Week 35, Year 2: The Bold and the Beautiful

This color entry focuses on the bolder tones in my garden - the reds, oranges and yellows. Most professionals would criticize my overabundance of color and suggest that I stick to a couple of common themes, and believe me I tried. But, I was also intrigued by a number of bold colored flowers that I just had to try, and on a 5x5 space, you are bound to run into some color clashing. At the same time, this porch is just for fun and allows me to experiment for when I am ready to have the large and luscious gardens attached to a house, which probably will be a bit more organized when it comes to color, height and timing.

Reds

You are more likely to find me wearing red to a Badger game, than planting it in my garden, but this year saw a couple of exceptions. I just couldn't resist experimenting with the mandevilla and the fun bonfyre begonia, both of which only came in red.

Bonfyre Begonia - like an exploding firework on the 4th of July, this begonia thrived when I transplanted it from its original hanger to the base of the clematis. It shoots its fun flowers over the sides of the deck and makes a bold statement.

Mandevilla - This tropical climber thrives in humid settings, and was probably a bit risky for moody Wisconsin. A cold June set this one on a slower start, and it didn't really produce a lot of vines. However, it still produce a number of wonderful red flowers, which gradually lighten to pink with age.

Painted Tongue - a multi-colored gem that has already gotten a lot of attention on this blog for its tiger lily like markings. One of its many colors included this red variety with yellow markings. McDonalds, anyone?

Oranges

Black-Eyed Susan Vine - Last year's clear winner was this year's ultimate failure. It just never took off. It maybe produced one flower (expertly captured here), but was ultimately a disappointment. It's not even alive right now. I thought I could spark some energy by removing its trellis, but I only stunted it even more.

Flowering Maple (aka Ablution) - This flower takes its names from its leaves, which resemble the leaves of a maple tree. The flowers are a delicate salmonly orange. The variegated leaves were one of my husband's favorites, showing a yellow and chartreuse camouflage pattern. At this point in the season, it has basically overrun its box mates, so it may have better off in its own pot.

Yellows

Portulaca (aka Moss Rose) - This ugly duckling finally bloomed into a beautiful swan. In June, it had a close resemblance to Bob Marley's head, but this August it finally produced beautiful buttercup like yellow flowers. The only trick is that they seem to open and close throughout the day and I haven't been able to catch them with the buds open.

Canna - I purchased this yellow canna on a very hot day in July at the Madison Farmer's Market. It is a water lover, and I've heard that it can come back next year if I make cuttings in the fall. For now, I just appreciate its constant blooms and tiger pattern.

Painted Tongue - yellow flowers with light yellow markings were also one of the many colors that bloomed from this wonder.

Week 33, Year 2: The Clematis Files

Back to clematis. Last year's attempts were a disaster. I planted two varieties and both were fairly pathetic. One never bloomed, and the other finally produced a couple pitiful flowers after having survived my "pruning" (a.k.a. butchering). It should have been clear that clematis was not meant for my containers, yet, a glutton for punishment, I thought I would try again despite the evidence. If last year was a C, I think this year is closer to a B+/A-.

This year's hopeful is dubbed "El Presidente" and produces large purple flowers. I got smarter and bought this clematis a little later in the season, so it wouldn't whither from the cold again. It also had a couple flowers already in bloom, so I knew I would at least get to enjoy something. Clematis is supposed to bloom in early June, so I knew I didn't have much time to produce a winner. I planted it in a large container with a trellis for it to climb, instead of trying to force it around our deck spindles. I put pansies and the bonfire begonia at the bottom to keep its feet "cold." I also put it in a sunnier spot, hoping that would help force it along.

Early on, it seemed I had another failure on my hands. The flowers that had been blooming on the plant when I purchased it had wilted (see the rather pathetic drooping above), and the stems had turned a nasty shade of brown. We left for a week of vacation, and I was fearful that I would be returning to a rather nasty scene clematis wise.

However, to my surprise not all was lost in our absence. Despite the 100 degree days, there was new growth on our plant when we returned. By solstice, we had buds, which turned into a couple new blooms.

We saw another two flowers by independence day. After that, it seemed like the clematis went on hiatus again, but last week it produced another two blooms and more new growth. I'm not really sure how to interpret this, but I have reached the following conclusions:

- this variety of clematis only produces 2 flowers at a time (that or it just hates me specifically)

- the climbing trellis is a must have for a potted clematis

- always plant something exciting at the bottom to distract from any failures at the top (e.g., the spectacular begonias)

- I still don't know what I'm doing clematis wise, but I've progressed enough to justify more punishment next year

Week 32, Year 2: The Showstopper

This year, the clear winner in my garden is the lisianthus. Lisianthus is the cultivated form of eustoma, a native prairie flower. The plant first caught my eye because it's wildflower origins suggest it is easy to grow and could be a real stunner.

Early Days: Mother's Day to Solstice

Lisianthus is a slow starter, but the results were definitely worth the wait. I planted mine in early May; splitting my plants between a mono container and sharing residence with coleus and browallia in a western facing window box. The plants started out at 3 inches, but steadily grew over 12 inches by end of June.

At one point, the leaves started to brown, and I quickly realized that I was overwatering this hardy wildflower. I also had to stake the stalks as they became too tall and started drooping.

Almost Blooming: Solstice to Independence Day

Finally, in early July, I started to note buds. However, I was startled to discover the buds were green, and not the purple that was promised on the tags. This was merely a ruse, though as the buds opened they appeared as a light lavender and gradually grew darker.

Beauties in Bloom: Independence Day to Present

After another week, the buds finally bloomed into bright purple flowers with neon green seeds in their center. The flowers most closely resemble a rose and survive for up to two to three weeks. Moreover, they make tremendous cut flowers. As in soil, the cut flowers area hardy and have lasted more than a week in my recent arrangements. Now, in mid August, my lisianthus is still blooming. I had to cut one stalk out of my potted version, but continue to see blooms on the remaining three stalks.

I am absolutely in love with the finished product and hope I can continue to plant this beautiful prairie flower in my garden for years to come.

Week 30, Year 2: The Purple Spectrum (the lighter side)

This entry follows up on my showcase of the many purple flowers residing in my garden. This week's entry focuses on the lighter "purples" (from basic purple to violet to light blue). From dark to light, this set includes: clematis, lisianthus, salvia, plumbago and silver petunia.

The "Light" Purples

I've classified this set as "lighter" purple because of the way their petals lighten as they age. Unlike the "true" purples showcased in the last entry, these flowers start out purple, but lighten to a lavender-esque shade as they finish blooming. Among this group, from dark to light, we have: clematis, lisianthus and silver petunia.

Clematis - This year's clematis has been much more successful than last year's attempts. While this variety only bloomed in June, it produced spectacular purple flowers that looked great on the climbing trellis I planted in their container. Clematis are categorized according to whether the new flowers bloom only on new growth, old growth or both year to year. I'm not sure what kind I have, but, hopefully, I will get to find out next year.

Lisianthus - a native prairie flower also known as eustoma. I hope to have a separate entry on it sometime soon.

Silver Petunia - these are a repeat from last year. I just love the delicate coloring that appears almost fuschia in the center and fades to a silverly purple. The photos just can't capture this spectacular coloring, but if you ever see one in your garden store, I highly recommend it!

The "Light" Blues

The flowers in this group look even more blue than their blue-purple cousins. These flowers have cooler notes of light blue petals, ranging from a robin's egg blue to a very light blue. In my garden, this group is represented by the salvia and the plumbago.

Salvia - one of the first plants in this year's garden. Salvia is actually a sage variety that produces small bright blue flowers. Mine is somewhat temperamental and looks kind of dead half of the time, but blooms the other half - I think it depends on whether it is too hot or not.

Plumbago - one of the showier residents of the garden. This trailer produces wonderfully delicate light blue blooms in large heads with individual flowers (similar to a geranium). My only complaint is that it is very sticky, making it hard to dead head.

Week 27, Year 2: The Purple Spectrum, Part I (Blue to Royal)

In case it isn't obvious, I love the color purple (or is it blue?). Many of my flowers fall somewhere between deep (blue) purple and light purple (blue). While some of my purple winners will merit their own entries (e.g., clematis, duranta), I will try to showcase the rest of the purple flowers in this entry, and follow up with some other color "themed" entries to highlight the less showy participants in my garden. Since I have so many purple residents, I am splitting my purple entries into two, and this week's purple spotlight will be on the royal, deep "blue" purple residents: browallia, verbena, speedwell, petunias and sweet potato vine. There are several shades of purple, and I've done my best to classify my royal/blue set below.

The "Blue" Purples

Many of the deep, royal purple varieties are actually classified as "blue," reflecting their deep, cool color. A true blue flower has eluded growers to date, and most attempts to create a blue flower have resulted in the deep purple color that is classified as "blue." Whatever its called, this is definitely my favorite color in my garden. While the striking blue-purple of the duranta was highlighted last week, the petunias, verbena, browallia and speedwell are other examples of this great color.

Petunia - These wave petunias look like they are made of velvet up close.

Verbena - Another repeat player from last year, but this time the verbena are getting full-sun, sharing a box with the stock and Mexican heather.

Browallia - The browallia won my heart last year, and I couldn't help but bring them back this year, especially given their tolerance for shade.

Hungarian Speedwell (veronica) - The speedwell is a bit mysterious - it bloomed for about one week in early June and has not produced flowers since.

The "True" Purples

The true purple flowers are more of a royal purple or classic purple hue. These flowers have a warmer tone and can range from an eggplant to violet, stopping short of the lighter lavender shades. In this group, from dark to light, we have painted tongue, sweet potato vine and heliotrope.

Painted Tongue - Though the painted tongue has also produced yellow and red flowers, these eggplant stunners are the focus of this entry.

Sweet Potato Vine - This variety of sweet potato vine ranges from chartreuse to eggplant, providing the perfect complement to the silver and purple petunias.

Heliotrope - The heliotrope is incredibly fragrant. I grew it in a box last year, but decided to let it have its own pot this year. It's a bit floppier and I think I might have preferred it in the box, but it still smells incredible.

Week 27, Year 2: Plain Old Geranium?

I have to admit that geraniums were never a favorite of mine. I saw them as fairly ordinary, over used and just a bit awkward looking. However, through my adventures, I've had to retract those sentiments and back peddle a little bit on the geranium bashing. Although most people think of the "ordinary" grocery-store variety of geranium, there are actually two hundred species of the "pelargonium" or geranium genus, including shrubs, perennials, succulents and the well-known annual. Who knew, right? To make things even more confusing, there is also a "geranium" genus that refers to the four hundred some species of perennials known as "hardy geraniums" or "cranesbill." In an effort to make up for my own naivete, I decided to plant one of each genus in my garden this year.

Pelargonium Peltatum a.k.a. Ivy Geranium

The pelargonium variety are recognized by their ball like rounded clusters of flowers. There is also an incredible variety of accompanying foliage to the species. Some gardeners will actually remove the flowers just to enjoy the dramatic foliage of certain species. I chose to plant an ivy geranium, which is a climbing variety with dark variegated ivy-shaped leafs and pink flowers with a bold red outline in the center.

As expected, these have been easy to care for and require only the most minor of deadheading. Unexpectedly, I've really enjoyed the dramatic colors and have not gotten bored with the plant. The biggest challenge is that it shares a box with the plumbago and speedwell, and I fear the speedwell will probably get overrun by its hearty neighbors.

Dark Reiter Geranium a.k.a. Hardy Geranium a.k.a. Cranesbill

Not to be confused with its pelargonium cousins, the hardy geraniums have spread out clusters of bell like flowers and bloom year after year. They are wildly popular with gardeners given their hardiness and are perfect for ground cover and border areas. I purchased a relatively new variety known as "dark reiter geranium" which has darker leaves and lilac flowers. Unfortunately, I'm not sure if the hardy geranium is well suited to container gardening given its typical use as ground cover or in rock gardens. Mine seems to be stunted and has not grown very much in six weeks. My husband thinks it is planted too low below the box, so the sun is having a hard time reaching it. However, its neighbors - the painted tongue and flower maple are thriving, so I may need to move it to its own pot or try to bring it higher in the box. This is probably the biggest challenge in my garden right now and it may just not be meant to be.

Even if it doesn't work out, I've certainly gained a great respect and admiration for both kinds of geranium.

Week 26, Year 2: To Prune, or Not to Prune?

One of the more interesting additions to this year's garden is the "Shooting Sapphires" Duranta tree (or is it a vine?). We found this plant at a grocery store (truly) and knew nothing about it, but liked the look of it and decided to give it a shot. We loved the delicate purple flowers that are outlined with a thin white stripe along the side. We also thought it might be a fun challenge, so we planted it in a heavy pot and started the experiment.

After more research, I learned that our duranta is traditionally a vine, but can be trained into a tree, similar to the one we found. Apparently, the tree-like durantas will continue to shoot branch like vines out from the top to resemble a small, ornamental tree. It is also a fast grower and may need to be trained more to prevent the vines from going every which way.

Ours is about 6 weeks old, and it definitely is starting to look a bit out of control. At the same time, I'm not an expert pruner and I have no idea how to pare it back. Pruning is not an easy task, and you can do some serious damage if you over prune. So, I'm a bit nervous about taking the task on. At the same time, I don't want the tree to start to tip over from the excess vines. I supposed I will have to deal with it, but for now I feel like the mother of a toddler with golden ringlets who is afraid to get her little girl's hair cut for the first time and lose all those golden ringlets. Eventually, those ringlets will get dirty and tiresome, but it will probably take a little bit longer than usual to force the first haircut.

Week 25, Year 2: The Teenage Years

My garden is in an awkward in between stage. While many of the plants have grown significantly, they are in a weird place where they are looking a bit unfinished. They can't decide if they are going to play nice with one another and everything is looking a bit unkempt as a result. Half of them are growing in every which direction, refusing to be trained and still resisting gentle directioning. Essentially, they are acting like rebellious teenagers. Here are some examples:

The Rebels

The rebels are the plants that just refuse to cooperate. They are dead set on defying me.

Plumbago - The plumbago is a late bloomer. Supposedly, it will grow downward, but right now, it really is only willing to grow straight up. Eventually, the weight of the branches should cause it to fall downward, but until then, it just grows straight up and leaves the box feeling unbalanced.

Clematis - Similar to the plumbago, the clematis does not want to grow downward. While I bought it a nice fancy trellis, it is happier growing straight up, even when I wrap its vines around the trellis.

The Ugly Ducklings

These guys are just on the verge on greatness, but have to go through a final round of acne and braces before they truly bloom.

Lisianthus - This is a native prairie flower. It has grown into an incredibly tall plant, but has yet to bloom. However, it has just developed buds, and I have to believe it is on the verge of greatness, but I'm not sure what it needs to take that final step.

Mandevilla - The mandevilla is supposed to be a vigorous climber. The only problem is that it thrives in humidity. We haven't exactly had the best weather lately, and the plant has struggled for it. However, it is just starting to come along and has developed several buds - I feel like it has turned the corner and should be growing fairly quickly in the coming weeks. Unfortunately, I don't have a very good picture as I planted oregano and parsley in the pot and they sort of obscure the image, but I'll be sure to post a picture once it turns the corner.

The Nerdy Freshmen

These guys are seemingly stuck in those horribly awkward and uncomfortable stages. Oddly enough, these were some of my best performers last year, so I have faith they will get it together eventually.

Petunia & Sweet Potato Vine - The plants in this box are at a weird length. They aren't ready to grow downward yet, but they are too long to grow straight out - so they are just growing in every which direction. I'm trying to steer them in the right direction, but they seem to be struggling with it for now.

Portulaca - also known as cabbage rose, these guys are certainly proving it. So far, no buds or blooms have grown, but we have seen a number of thick vines that look almost like dreads. I'm not sure what to make of this guy to be honest, but I hope he figures it out soon.

The Prom Queens

Like any annoying popular kid, these guys are simply showing off and enjoying their glory days. Here's a quick photo tour:

Painted Tongue - There's a new color every week with these unique blooms. So far, I've seen red with yellow stripes, yellow with light yellow stripes, purple with yellow stripes and deep red/purple with matching stripes.

Flowering Maple - The painted tongue's box mate is also having a nice June. While not as splashy as its neighbor, it is quietly producing bloom after salmon bloom.

Stock - The stock is beautiful and fragrant, though not bullet proof. Like any teenager, it has its problems. In this case, the new growth is the definition of awkward. The blooms seem to shoot out of these spiky little sticks and I can never tell if the sticks have yet to bloom or not.