lo sceicco bianco

b.' Doc' (Tim Anderson?) - what a handsome boy! In protected, dappled light,
 should be a very elegant plant

On the court by 8:30A or so, the humidity and heat were quite a challenge

b. 'Bandit' from PHOE, in shade the leaves are a deep beautiful green

Bought some orchid bark, perlite and I'll sterilize some very nice potting soil, full of organic matter-- mix it up and test with some rhizomes. Also bought an azalea pot, the type with the holes on the side of the pot, with some moss covering the holes it might make a nicely aerated home for someone.

Begonia a la ruski-- a lot of nice begonia pics: http://ourflo.ru/viewtopic.php?f=38&p=215392

Palm Hammock Orchid Estate (PHOE) visit






Lots of beautiful plants here- fine, fine examples of begonias





R F Orchid Nursery purchases

 

Dendrobium parishii

 

schomburgkia thomsoniana

 

aerides fieldingii

Here are some good orchid pics. If you don't speak Russian, just check out the links on the left side of page: http://www.the-beast.ru/

 

Maybe hit RF this Sunday for more investments.

My new Selph

Visited Jesse Durko's nursery SW70 Ave off of Griffin. What the hell happened to his begonias? I was disappointed in the little he had in stock. However.. he does have some nice beds of rhizomatous begonias. I found 1 pot of Caribbean Queen, I had given him a rhizome of it several years ago, can't help but wonder if I was buying my own plant back. My favorite sales engineer was speeding around in the golf cart, but stopped long enough to cut me a deal: I got a 6" piece of a Selph's Mahogany rhizome (from a plant in the ground) and the Caribbean Queen, both for $6.50--all the cash I had on me. Sweet.





Upright rhizomatous begonia 'Selph's Mahogany'. It got a clean fresh cut on the rhizome, dipped in rooting hormone and gave it some nice potting soil, full of organic material. .



Caribbean queen, simple but very special during bloom time.

Tropical moisture -- flooding

It's been raining. Quite rainy. The assorted crew in the newly planted rectangular planter all show nascent growth. One of which I'm very please to say in b. Arte Hodes who is obviously happy to be alive. I've planted a number of cuttings around. I have one pot dedicated just to Artey. It is very exciting to find a begonia that's aggressive--tough enough to grow in my garden. As you know b. U402 is a favorite as well. I'm boring I know and I repeat myself. But I love my plants and my plants love me.

In my evening turn in the garden;  what a great idea it was to plant a cheap Mexican pot with philodendron Burle Marx --the low wide-mouth pot, about 20" diameter.  Plant in with rich soil, let it grow. It is programmed to form a BIG mound of shiny green leaves that will overflow it's pot, rather like one of Dolly Parton's wigs. Great bang for the buck. It takes sun (if the soil is kept somewhat moist), wind, salt air. SCROLL DOWN..



b. orococo

 

definitely ready for a close up

Go here: http://absastro.tripod.com/ now or forever hold your rhizome

 



Still, warm evening

Taking advantage of a dry, warm, still evening to spray some dinner around. I use MiracleGro in a 3 gal sprayer. Starting with the reaches of the purple bougainvillea, blood orange, creeping fig with has reached the eves of the roof. Coming down to eye level, feeding begonias, wart ferns, fish tails, stephanotis, philodendrons, etc., etc.

Quick! Hide the pot!

Cover them up! I've said it before, I'll say it again, the plant should be 3 times the size of the pot. Ideally, it would completely hide the pot. Cover it all up. I want to see masses of green. I need to find some alternatives to the fabulous philodendron Burle Marx. I have some very large square planters that need some clothes. I'll keep you posted.

New large planter has new tenants

New planter full of burle marx, wart fern, b. orococo, b.  U402, night blooming cereus, and the focus of the planter a stephanotis vine which will be wound through the criscross trellis-- a buy from Home Depot, spray painted black (left to dry several days). It should fill in nicely.

A few weeks on..