Deb your gardens are beautiful. I really like that Butterball hibiscus. Your fur baby has such a sweet face. It almost looks human. lol
Karyn

Butterball really is great. I love the classic hibiscus look... like what can be found on some of my Hawaiian shirts. But that Prom Girl is a real babe! Very unusual. I can certainly understand why she'd be your favorite. Where did you find her?

Bob

Oh wow I am in love AGAIN....TWICE lol I had no Idea you love hibiscus too lol GREAT! You know they say they are easy to take cuttings too hahahahaha At least that is what I am going to do come spring....is that right for those who know about that?.

what am I saying....once I got down to the hibiscus' and the butterball and oh wow the prom girl. I was speechless. Forgot all about my FIRST love. That is PURPLE! Man I can not wait to grow your seeds. Daniella send me some too so I should be covered for lots of them. I want them everywhere. They are just so unreal in color!

OH by the way... THANKS! You saved me from having to look up what the flowers are called I use for underplanting the brugs hahaha Periwinkles lol. That is where I am collecting all the seeds right now.

The Pride of barbados has been catching my eye a lot but I have to figure out first what they like and where to put them etc etc.

But your Wiener I am sure is your favorite or? He looks very pretty.

You did GREAT! I have not uploaded a think yet rofl.
Way to go Deb!

Lucy

Deb, we have a lot of the same flowers. I need to do some trimming on my tree hibiscus. Can I do some now? They have gotten really leggy and lopsided. I cut off a third this spring that had bug damage and forgot to do the other sides by thirds like I was supposed to until I realize the other day it sure looks lopsided, lol. I love the purple datura and all the hibiscus. I have a small flowered red one that is getting chartreause sweet potatoe vine all over it but it looks so cool when it blooms with that behind it. I will see if the new buds are open in the morning and get a pic. I have a small St. Josephs coat I got from Karyn that I love. I was so hoping it would root and it did and looks find now. I love the mixed colors on there. I also have the miniature yellow rose that turns white. I think it was called golden showers but will have to check that. It might be the name of my yellow climber instead, lol. I have a pride of barbados at the shop in a pot and its doing well but I want to bring it home and plant it in the yard someplace. It can take the full sun here if you keep it watered. I have a few seeds that I hope will mature on it. I also have the fake japanese maple but mine looks like a stick, lol. I hope it spreads more like yours. I have several of the others you have as well but I don't have your dog. Can I have him, lol. He looks so loveable in that field of henbit. I get that in my flower beds all the time and its a pretty flower but I yank them out because they take over, lol. On second thought have I lost my mind? I still haven't cleaned up the mess they made of my purple heart vine when they all went in the bed after a ball and Mercedes fell down and crushed it, lol. You can keep him and just bring him to play sometime if you get down this way, lol.

Deb, we not only share a love of similar plants, maybe its a Texas thing, but we also share a love for weiner dogs. I have 3, mom and dad are both short hair dapples, and daughter, is a long hair(the most beautiful dog in the world) She looks just like a collie, with solid white hair on her chest and a white star on her head, and two of the most beautiful blue eyes you have ever seen. love your pictures, thanks. Barbra

Okay... let me get it right this time. I missread the captions. Red Texas Star is what its all about. I love that flower! Not that Prom Girl isn't a babe though... don't want to hurt anybody's feelings. And that Datura is amazing, btw.

Bob

Deb, What beautiful flowers ! And the fur baby isn't bad either !! LOL. Pride of Barbados ?? That is a new one for me. What does the plant look like ? I wish you would take a picture of the whole plant. I think I love it .. Edna

Deb, I love that Prom Girl, just beautiful! She is such a pretty, ruffly pink. My Ruellia is in a large pot and always flops over, does yours? I'm going to put it in the ground because my other alternative is to dump it. I love the leaf and flower colors, but not the flopping over.

Deb.. What a Beautiful yard you have!!! I also just love Hib... My DD has 2 wieners as well.. A mini dapple and a mini long hair...LOL
Yours is beautiful.. What is her/his name!!
Edna I think I have some seed you can have..
Kylie

Thank you all for the kind words. And may I say, some of you have great taste in canines ;) We've had our little Lady, for 11 years. My daughter was 10 when we got the puppy and had always said, if she ever got a dog she would name her Lady. (Disney's Lady and the Tramp)

Kristy, I usually don't trim hibiscus until about Feb. But mine are all bushes in containers. I think since the temperature is cooling off a bit, you may trim a small amount just to keep the tree tidy looking. Wait, I just re-read your post, if you are talking about cutting to get rid of the lopsided, I would say it's too late to do major cutting. Wait until spring and shape it up then. I cut all my hibiscus way back this past spring, because last year they were getting a bit leggy. I didn't cut them until the beginning of March because we were still have some freezing nights. Which made for later blooms this summer. The tropicals will start to leaf on last seasons growth, but they will bloom more on new growth. Next year I will do the third cutback method. I don't want to wait so long for blooms next year. But a good cutback every couple of years will promote more blooms.

The Texas Star is totally different. It will not regrow from the previous years growth. They send up new sprouts in the spring. So old growth needs to be cut off. Then when the new growth gets about 10-12" tall, you cut that back to the first two nodes, to get more branching. You can start the cuttings you removed. On all hibiscus, the angle of the cut will determine the direction of the new branch.
The website I go to that really has helped me over the years is hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com

Bob, I usually harvest Texas Star seeds in Jan. Let me know if you want me to save you a few.

Eloise, My Ruellia does not flop over but mine is only about 3 ft tall. I do know that it was really getting leggy at the end of last season, so I dramatically cut it back in March. The new growth did start to lean at the beginning and I thought I really messed up by cutting it back, but once it started growing out in the sun, they perked up and haven't fallen over. Be careful about planting this plant in the ground. I've heard many people complain that it is very invasive and will take over along with volunteers popping up all over. It's very hard to get rid of once it becomes established. I have kept mine in a container and do not have that proplem. They are also easily started from cuttings. These plants bloom continuously but the blooms only last a few hours. My blooms will have all fallen by mid day.

Kristy, you think that the roses may be called golden showers? That would be good to know. I just call them the little roses on the side of the house. lol

I tried to answer all your questions, but if I missed one, please forgive me and repost it and I will answer. Once again thanks all for the very kind words.

Deb

I can attest to the invasive nature of the Ruellia. I use it in the landscape, and it definitely makes itself at home. It actually travels to some of my potted plants! I am fine with its growth habits though, since I enjoy a somewhat controlled-wild, tropical look in my gardens. For the Ruellia to mix itself in with others is desireable. When it gets too much, I just start yanking some out. Same goes for the Heleconias. From time-to-time, I do have to trim them back, as they will start to lay over. If everything is growing thickly enough, it all becomes self-supporting. At my office building, they are used as a hedge, trimmed under 3'. Anyway, I love them... I just wish the flowers would last the day. There are always plenty more come next morning though!

{{gwi:554642}}
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Heleconia
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Deb,
I would love to try my hand with Texas Red Star seeds. That is very kind of you. Let me know what I need to do... email?... send you $$$? Can't wait to see one of those flowers in my yard!

Mahalo,
Bob

Bob,
Those are gorgeous pics. I love the look of the Ruellia mingled with the other plants. That looks so much better than in a container. Your gardens are so lush looking. Yes, I'm envyous ;) I will put you on the list for seeds. I'll unlock my email so you can contact me.

Deb

Deb I am pretty sure I still have some TXS seed but just in case I would love to just have a few of each.. The germination rate usually very high.. I will pay or maybe find something I can trade ya.. I think I gave most of mine away..I let mine go and didn't grow it this yr...Yours are Beautiful!!!
Kylie

Kylie,
Happy to save some seeds for you :) Send me an email so I can put you on my contact list and I'll let you know when I harvest this years seeds.

Deb

Beautiful Flowers, Deb! That blue pool makes a great background.Lady's adorable!

Theresa

Deb, everything looks so pretty. Lady is too cute.
I'd have to say my faves are Prom Girl and the Pride of Barbados.
I had started some Texas Red STar seeds..but none of them took. Wonder what I did wrong?

Bob, that Heliconia looks great! What kind is it? I have some..Strawberries & Cream and Andromeda. They were blooming when I got them last fall, but I havent seen a bloom since. Probably just isnt happy here in crappy Jersey. Pretty much didn't do anything all summer up until 2 weeks ago, I noticed some fast new growth happening.
Yeah, that's it..I'm movin into your yard, lol

Daniella you do not live in TEXAS roflmao

sorry....that was a dumb joke hahahaha but I just HAD to lol

Bob as the other pictures you shared of your garden these to are just beautiful. Thanks

Lucy

Daniella
Only somebody who lives in Jersey is allowed to call it crappy! Having been there many, many times, and having a sister in South Plainfield and a cousin in Cherry Hills, I would certainly disagree. Although the sight of the refineries on the turnpike could use some help!
I think that the Heliconia are probably Andromeda. Many years ago, I helped a friend clear out an old garden bed, that was completely overrun with weeds and crappy (there's that word again!) looking plants. There were a few struggling Heliconia scattered about, so I brought home about 10 of them. In the ensuing years, I have, literally, pulled out thousands of them, to keep them under control.

A closer look:
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This spring, I reduced the bed considerably, because it was so much work. I added a taller, clumping variety, that was labeled "Assorted Heliconia". Gotta love HD! Next, I would like to get a Hanging Lobster Claw.
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{{gwi:554648}}

Just for the heck of it... Cordyline Red Sister and a Variegated Ginger:
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Deb, I hope this is not rude of me... to share my garden photos in your thread. I just get carried away.

Mahalo,
Bob

ring ring.....anybody called me?

Bob very pretty and I love to look at your pictures anywhere. Anytime.

(I am on the floor laughing . )

Bob, I didn't think you were being rude at all. I agree with Lucy, I love seeing your gardens and the plant combinations you used. I think we are all suckers for photos :) Keep those pics coming.

Deb

Thanks Deb, after reading the posts, I will keep my ruellia in its container. I have trimmed it before, but maybe it needs a very good haircut.

Bob, your photos are also beautiful, and I do like the way the ruellia looks mixed in the garden. I already struggle with another rampant grower, p. Incense, so don't want to add another, LOL! Love that first heliconia (close up) on your second set of photos!

Deb... I received the Texas Star Hibiscus seeds today. What a surprise, since I didn't expect them for a few more months. I am heading out to Cali on Saturday for a few days, but will get right to these, as soon as I get back. Can't wait to see those flowers in my garden... on the patio... near the front door...

Much Mahalo,
Bob

Bob,

You're welcome, I was happy to share. I know they will do well in your climate. You'll have to be sure to share pics when they start blooming.
Have a safe trip.

Deb

Those are all great photos!
When I was going for my daily walk last week I found a ton of those Ruellia (Mexican Petunias) in the drainage ditch down the block. They had went wild and looked really pretty. I took a bunch of cuttings and rooted them, that was before I found out how invasive they were lol.

Those Andromedia heliconia are at walmart for under 4 dollars here in 1 gal. pots. I got one that was blooming cuz I just couldn't resist. I hope it multiplies but I think I will have to protect it here in the winter.

Deb,
I love your garden pics. Such pretty flowers. Bob, I like your garden pics too. I am jealous.
Deb (or anyone?), I was wondering how you keep your Bride of Barbosa (or is it Pride?) under control? I have one where I am living now and I whacked it back in June and today it's as if I never touched it. Having the same problem with a wiley Bouganvillia and Pencil Cactus. They are all way out of control and so hard to deal with (thorny suckers!).
Lori