Topics

1

Terrestrial Gardening / Anyone know this plant?

« on: February 19, 2008, 02:28:15 PM »

Hi, I guess I am about to try posting my first pic. and am not sure it's going to work.
But will give it a try.

Anyhow, I bought this plant in one of those 'supermarket greenhouses' last spring. It was so pretty and thrived so well over the summer and I was so pleased with it that I decided to try to pot some of it up and see how it would do in the house over the winter. I am happy to say it did very well, not even showing any transplant stress.
 
 I have no idea what it is. I think it might be some kind of iceplant, it has fleshy succulent light green and white variegated foliage. The small 3/4" daisy like flowers have many bright red petals with yellow centers that resemble iceplant blossoms.

 I intend to try starting cuttings from it for my summer outdoor potted plants. Hopefully it will work. But in the mean time I would like to be able to know what to call it. I can't find the the silly thing in any of the several gardening cataloges that have come my way. And I have not been able to locate it on the internet either.

So, if anyone out there knows the name of my wonder plant I'd sure like to know what it is.

Thanks, Patsy 

2

Terrestrial Gardening / Looking for opuntia cactus

« on: October 03, 2007, 02:42:11 PM »

Hi folks,

 I am currently trying to create a cactus and succulent garden in my yard. Something a  little different from the ponds and bog areas!
 I need plants that are zone 5 hardy. So far, I have located a nice yellow flowered variety of Opuntia named "Humifusa". But, I would also like to have The Beaver Tail cactus "Opuntia Basilaris," which is a pink flowered variety. I have searched the web to no avail for a source for this cactus. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. I did find seeds for the Basilaris but would of course prefer a live plant, or just a pad from one. Surely, there must be one available somewhere.... These cactus are native to the U.S.

Thanks for any help you can offer.....Patsy

3

Terrestrial Gardening / Pink flowered strawberry.

« on: January 08, 2007, 06:17:45 PM »

Help! - I think I may have lost my sanity!
In the summer of 05 I bought a pink flowered strawberry in a local nursery. I planted it in a pot on my porch, never thinking to notice its name. I was very impressed with this plant, it grew and bloomed beautifully all summer long and produced quite a few delicious berries too. It did not have runners but instead formed a healthy large mound. That fall I separated it's rooted stolons and replanted them. I left them all outside in the pot over the winter and was very disappointed in the spring to find that they had all died.

So, last spring I went to the same nursery to purchase more of that lovely plant. They sold me Fragaria Lipstick and told me that was all they had available. I was very disappointed with Lipstick because all it seemed to want to do was run all over the place and make dozens of small plants and a few small flowers.
In the mean time, I have searched the Internet and everywhere else I can think of, to find another plant like the one I had before. The only thing I can think of is that perhaps I had Pink Panda that first year. But, I believe it is also a runner producing plant. Lipsick is classified as an Alpine, and I thought Alpines were runnerless.? Can someone please help me? Is Pink Panda the plant I'm looking for? Or am I looking for a plant that is extremely rare, or does not exist? I'd really be greatfull for any help that anyone has to offer so I can locate the right plant for growing this spring!

Thank you
Patsy

4

Pond Chat / Which water lily?

« on: January 08, 2007, 11:13:50 AM »

 Well, here it is the beginning of a new year and YAY the gardening cataloges are coming in the mail! Of course that's what really gets me in the mood to think about what I want to grow this summer.

I've only had about four years of experience in water gardening but have raised tropicals successfully, - August Koch and Leopardess -, but am wanting to try some different ones now.

I've been looking at Trickers catalog and am just wowed by the beauty of the Judge Hitchcock tropical lily pictured there. I have found other pix on the net of the same lily and don't see that same beauty in them. Just wondering if someone else has had experience with growing Judge Hitchcock, is it difficult? And do you have some pix of it that you could post? 
Also, does anyone know of a source for Niemi's Opal? And is it easy enough for a beginner?

I guess I'm just a little on the leery side of killing some wonderful plants that don't deserve to die!

I would really appreciate any and all imput anyone has to offer.

Thanks Patsy

5

Terrestrial Gardening / Wintering Agapanthus

« on: September 14, 2006, 08:08:34 PM »

Help please.
I live in zone 4/5 and have always wintered my agapanthus in my sun-room like a house plant. We have a frost proof root cellar, so I am planning on putting my tender potted bulbs - along with a potted lotus - in it for the winter. Has anyone ever cut back an agapanthus and successfully over wintered it in such a manner? 

Thanks Patsy