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Cottage Gardens

It bloomed! Can't believe my eyes!

12 years ago

There's a story to go with this picture. My DH gave me this plant 20 years ago tomorrow for my birthday. It has only ever bloomed one time since then and that was about 4 years ago right after I threatened to throw it out. However, when DH gave me the plant he said I needed to take good care of it as it was a symbol of our relationship. That if the plant lived so would our relationship!! Call that putting on some pressure!? He was joking, but it was something we have joked about over the years as the plant has failed to bloom, but just won't die! Even when I repeatedly forget to water it.

Well, my birthday is tomorrow. This afternoon as I walked past the bay window I glanced at the plant and couldn't believe my eyes! There was this big beautiful bloom!!!! There is also another bud developing. I guess it knew my birthday was tomorrow after all! :-)

{{gwi:659812}}

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Comments (14)

rock_oak_deer
12 years ago
That's a beautiful bloom and a beautiful story to go with it.

It's not easy to get a hibiscus to bloom indoors so you've got something very special.
misskimmie
12 years ago
Happy Birthday! What a wonderful surprise. I've managed to kill 2 hibiscus - both from special friends. Oh well.
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i can't believe how stupid my mother is *epic rant*
Q
Comments (71)
Kim, I accept/appreciate the sentiment conveyed in your above post. I continue to feel, though, that if one must use Holy Writ to justify a position OR to instruct others, then it's important (especially given the tenor of our times) to be very sure that whatever divine dictum invoked is quoted with accuracy. With all due respect, I think you've read into the verse you cited something that simply isn't there. That directive & its accompanying promise appear multiple times in both Testaments. In every instance (and in all of the several translations I'm aware of) the adjective modifying "long life" is either "thy" or "your", NEVER "their". So, everybody, we can lighten up and be of good cheer -- God is not going to off mom & dad before their time simply 'cause (like me) you were an insufferable young hellian. On the other hand, as a result of those juvenile trangressions, we maturing delinquents may rapidly (and deservedly?) be approaching our own personal, sadly premature end of days. :-) Since, unfortunately, we're in the mode, I might as well remind the peeved here of the sacred injunction regarding the casting of stones (that would be John 8:7). To any who maintain that they were never in the grips of an irrational snit with a parent (and vocal about it) allow me to say this: Get real. I don't believe a word of it.
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A brugmansia bloom, I can't believe it!
Q
Comments (9)
I'd love to see too! I have 6 remaining brugs, I dug up and threw away my peach versicolor which had not bloomed in 2 summers, not even a y this year. It was my oldest and I will not miss it. My double peach has been cut back for the year as it had no y (and no blooms) either, but it's only 2. My Santa Rosa, 2 cherubs and Heloise are loaded with buds! Can't wait!
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I can't believe my eyes !!
Q
Comments (8)
The Florida native incarnation of rudbeckia hirta is rudbeckia triloba, but it is definitely not that. Here is a close up of rudbeckia triloba...see how the flowers are rounder petaled and very small? They are only a bit over an inch wide. (Ignore the deformed ones in the center of the second photo...they are an aberration). Also, rudbeckia triloba and rudbeckia hirta both have large, coarse, hairy leaves. This looks like it has smallish, smoother leaves, if I'm picking out the correct ones from Felix's photo. Here's a pic I found online for beach sunflower. I can't say for sure, but it still looks way more like this than it does like rudbeckia triloba. Anyone else want to weigh in here? We need some opinions... Marcia
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Can't believe I am asking this.... but how to discourage blooms?
Q
Comments (13)
Oh, poor Kim, she has too many blooms! LOL! I'm sure a lot of the newbies are sticking out their tongues and giving you the raspberry! But seriously, I know what you mean about them bugging your nose. My olfactory senses LOVE them, but my sinuses HATE them. And this time of year, it can be a real hodge-podge of scents with several blooming at the same time. If you have a night bloomer that you don't want to put outside, you can throw a plastic bag over it before you go to bed and it will contain a lot of the scent. I have had Hoyas wake me up from a dead sleep in the middle of the night when the scent wafts my way (I have ceiling fans in practically every room....) When that happens, the next night I cut open a grocery sack and just kind of wrap it around to encompass the flowers as much as possible and clip it on with hair clips. It seems to help... Denise in Omaha
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schoolhouse_gw
12 years ago
Happy Birthday - tomorrow! Mine is Monday. That hibiscus is a pretty shade of red, or is it more orange?
susie_gardener_2007
12 years ago
That's beautiful! Happy Birthday!

Susie
girlgroupgirl
12 years ago
Happy Birthday!!
What a wonderful symbol of how a relationship can continue to bloom and grow and thrive after many years. It's beautiful!
Calamity_J
12 years ago
Have a Great B-Day!!! Lovely Bloom! Cute story, thanks for sharing, You put a smile on my face! Jane
newyorkrita
12 years ago
What a wonderful surprise and a stunning bloom.
michelle_zone4
12 years ago
Cool story and think how special the bloom is that you've waited all these years for.
mary_lu_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks everyone for the B-day wishes! It has been a great day, with loving family and friends making it even more special!
gottagarden
12 years ago
Happy birthday and may you have many many more - blooms that is!
pippi21
12 years ago
Had you ever figured out why it doesn't bloom every year? We have had two hibiscus, our favorite was the Lord Baltimore which is a beautiful red color and the other my daughter didn't like so she gave it to us because when we moved here 6 yrs. ago it was late Feb. and everything was frozen in the ground so we couldn't dig anything up to bring it. You don't dig a plant that big up very easily anyhow. We moved it one time and I bet the rootball must have weighed about 50 lbs. We never moved it again. The one our daughter gave us we didn't like the color nor did she.
Dug it up and discarded it. I cut it down with lopping shears and a hachet and it took a couple of hours to do it but I got it done.
mnkitty
12 years ago
Great story and beautiful hibiscus. Happy late b-day.

I have a sort-of similar story. 3 yrs. ago I planted crocus bulbs. Every year they've come up but never bloomed. When I went out Easter morning there they were. 3 of the about 25 had pretty, little, purple flowers.
Thyme2dig NH Zone 5
12 years ago
I love your story! Happy belated birthday! Isn't it great to have a birthday right when it's time to buy plants?! I love the excuse of birthday and Mother's day to do plant shopping!
Schoolhouse, my birthday was Monday too! And, my DH's grandmother turned 100 on that day!
mary_lu_gw
Original Author
12 years ago
I looked at the plant again tonight after I got home from work and now there are 2 more buds forming. I must be doing something right this year! The plant itself looks a little rough, as many of the leaves dropped off over winter. However, once it warms up and I put it outside it always fills in very nicely.

Thanks again everyone for the B-day wishes. It was a very good one, even if I'm not counting any more! :-)

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