\nI decided to drive down to Logee’s Greenhouses in Danielson, CT, a 20 minute ride for me, to get some cane begonias for the larger tubs on the deck. On the left, Begonia ‘Cotton Candy’ and on the right, Begonia ‘Corallina De Lucerna’. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\nI’ve decided that one of this years’ projects will be mastering Cane or Angel Wing begonias – large and tall growing begonias, once so popular in Victorian parlors and conservatories, but not seen in most gardens today. I urge you to search some out for a magnificent specimen plant for a special spot on your porch or even a sunny, winter window, but I do think that the grow best during the summer. For best displays, plant three plants to a 10-14 inch pot. I amped up the size, and potted my plants in 30″ tubs in good, nutritious compost from behind the chicken coop. These cane begonias will have cane-like stem, large angel-wing shaped leaves and amazing umbels of coral or tangerine flowers that will bloom all summer long, getting better and better with each week of hot, humid weather. I will need to stake these pots with bamboo in a few weeks, carefully tying them with twine so that the stems won’t break under the weight of the flower umbels.<\/p>\n
\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nI planted three cane-type begonias in this slate trough too. \nThis time, Begonia ‘Elaine’, another large – umbel- producing angel-wing begonia with speckled, \nlarge leaves and brilliant coral flowers.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<\/div>\n
\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\n It may be July, but not too late to change my theme – out came the ugly white petunias that I started from seeds, \nand I planted more cane begonias and a few tropical plants. This time, \nBegonia ‘Orange Rubra” and two plants of the species B. boliviensis. \nI filled in the gaps with succulents because I could, and I can break the rules.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
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\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nOld World Roses are still blooming in the garden, their fragrance strong in our hot, humid air, especially \njust before a thunderstorm is about to hit us.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n<\/div>\n
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\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nAnother find at Logee’s, Clerodendrom speciosum, for the tropical bed in front of the greenhouse. Even a plant like \nthis in a two inch pot will grow quickly into a shrub-sized plant by summers end. The hummingbirds will be pleased.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nWhile on the color coral, this Valotta lily, Cyrtanthus alatus, was found blooming in the sand bed, so I moved it \noutdoors so that it could appreciate some rain, as underglass someone forgot to water.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nThe front garden is filling in nicely, and yes, it’s all about texture here – no lawn. \nI need to start converting the rest of the garden to this sort of mass planting.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nI think the trick with echinaceae is space and heat. Don’t plant them too close together, and find a nice, sunny spot<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
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\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nPoppy disaster – our opium poppies are just not opening now that the temperatures are reaching nearly 100\u00ba F. \nThe buds burst, but the flowers remain tight at golfballs. Time for these poppies to go to sleep, \nas I need to the room for string beans. Nice try, maybe next year the weather will cooperate here in New England.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
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\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nIt’s hard to believe that I planted these tomato plants three weeks ago before I left for my trip, and now \nthey are three feet tall, and have blossoms. All I needed to do was to thin out the suckers \n(three stems per plant), and a good 5.40.30 dose of liquid feed, and soon the fruit will arrive.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n
\n\n\n <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \nThis little gem bloomed this week, a rare Salvia which was a gift from last years visit to Panayoti Kelaidis and the Denver Botanical Garden expedition to China – meet Salvia flava var. megalantha. It’s megalicious.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Globe artichokes that I started from seed in early February were ready for harvest, with the rainiest June in history, the heads where…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5431","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
Artichokes and Rediscovering Angel Wing Begonias - Growing With Plants<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n