This is a hibiscus that had been neglected for years, probably. Please don't hate me too bad, Donna in Louisiana!!! I cut it back severely today, and cleaned out grasses, asparagus ferns (note, I refuse to ever capitalize this),and a stray cherry bush that had gotten started from a nearby plant. I think, while the hibiscus is re-growing out, I will look into getting some type of vegetable suitable for summer that will climb the fence here...it gets full sun all day and will be perfect. What do you think of a climbing green bean? I need to do some investigating to see what that would be! I always liked to get fresh green beans whenever I can, from my own darn yard! That's fun!
You can see the grass directly behind the fence that has had a broken sprinkler, and it is so dry...but further back green grass is present. I am going to start hand watering until it fills in again, until the darn sprinkler is fixed. The sprinkler man came out and fixed quite a few that needed help, but this one doesn't turn like it should, so it just shoots out a stream in one straight line...and this is going to be addressed ASAP.
This picture is to show the evil that lurks in my yard...asparagus fern...it runs rampant here, and is a pain in the tush to deal with since it will stick you to death dealing with it. So this is my evil corner!
This Flippin Flapjacks has had a few leaves shrivel and disintegrate, but I see also that there are new leaves coming out...how cool is that...(I'm happy).
And last but not least, look how tall these suckers grow. Another Kalenchoe. I am wondering if it would look good if I put peices of it in each hole of my strawberry pot, and in the top as well. Would it get too tall and crazy looking, or would it look really neat? I can't decide. What do you think?
julie... pole beans would look good on your fence there, but I'd go for cucumber vines... they actually bloom and produce heavier when they're climbing... I grow 4 plants every year on my fence, and we end up with enough to make pickles!
ReplyDeleteClaude- OMG! Thanks for the info....can you believe I got excited and ran over to Lowes and found some yellow beans called Gold Rush, that are climbers, and I bought soil and came home and planted them...just like that! I will do the cucumbers next time...do they grow in hot weather, or will they be perfect in the cool months? I'm hoping the beans will be OK. If the cucumbers are a cool weather crop, I will do them next! Thanks!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI always associate cucumbers with warm weather, and the cool taste of them is great in the summer. I don't think they'd do to great in the cooler months, but I'm not overly familiar with your climate. Do you know any experienced gardeners locally? Wish I could say definitely one way or the other...
ReplyDeleteOne year I planted one gourd seed and it over took 1/2 of my yard and all the flower beds!!!! I did get a few to decorate during my gourd phase though. Beans and cumbers sounds like a better choice. Leave it to Claude!
ReplyDeleteI love when you share all these beautiful plants! The colors and shapes inspire me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteClaude-
ReplyDeleteoh...I have loads of gardeners family! I have never been much of a person for growing food, per se, but all of may family knows...I will ask them!
Pudgeduck- LOLOL...I can see your gourd yard, etc!!! How fun was that though??? I would have loved it...reminds me of when I tried to plant pumpkins here...oh the lovely vines that took over my yard...I got big gorgeous yellow flowers, and then everything died...it got too hot. They don't grow here, but I just knew I would be able to do it...I was seriously wrong...but it was fun while it lasted!!!
Teri...I see a new pic of you! Very nice!!!
we once grew luffa sponge gourds, not realizing how big they would get... they litterally grew up the fence, and before I knew it, up the side of the house and across the roof! Ended up with about 50 luffas that I gave away for Christmas. Wasn't too good on the shingles, but the shade they provided did keep the cooling bill down!
ReplyDeleteI agree about asparagus fern. It gets all that dead undergrowth, and it really scratches when you try to clean it up. I had a couple at my old residence. Never again!
ReplyDeleteAiyana
I can't tell you how much I love the name Flippin Flapjacks! How fitting!
ReplyDeleteYikes! The asparagus fern (notice I didn't capitalize hee-hee) sounds like a real bear to work with! I'm trying to think of what grows wild here, Sage Brush maybe? I'm sure there's something else, but I can't think of it now. My Kalanchoe's are really growing right now. I think it would be neat to see them in a strawberry pot!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE the Flippin' Flapjacks!!!
ReplyDeleteYour flapjacks look good and have great color. It's common for the bottem leaves to shrivel up and die back. The last one, Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi, here is what my book says about it: "An attractive and tidy garden plant throughout the year, with the bell-like pink flowersadding extra color in sprink. The notched pink-edged blue-grey leaves are held almost vertical on branches about 45 cm long. Prop. from cuttings."
ReplyDeleteI have this in my rock garden and it is a beauty. It gets full sun most of the day and has grown and spread to about 5' in diameter in a circle. It is very hardy.
After my company leaves, I am going to post some pictures on my site of the rock garden.