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Some Mid-summer stunners in my garden (not roses!)

17 years ago

In the heat of mid summer when everything looked washed out, fried, and tired, (including roses), hardy hibiscus and Lime light hydrangeas really light up the garden.

The Hibiscus is Kopper King and the Hydrangea is Lime light (I have a hedge of these planted 6 feet apart...they are just spectacular in the evenings...I planted these last year and hopefully they will grow taller and bigger..)

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Comments (7)

tjsangel
17 years ago
I love your Hydrangea! I bought one that wasnt hardy here and I felt stupid, I've always liked the white ones. The Hib makes quite an impact. Thanks for the pretty pics!

Jen
buffington22
17 years ago
Limelight is a wonderful plant. I cut several for a bridesmaids' luncheon and they were so beautiful, the groom's mom asked to borrow them for the rehearsal dinner. Then they were again used at the wedding reception in the 2 ladies' powder rooms. Finally, one of the decorators took them home for a baby shower she hosted at her house on the Sunday afternoon after the wedding. How's that for staying power! I just noticed that plants are putting out new blooms today! I highly recommend Limelight. Buff
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I am located in the Kansas City, MO area, not exactly California. I have grown Kordes' Brilliant in the Pacific Northwest and here in the midwest. It gets about 4 - 5 feet tall, has reasonably good disease resistance, but does benefit from a regular spray program. It is one of my first to flower and last to quit. Its growth habit is straight up, almost cylindrical, but spreading a bit. Its flowering habit is what you would expect as a grandiflora which would be a good class for this rose, but that class is not used in Europe. It blooms singly and in trusses as shown. The color in the photograph is quite close to real and is quite stable from beginning to end and through cool and heat. It does not have much of a problem with our winters here either with the multiple freeze-thaw cycles. It is fairly sturdy. It is one of the few that I have more than one of in the garden. It is available from Hortico and Vintage Gardens. I would put it as one of my better oranges.
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Skybird - I do have some seed already! Someone contacted me through Houzz last fall asking for some of my seeds that I had posted about several years ago. Fortunately I still had some, but I told her I had no idea if they were still viable. She sent me some of the Chocolate Flower seeds in exchange. I didn't plant all of them, so I could mail you some, or we could meet up. Also, I have several of the plants in a container so I could pot one of them for you if you'd like. I plan to collect the seed now that it's blooming (have 2 flowers right now, and another bud or two), so if you'd rather wait I'll reserve some seed for you! It's kind of an interesting plant even besides the lovely scent and the unusual flower formation. The "Chocolate Fragrance Award" goes to the Chocolate Scented Daisy (Berlandiera lyrata), and also called green-eyed lyre leaf, or lyreleaf greeneyes in reference to the shape of the leaf, which is curved like a lyre and the green disc which is left behind when the ray florets drop off which is thought to look like an eye. Found a site that has a lot of good info on it: https://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/berlyrata.htm Here's a pic of the unusual bud:
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pappu
Original Author
17 years ago
Yes, they last a long time after they are cut. I have also noticed that they dry and keep the white green color when dried indoors. I hate to cut the blooms though, because they last for months on the bush changing from lime to white to specs of red and pink as fall approaches. Last year I left them on the bush for winter interest. I have a neighbor with the pee gee hydrangia which is big and blowsy. Lime light is much more compact and has stronger stems which stay upringht. Great shrub.
carla17
17 years ago
Pappu, I am sure the areas around your house make all your neighbors happy. I love the Hibiscus, I have a couple. Lime Light is lovely too! Everything you post is always pretty and inspires me to keep going.

Carla
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
17 years ago
Hydrangeas are great. Is that a PeeGee?
thistle
17 years ago
OOOOH!!! your pictures are just beautiful.
pappu
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you!
Harry, the hydrangia is Limelight. It has stronger stems than PG(which flops every which way)and more compact and holds its blooms upringht even after a hard rain, unlike PG. The young blooms have a greenish cast to them which PG does not have. If you like the paniculata hydrangeas, look up Little lamb and The Swan. Little lamb has more fluffy, looser heads and Swan has huge palm sized florets..both are white...

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