can even dig the bucket into the ground right next to your pond, and there ya go!
Your Grand Duke is gorgeous! That is a big flower.
To all of you, LOVEd all your pics!
Thank you, every one of you.