More Plants

Was able to get a few more plants into the garden soil this weekend.

Placed two additional Milky Way Cast Iron Plants (Aspidistra lurida 'Milky Way') into the second tier to the left of my pond.  Didn't get any before shots, but it ain't too hard to picture what it used to look like.  Already had some Milky Ways in front of the rock wall; they got hammered by some of our extreme cold a couple of winters back, but are recovering.

I've always liked their spotted foliage.  Mine have always stayed small, especially compared to the regular Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior).

Also got two Pam's Pink Turk's Cap (Malvaviscus drummondii 'Pam Puryear') to add to a bare spot near a potted Root Beer Plant (Piper auritum), a pass-along from Philip at East Side Patch.  Sadly, I have not been able to provide the Root Beer Plant with as much water as it desires - thus I have had to bid it farewell.

The two Pam's Pink Turk's Cap should fill in here and hopefully provide some needed summertime color.

 I've already decided I likely need to get at least one, possibly two, more to adequately fill the space.

Such nice weather for planting plants.  Though a predicted change in the weather for next weekend got me to go ahead and set up my pop-up greenhouse; it will remain empty for now, but at least I'm prepared.

First Winter Freeze: 2010

Though several other Austin gardens reported freezing temperatures as far back as a month ago, my garden had only received the slightest of touches from winter's cold hands - none of the plants even showing damage (though the leaves were certainly falling from the trees).  But in the last few days, my garden finally received a good freeze setting a few of the plants back to their protected roots where they'll await next spring's warmth.

The Red Christmas Pride (Ruellia amoena) always get zapped back to the ground.  The three found in my garden have been slow to return each year and are slowly disappearing - am thinking this may very well be their last hurrah.

I am hoping that the Salvia van houttei can return from its roots (most of my Salvias do).  It was bravely trying to bloom right up to the end.

 

The potted Root Beer Plant (Piper auritum) leaves turned into the soggy handkerchiefs as always documented by Philip at East Side Patch (from whom I received the plant as a pass-along).

The three Dwarf Mexican Firebush (Hamelia patens 'Compacta') had shown some promising growth during the year so it will be interesting to see if they can return to form next spring.  Though I'd like to see even stronger growth if I am to retain them.

I deliberately left the Hedychium 'Tahitian Flame' out so that the foliage would get nipped back - wanted to see how low it could go and how (if?) it recovers next spring.

Others that received at least a little leaf damage:

• Southern Wood Fern (Dryopteris normalis): lost about half their fronds
• Philippine Violets (Barleria cristata): now have mostly crunchy leaves
• Mountain Sage (Salvia regla): ditto for this plant
• Toad Lily (Tricyrtis lasiocarpa): both potted and in ground showing some die-back
• Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata): show some damage (though that may have begun even earlier; one of them is potted and safe in the house - and even blooming)
• Blue Anise Sage (Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'): still mostly green, but some minor damage
• Red Dragon Knotweed (Persicaria microcephala 'Red Dragon'): typically dies back in winter, then comes back strong next spring
• Crinums: all have minor leaf damage, but still mostly green (the ones I've had for years always die back to ground; not sure what new ones will do)
• Banana Tree: in a pot; wanted some die back this year (got my wish).

Excavated Plant

This was an unpleasant discovery: one of my recently planted Ground Orchid (Spathoglottis plicata) was no longer..well...planted.  During the evening, some critter had decided that there was likely good eats down there in the wet root zone.  Possibly an armadillo (though I searched the fence line and deck borders and haven't found an entry point) or even a raccoon (believe they will also do some minor digging and they certainly visit my yard).  Grumble.

Stuck it back in the ground and gave it another dose of water.  Hope that doesn't invite even more excavation!

I have been rather remiss in the "diary" aspects of my blog.  So I came up with some categories to include, when appropriate, with each post (really more as notes to myself than anything):

• Planted in Ground - recent yard plantings
• Planted in Pots - recent pot plantings
• Experiments - things I'm trying
• Gotta Get - additions to my list of desired plants

So to catch up on the past couple of month's happenings (I'll do better; promise):

Planted in Ground:

• Four Ground Orchids (one of them twice - grumble, grumble)
• Manfreda 'Chocolate Chips' (Manfreda undulata 'Chocolate Chips')
• Dyckia platyphylla

Planted in Pots:

• Ground Orchid (so I can make sure to keep at least one alive over the winter)
• Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina) into hanging pot; interesting story goes with plant (perhaps on a later blog)
• Small-leafed version of English Ivy (variety of Hedera helix) into hanging pot (actually part of a three plant gift "bucket" received by my wife) - anyone have any hints regarding variety based on that minuscule description?
• Unknown variety of Coleus - a pass-along from Robin at Getting Grounded; thanks!
• Ric Rac Orchid Cactus (Selenicereus anthonyanus) - gift from green-thumbed mother-in-law; thanks MommaSam!
• Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Alice' (Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alice') - hope to eventually place into ground, but figured I'd better wait until fall
• Root Beer Plant (Piper auritum) - pass-along plant from Philip at East Side Patch; thanks! (Still a little fearful to let it loose directly into the ground, plus I can water it more when potted)
• Two Gold Dust Aucuba (Aucuba japonica 'Variegata') - hope to eventually place into ground; waiting for fall
• Red-leafed Dyckia (Dyckia 'Red Devil') into the Bitter Tree Aloe (Aloe ferox) pot; it was looking lonely

Experiments:

• Growing Bronze Dyckia (Dyckia fosteriana) from gathered seeds
• Attempting to root Oak-Leaf Hydrangea cuttings
• Attempting to root Abutilon 'Marilyn's Choice' cuttings
• Growing Gulf Coast Penstemon (Penstemon tenuis) from seeds (pass-along seeds from Robin at Getting Grounded; thanks yet again

Gotta Get:

• Mahonia 'Soft Caress' (Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress') - discovered them at Red Barn but the price was a bit more than I wanted to spend
• Vriesea malzinei -  when I saw the words "shady" and "dappled sunlight" in GrowerJim's description on the Garden Adventures blog, it was going on my list (the pictures certainly helped too!).  A little worried about temperature; perhaps in a pot.