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| b. 'Doc' catching a few rain drops. First time using a plant stand in the garden. It will probably rust soon enough, but that wouldn't be a bad thing I'm guessing. It boosts Doc up to a good height- to catch the sun while in a sheltered inlet of larger plants and become a focal point. The white plant stand isn't as distracting from a distance. I might have to paint it. Spent a few hours cutting around the root of bougainvillea in planters. I pulled out 2/3 of the soil (a thatch of tiny capillaries). I replaced this with a rich potting soil full of humus and a moisture control substance. In this new rich soil, I also plopped in some fish-tail ferns as the bougainvillea trunks looked too bare. It was lightly raining so I took the opportunity to swab the decks. Probably no complaints about excessive water gushing from my drain pipes as I swept out dirt and leaves with the rain already falling. |
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| Another at PHOE should have asked the name. I'll post when I find it. a rhizomatous with mallet leaves.. and very distinctive spotting..mmmm |
Hi;
ReplyDeletePalm Hammock sells quite a few begonias on their web site. Do they have different varieties at the nursery than those that are pictured on the web site?
Thanks
Yes a good many more. They have an acre under the sunscreen and 3 hot houses full of various types in various stages of development.
ReplyDeleteIf you can go there do, as they have pots of large, mature begonias; rhizomatous, erect rhizomatous, cane, rex, etc. They also have a fine collection of orchids, water lillies, vines.
Hey thanks....I too have an affinity for begonias and very few retailers in central Florida carry a good selection. Apparently PHN is sitting on the mother load......
ReplyDeleteNot sure if you care for cane begonias but I can recommend a great one, B. coccinea. It comes in both pink and white. It's thick canes reach 4-6 feet and need no staking. The ends of the canes arch over and are full of blossoms every month of the year. I've never had any disease attack it and it thrives through our summer heat and humidity. Truly a great species begonia discovered over 150 years ago.
I'm sorry not to respond sooner. I would love to try the coccinea as it looks to be a big-boned thing. Putting a mature plant in the prius gives me pause as does the question of me finding a location sheltered from the sometime stiff ocean breeze. But now that you've planted the seed..
ReplyDeleteTim Anderson the owner of PHOE is a renowned begonia hybridizer. There are new hybrids offered every year. Unfortunately, he suffered a stroke which has slowed him down. The nurseries in west miami-dade are giving way to housing as you can imaging. PHOE is an oasis.
I know I am getting way old when I ask myself "what's going to happen when the nursery is gone. will the younger generation have any interest in begonias, rosariums, appreciate the scent of water lillies. Will perennial beds be a thing of the past? Will the (more later)