Ricky, your crotons are incredible.
Anna, the first one is med. magnifica and the middle plant is a trascadentia variegata or varigated moses in a boat. This one is very slow unlike the others which can grow too fast. This plant is about 2 years old and no pup in sight. I am not sure about the name of the orange ixora.

My compliments to all! Every picture is beautiful.
{{gwi:951020}}
A bud on a Confederate Rose,opening. I love the different stages of this specimen.
Felix

Wow, I love seeing pretty pictures when I wake up. Thanks, everyone!

Ricky, your mona lisa is a masterpiece! Can't wait for mine to grow up. I like the way you pair it up with an ixora. I need to evaluate what to put around the knees. Too many ferns already.

Felix, that truly is a beautiful picture. You should show it again when it opens. I love the different stages too.

Ginny, boy, is that plant aptly named. Intriguing the way the calyces (?) are black in contrast with the bright red lipstick.

Kate, I don't know how I missed the bumblebee the first time I looked at the picture! You really captured him well. Determined, isn't he?

Here is my alocasia borneo giant. You can see the scale by the coconut palm it is close to. I guess it is about 9 feet tall. I love the clump it is forming.

Anna

Someone made a comment in an earlier post on this forum about how shy titmice were. Well meet Harry the hair theif. This was back in the spring. He got me first while I was having coffee on the patio. So I got my camera and persuaded my wife to come out. Boy was she surprised. This went on for several days, until the nest was finished I guess. I had some fun inviting people out for coffee.

john

Ha ha ha ha ha....hee hee hee hee hee hee...ho ho ho ho ho...

John, what a great story, and an even better picture!!! Love it! This thread has turned out to be fun too! Of course, your wife has great hair... and Harry has great taste.

Anna

This is a dragon fruit flower. It bloomed a couple of weeks ago. It just bloomed 6 flowers all the same night a couple of days ago. Missed that pic opportunity.

This is what the bud looked like:

Christine

{{gwi:951030}}

Guess who's coming to diner?
On the menu is Confederate Rose. Well they gotta it too.
Ha Ha Ha
Felix

Hello, i moved down here (west hollywood) from new york and within one year fell in love with the scenery!

maryinnp i have those growing invasive in the leeway of my back yard. my neighbors call them purple shower here. they commonly attract green orchid bees. heres a pic:

manuture
that is my rainbow eucalyptus tree, i have a thread below i update bi-monthly (its due) its progress. it can grow up to 20 feet a year up to 100 feet down here, larger in its native Australia
heres a pic of its bark as it matures and peels

countrynest
beautiful koi pond, that is definitely on the to do list after my pergola, i want to grow lotus flowers

happy_fl_gardener
beautiful dragon fruit. do you hand pollinate? i have yellow, purple haze and delight. they grow fast during rainy season (starting to work its way up the telephone pole) but all of its flowers (8) have not resulted in a single fruit. i witness alot of bees pollinating flowers around my yard so i dont understand why the flowers arent pollinating. maybe next year.

BTW this thread is pure awesomeness.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rainbow Eucalyptus thread

Hi, Everybody!

Can't tell ya how much I've enjoyed this thread. Everyone's photos are so beautiful and/or interesting. Anna, are you going to start a "Pictures of the Week" thread on Monday? I love that idea!

Boom, the rainbow eucalyptus is stunning. Never saw that before! Thanks for sharing it. (Who's the handsome fella beside it????? *grin*) And the green orchid bee photo is beautiful!

Felix, tell that guy to quit munching on your Confederate Rose. I'm sure you can reason with him, right?

Chrisstine, your dragonfruit flowers are fantastic! And John, the hair stealing titmouse is a hoot! Bless your wife for sitting still while he made off with his ill-gotten gains!

Anna, Evelyn just gave Nicki a Borneo Giant, and Nicki's beside herself over it. I hope hers does as well as yours. Beautiful photo!

Kate, love the bumblebee photo, too. Oh, heck, I love ALL these wonderful pictures! Thanks to everyone for making this such a great thread. It's the first place I stop now.

I finally caught my spicebush swallowtail with his wings open yesterday, as he enjoyed lunch on my red (giant?) pentas. He was happy, I was happy, and I reckon the pentas were just fine, too!

Have a great day, everyone!

Marcia

My slice of heaven!

Wow! More pretty pictures. Marcia, your butterfly pics are outstanding! They belong in a butterfly textbook. Love to see the detail on those guys. Looks like a perfect specimen, too.

Have you ever showed us this part of your yard? Makes me want to take a stroll down that path. You must show us details of different stops along the way. As always, your rudbeckias are heavenly, but I see so much I would like to get a closer look at. Beautiful, beautiful area. Show us more, please!

Boom, those rainbow eucalyptus are gorgeous specimens. We saw some also, but in Costa Rica. Surrealistic colors. You can't imagine they are real. Selby here has one too that's quite nice. Keep us updated on your tree. Sounds like with that growth rate, it should start showing its colors soon.

Felix, I guess that grasshopper found that confederate rose to be quite appealing too! I was hoping you'd show it after it opened, but I guess we didn't expect this! The garden is full of surprises, huh?

Christine, wonderful detail on that dragon fruit flower and bud. Is that the same as the night blooming cereus? Wish they were open during the day to appreciate them longer.

Here is my only Vanda, and it's blooming now. I find these orchids to be too needy, and I can never give them as much water as they need. This is the best it does, as it needs much more attention than I'm willing to give it. Pretty enough for me, though.

Anna

Nice Vanda Anna ;-)

GG - can I incorporate your wonderful flower garden in with my veggies? That's what I want out back in my raised veggie beds!

I'll post a few humble pictures....

Tom

WoW! Great pics!!

{{gwi:951062}}
Mexican Sunflower/swamp Sunflower...
All I know is that she puts such a show,this time of the year.
Felix

Variegated Elephant Ear.

Ooops! Gardengirl, I mistakenly thought your picture was Marcia's! Sorry. Your garden is beautiful, and I would love to see some more of the areas close up, or from different perspectives if you get the chance. I keep wishing I could stroll down that path.

Tom, you are getting quite the orchid collection! They all look quite healthy, and the catt and dendrobium are blooming wonderfully for you! And, I don't think I've ever seen a bigger bunch of bananas! What kind of banana is it?

Felix, grreat detail on that cheery swamp sunflower.

Veronica, beautiful variegated colocasia. Do you know which one it is? I think I've killed this one twice before! Sure is pretty, and yours is quite the specimen.

My floss silk tree is starting to bloom. Last year it only had a few sparse flowers. So far, it is doing a little better this year. Maybe next year will be the year! Truly, it doesn't much matter to me, as I really prefer it for the pretty foliage and interesting trunk.

Anna

Well, these are a little late but that's because I didn't honestly think they'd be worth posting but after uploading them I thought everyone might enjoy them, sunrise this morning at my place....

Tom

boom1 --- When the first dragon fruit flower didn't produce a fruit, I was disappointed. So, when the second flower bloomed I went outside and hand pollinated with a small artist brush. Got nothing again. Then 6 flowers came all at once but I missed the blooms. The dragon fruit flower pic is of American Beauty. I also have Physical Graffiti and Yellow which haven't bloomed yet. Since the dragon fruits are supposed to be self-pollinating, I need to do some research as to why they are not setting fruit.

Anna --- I believe that the dragon fruit is in the same family as the night blooming cerus. These dragon fruit flowers are so much larger.

Christine

Anna,
I'm a little slow in responding, but yes Yip Sum Wah rang a bell. I googled it and the fact that is a tetraploid rang another. Now if I could remember the cultivar...;>)

john

I have really loved everyone's pictures. Seeing other peoples gardens is awesome.

Christine, my dragon fruit has flowered several times and no fruit either. Somewhere I thought I heard or read the insect we need doesn't exsist here. But that doesn't explain the ones that self pollinate. If you find out why, would you please let us know. I am thinking of taking mine out as I hate to waste the space in the veggie garden. Maybe I'll move it to the tropicals. :o)

Wow... this is great fun and information looking at photos and ID's. You ALL would make great bloggers. :-) That's what is so great about garden blogs. It's not just the discussion but all the great pics. Anyway... I'm enjoying this thread A LOT!

My neighbor gifted me with two very mature Queen Emma Giant Crinums last week. I had to make room them as there was not really a spot 'waiting' for them.

I was in the process of working on digging up more grass in the back garden and creating another pathway. I put this one at a bend in that path and in front of a man-made (actually woman-made) raised planting bed.

The other one went in the front garden... maybe I'll get a good photo of that one for later.

Anna,
I just adore your tropical setting and that Alocasia you posted is just outstanding.
Meems

Nice sunrise, Tom. I just love that time of day in the garden. The birds are just getting busy and vocalizing. So much movement and excitement. Great colors in your sky.

Meems, that crinum looks like it didn't skip a beat. Looks like it's been there forever. I love seeing the foliage in your pictures. Does that lemon-lime dracaena tolerate your winters outdoors?

Here is a cluster of brazilian oaks I use to hide one of my compost piles. Great cover, isn't it? It's just getting going with blooms in the last couple of weeks.

Anna

Not the best picture but it was taken in Orlando area, on 417 highway. This is usually green/brown or with lots of water. This is the first. Lots of people stopped by to see the yellow color. Not sure what plant.. maybe goldenrod?

Thanks everyone for posting these wonderful pictures. I'm a brand new gardener who knows very little about anything. Everything is a new experience for me and this forum is quite an education. But, seeing these great pictures really bring those strange names and descriptions to life for newbies like me. Thank you so much for taking the time to share.

Here is the newest tenant that has moved onto the West end of our house. This is the largest spider I have ever seen except the tarantulas I saw in Texas. Banana spiders are listed as harmless to humans but I don't want to put it to a test. As long as he/she stays where he/she belongs, I am happy!

Anna,
I love the way many of your pictures seem to be taken looking up with the light behind them. Regarding your Borneo Giant, does it spread a lot or mainly stay put?
Tom gorgeous sunrise.
Gardengrl, gorgeous. I want to plop down in that chair.

Nancy

Tom,
That sunrise was a real treat.

Anna,
I covered that lemon-lime last winter with the threat of freezing temps and it came out unscathed. It is in a shallow container 36" x 12" deep. There were some others in the ground that were left uncovered and they got bitten but recovered nicely this summer.

Do you happen to have another name for the flowers you posted today? They are beautiful. I googled brazilan oaks and couldn't find any reference. I think I might have a couple of starter plants of them from my neighbor. She did not know their name. They are no where near starting to bloom yet. I would love to know the name of the plants she gave me... your photo is a good start I think.

I think Anna means Brazilian Red Cloak. I have that plant also and it has amazingly beautiful flowers right now. There was a hummingbird on it last week. That is the first time I have seen a hummingbird here and it was quite a thrill.
Linda Leaf

Oooops! Meems, I was doing too many things at once when I posted yesterday. Yes, like Linda said, I meant Brazilian Red Cloak (the latin name is megaskepasma erythrochlamys). Linda, I've been wondering if it would attract hummers! Very exciting! My hummers are gone again. They did not stay long this summer,although I had lots of stuff for them. Meems, that's good to know about the lemon-lime dracaena. Imagardener gave me one a while back and it is doing well in the ground. I don't want to lose it.

Nancy, the Borneo Giant is making a clump. No runners or anything. I took one pup out last year and it resented it, pouted the rest of the year, so I am going to see just how thick it gets and won't disturb it anymore. It almost dies back in the winter.

Billehighacres, that is a gorgeous picture of your spider friend! How long has she been in the same spot? I love having garden spiders. They are like ornaments!

Fagopher, that picture reminds me of driving through the midwest (except for the palms!). I love the color contrast and the appearance of movement in the road. Do you think the yellow were flowers or grasses?

Anna

Ooohh, fagopher we were there Saturday morning at sunrise and I got some AWESOME shots! As soon as I can export my RAW files into JPEGs, I'll post them.

I think those are swamp daisies. I've seen an average of 6 photographers out there every morning for the past week. That bloom only happens once a year, and didn't for the past 2 years because that area flooded.

I see this every morning on my way to work!

Anna, here's a pic looking the other way. Most of everything here has been "rescued" or "free-seeded". The cannas were saved from a shopping plaza flower bed that was about to be torn down. They were puny looking things at the time, but I saw the potential.

This is what this side of the house looked like 5 years ago. Nothing but weeds and fire ants...LOTS of hard work!

Gardengrl, what an incredible transformation!!! I love it. Your work really payed off big, for sure. I still wish I could see more up close. I see rudbeckias, gaillardias, cannas, coleus, plumbago, and maybe some salvia? What else you got going on in there? When you get a chance could you show us some of your plant combinations up close? You really have the layering down nicely. Is this full sun most of the day?

Anna

{{gwi:951099}}

Sorry I don't know the name of these sunflower-like flowers. This is my neighbor's yard and she didn't know their name, either.

Susie

Fabulous photos everyone!
Gardengrl, your before picture reminds me a little of my own backyard in it's current state! I am ever so slowly trying to renovate it. Your garden is amazing, beautiful job!

Fantastic pictures. Did not know we had such talented photographers on this site. But in keeping with my mantra "WHERE IS THE FOOD?" I only saw Toms bananas!
Love this post - it was a great idea.

How do you get the picture to show instead of just the link?

Ran around outside this past week and here's some of what I've got blooming.

1. Bulbophyllum orchid
2. bleeding heart with cloudless sulfur taking off
3. emerging cattleya orchid

Vanessa

{{gwi:951103}}

{{gwi:951107}}
{{gwi:951111}}

Sharbear50,

These's a thread on the Conversations discussions expalining this. I've added a link to that thread from this message.

Essentially, you need to have the photo on a website that allows linking to other pages. Then surround the address of the picture with "img src=WebAddress" (there's a space between img and src - replace the quotation marks with in your message)

For example:
img src=http://mysite.verizon.net/resu64md/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/aloe3.jpg

when covered by yields:

{{gwi:951116}}

Here is a link that might be useful: Easy Photo Posting Instructions

{{gwi:951119}}
Cigar plant,easy to propagate. I got many from the one that
Nova gave me. First time to bloom. Thanks,Susan.
Felix

There you are!!
I thought I posted this on the picture of the week thread.
I could not find it posted and here it is. Some one,please tighten my screws,HA HA HA
Felix

I love all of these pictures! This is the first place I come in the morning with my coffee...to see what has been posted. Thank you for a good morning, every morning Anna!

Single hibiscus. I don't know what kind.

I really like the before and after pictures...this one is kind of blurry. There is still much more done and much more to do.
{{gwi:28470}}

{{gwi:58443}}

I was so surprised to see this thread pop up again!

Wow, sharbear, what a great patio. Love to see the before and after too. Great transformation. Makes me want to have lunch outside today... not... so hotttttt.

Anna

Thanks Anna. I still have to get my hibiscus problem under control. As I was pruning them today I saw scale as well as mealy bug stuff. Darn and I thought once I pruned them I would be done...home depot here I come.

Oh and John, that picture of ascocenda is frame-worthy, as with many of the pictures here. Love it!

For sure some terrific pictures

Thanks all

Awesome everyone its a great way to welcome in the morning.
Thanks for all your pictures.

wt

Great color on that morning glory! Looks like it belongs in my daughter's pink and purple room. I loved seeing the detail on the aloe, too. Nature never ceases to amaze me.

Anna

maybe by Christmas, I can post a few of the best. What a talented group you are!!
Corar, did you get the tiles done?