california wonder purple pepper mini brown bell pepper shungiku edible chrysanthemum wonderberry, soy bean/edamame crystal apple cucumber tiny melons (that can be trelissed) sweet potatos cherry tomato-any color-rainbow mix would be awesome first pick tomato juane flammee tomato mammoth red rock cabbage strawberry spinach viking purple potato red brussel sprouts

Oh yes, that old thing....(Ive been wanting to say that for a long time.). Would you like the long story or the short answer? Ok. Well, it was back in the late 80's An organization in Florida called the Gesneriad Research Foundation, now defunct, put out a list for mail order, as a fund raiser. The SF club put together a group order and I ordered all the nematanthus, which included several new species and a bunch of new nematanthus hybrids, all made the foundation's founder and employee, botanist, Hans Wiehler. Nearly all of the hybrids and species found their way to our various gesneriad specialty growers as well as AGGS members, who do a lot of propagating. But this one got lost. I knew the name, and had a vague memory that it was one that I had ordered but hadn't seen the label in years; so I thought I had long ago lost it. Then, about 2 years ago I gathered up my nematanthus to make a list and I found that I had three pots of N. hirtellus, but one was different (and nicer). Then I dug around underneath the oak leaves and found the label. So....., this one is Nematanthus 'Petropolis', named for a beautiful city famous for its gardens in the mountains of Brazil. Hans also used Brazilian city names for other hybrids introduced that year--'Ubatuba', 'Sao Paulo', and 'Sorocaba'. Your plant must have come from the ones I propagated when I realized what it was. A plant may have gone to Strybing or it might just be that they also had the plant all these years ago at the same time as our club, but had lost the name. I think they also ordered from that GRF list (it was the only time that GRF put out a list--too bad!). Anyway, it differs from the species hirtellus in having a bigger yellow corolla. Both have that black-maroon calyx. 'Petropolis' seems to be a faster grower and a better bloomer too. I seem to have flowers on it all summer though I really need to take better care of it. It does get leggy if left to its own devices. I recommend starting cuttings and potting up multiple cuttings in a pot, then pinching as it grows out. It looks like you use fertilizer well, so you will no doubt produce a big heavily flowering specimen. Like other nematanthus it loves being outside for most of the year, and I grow most of mine outdoors. When I found this plant, it had been outside for many years, but for some reason I moved it into the greenhouse. So, that's the short answer ;) Jon

I grow everything from all over the world, together. I keep things from overwhelming their neighbors through pruning and careful placement of the larger ones. Eventually it will look like the jumbled mess that nature is up close. I am careful about leaf color and avoid anything that looks too civilized or has large over-hybridized flowers. So it is mostly natives of Mediterranean climates from around the world. I especially like things that spread by underground runners and self sow as long that they are not too vigorous. Most self-sowers can be kept under control by judicious deadheading and runner pulling. I avoid plants that have been labelled noxious weeds in our climate, even those that might not be a problem where I live. I have seen enough broom and pampas grass in the wild to want to perpetuate the problem.

Thanks so much to Wattleblossum for the great inspiration. I'm embracing the rugged beauty of my difficult garden. I too didn't have much of a clue about north or south facing situations before I bought my house. Boy am I aware now. Of course not long after moving in I thought I made the biggest mistake of my life! The living areas were south facing, the front garden where we invisaged a lawn for our 2 year old was shaded by the house 6 months of the year and pretty much no sun reached the rest, the back yard being higher than the house. But great views of the bush from up there. But rather than wallowing in what seemed at the time bad real estate decisions, I now love my garden (always loved the house) and can see that it will be a very interesting and beautiful place to be, if I succeed in nurturing it. Also thanks to Danili for your suggestions. I'm churning through them. I actually planted a boronia a few weeks ago. It lasted about 3 weeks before curling it's toes and disintigrating in front of my eyes! Am a little scared of them now! A