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Penny Carnathan
Penny’s a Nurture And Hold (NAH): Nah, I won’t pull that out yet, it’s still got a green shoot. She likes dragonflies, lady bugs and new stuff only after weeding, pruning and fertilizing.
Kim Franke-Folstad
Kim’s a Want It Now (WIN): Everything pretty, everything now. She will resort to full-spectrum insecticides in desperate situations, and believes it’s her duty and right to buy new plants every weekend.
Both advocate Plant Choice (SOMEthing besides crotons. Please!), lots of color and low maintenance. We don’t agree on everything, but we’re smart enough to learn from each other - and from you.
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More Yankee plants (yes, more!) and mosaic pot creations from our resident mosaic-ist
Posted Aug 2, 2010 by Loren Omoto
Updated Aug 2, 2010 at 11:54 PM
I was thinking only Pumpkin and I had Yankee plants in our gardens. As Kay noted in a comment on the original “Yankees in our gardens” post, most people here err on the side of pushing too tropical. I hadn’t thought of that!
But more of us, apparently, do have plants with Boston accents and snow pants in their closets.
FOD Susan Gillespie paid “way too much” for this wisteria she ordered from Louisiana. (We’re defining “Yankee” as that which thrives in North Florida and beyond because, in Tampa garden-speak, that’s a darned Yankee.)
“I got this hair up my butt when I wanted a vine for the back fence,” Susan writes. “Up popped the evergreen wisteria in my search. I had to have it. You know how that is.”
Yes, sigh, I do.
She waited two years for blooms, but now she has them and oh my gosh, I’d say it was well worth the hair, the money and the wait.
One she likes for all of us is a vine called clematis Sweet Autumn, a beauty that dabs luscious cologne behind her sepals. It’s technically a Yank, from Wayside Gardens catalog, but it loves Florida. Susan has two in the sun and one in the shade, and the sunbathers are the ones blooming.
“Like all clematis, Sweet Autumn likes full sun at the top and shade at the roots,” Susan says. “I can honestly recommend this one highly for all vine whisperers. It doesn’t mind freezes either, as you have to cut them back anyway.”
FOD Janna, meanwhile, just happened to have my rare and wonderful balloon plant —tenderly transported by hand 2,000 miles from the mountains of Vermont—just popping up wild in her garden. Only Janna! And only Janna would not have plucked this thing like a wild nostril hair when it showed up uninvited in her garden. (OK, probably Susan, too. And Chip.)
They’re kind of small plants – they only grow to about 8 inches tall, or so my plant tag says. But when the blooms open, they’re a good 2 inches across and they stay for days. Very pretty.
Janna has 13 in a part-sun area of her garden. They disappear in the winter and reappear when it gets warm. At the moment, hers have no blooms. Here’s a look just so you get an idea. If you scroll down to the “Yankees in my gardens” post, you can see what the blooms look like.
The next is not a “Yankee” plant, but I’m sharing blackberry iris because it’s all over the blogs right now, but I have yet to see a nice close-up like this one from Janna.
She got this at the winter “secret plant sale” held by the partner of one of our favorite garden festival vendors. She has it in shade and it’s doing wonderfully, but it’s also supposed to like the sun. (We’ll see about that when I snag some from her!)
“The blooms are delicate but plentiful,” she writes. “It is beautiful.”
I agree.
Lastly, Janna was asking whether Susan had done any new mosaics lately. Ha!! That’s like asking FOD Chip if he’s got feral cats in the garden! Our resident mosaic artist has lots of photos to drool over at Flickr. They are absolutely beautiful – the woman needs to go into business! Here are a couple of my favs.
“I had these dishes to play with so I made a pot with them,” she wrote on Flickr. “I didn’t love the black grout at first but it is growing on me.”
Me, too!
And one more:
“I’ve had this ugly plastic pot in my room forever with this plant in it. I was looking at it one day and thought, ‘Why the heck don’t I make myself a pot?’” Susan says. “So I did.”
Yes, I’ve asked to be added to her birthday/Christmas/Hanukkah gift list. I really don’t care WHY I get one, as long as I get one!
Thank you, Susan and Janna for the lovely pix and great inspirations. I wish rain on both of you.
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Reader Comments
Posted by (kgardens) on August 03, 2010
Wow, Susan, wisteria? It’s gorgeous but I never thought it would do well here. Love the clematis. It LOOKS fragrant. Your mosaic pots are so pretty. I’m with Penny; you should go into business.
Janna, I’m going to have to send my seedlings over to your house for physical therapy. I get seeds to germinate but they don’t thrive like yours. Can’t wait to see all those balloons bloom. I have the Blackberry Lily but mine is a little more pink in color and doesn’t have freckles. This is my first time growing it and so far I love it. Blooms a lot. I’m planning to save some seeds to trade at our next FOD get- together.
Posted by (Janna) on August 03, 2010
Susan, I just LOVE your mosaic art creations! You have such an artistic eye. Thanks for sending the photos. You should rent a booth at the next Greenfest - I’ll be your first customer. Do you sell any of the pots on e-bay or anything? If not, you should. The clematis and wisteria are gorgeous and look like they are not at all bothered by this heat.
Thanks Penny, for posting all the photos! I’ve got some blackberry iris with your name on it.
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on August 03, 2010
Love the Blackberry Lily, Janna. I’ll stand in line for seeds from you and Kay. I’ve seen them on the blogs too and wondered where to get them. I should have known the wonderful FOD"s would share.
Kay—-the wisteria is called Evergreen Wisteria and different than the regular wisteria.
hmmm—-go into the mosaic business. There’s an idea. Thanks for the praise, girls. You made my day.
Posted by (Janna) on August 03, 2010
Kay, it’s also my first time growing the blackberry iris and you’re right - it blooms like crazy. I’ll try to save some seeds for the next swap, too. What kind of seedlings do you have going? I really like watching things grow from seed but it’s often a “hit or miss” endeavor. I’ve seen pictures of your garden though - I’m sure that if anyone can get those seedlings to thrive, you can! I plant my seeds in pots on a table under a covered lanai that just gets a glimpse of afternoon sun. When they get big enough to start leaning toward the sun,I slowly start exposing them to more light…
Posted by (Janna) on August 03, 2010
Susan, I’ll be sure to save you some seeds! Depending on how quickly it spreads, I might even be able to do one step better and pot some up for you.
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on August 03, 2010
What a wonderful group of people on The Dirt. Thanks, Janna. Seeds or plants—-I won’t be picky. You know you brought up a good point about getting those seedlings acclimated to more light. What seeds I start on a covered lanai goes from a lania that gets morning Sun to plopping into direct Sun in the garden. Most of the time it works but I’ll have to watch that more closely.
Posted by (Chip) on August 03, 2010
Wow great way to start my day. Susan it isn’t to early to start thinking of the county yard art comp. If you do remember how long they kept “boots”. I had to laugh at the feral cat’s remark I hated to do it but I got the cats to the feral cat rescue people. And a new group moved right in. Jenna I would take seeds from you any day. Your holly hocks are blooming there heads off. My focus has been on my seedlings for the fall…“Chip”
Posted by (Janna) on August 03, 2010
Chip, I’ll be sure to put you on the list for some blackberry iris seeds or sprouts. I just knew those hollyhocks would like it over at your place!
Susan, I’ll have to give your seed starting method a try, too…
Posted by (Chip) on August 03, 2010
I have been thinking long and hard but the only Yankee in our garden is Diane! There maybe more morning glory’s ? not sure. I got to get back to work on the shed today and man did I pick the right day to build a roof, I didn’t think I would ever get done. all that needs to be done is installing the door and a coat of paint! Janna I would love some iris I get the biggest kick watching things grow from seed. Susan you are most defiantly an artist. ..“Chip”
Posted by (Chip) on August 04, 2010
And the most beautiful flower in the garden!..“Chip”
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on August 05, 2010
You are a sweet Hubby, Chip. And I am looking forward to that big shed reveal, too. I know I will have shed envy.
Thanks for all the sweet compliments on my mosaics. I appreciate every one.
Posted by (Iluvpumpkins) on August 09, 2010
Susan, Your clematis look great! I was just in NC and was tempted to bring more home, but did’nt. The wisteria is one of my all time favorite vines, but my yard to too small, but it sure looks good in your garden. Your mosaics are just beautiful. Have you ever done a birdbath?
I have to say how much I enjoyed seeing all these pretty pictures you Guys. Pumpkin
Posted by (Susan Gillespie) on August 10, 2010
Thanks Pumpkin. One of my first attempts at mosaics was a birdbath. I learned a lot on it but it’s not my best work. I am looking to do another one but can’t find just plain terra cotta or smooth surface birdbaths to work on. That wisteria is called evergreen wisteria and it stays pretty small. It’s not like the regular wisteria.