Very nice, Mike! I have heard that this is a very large bloom. Is it? I have this one, but I don't think it will bloom this year. :(

nice color.
that butterfly need to find a better bloom, that one looks a bit empty. lol
tim

The first always holds a special spot!!! LOL Great pic's! I think Jeri just sent me a cutting of Xena...She's a Beauty!
Where are all of the Fur Babies???

Kylie

Mike I see why she is and will be your first love!! Everything about her is beautiful.

I did giggle about your eye soar of a rig. Why did I giggle. Because I know how you feel about taking THE PERFECT shot and you can't because you got the rig there and no matter how hard you try...it is always in there.

My son FINALLY has his truck all fixed up and it is out of the yard!!! No more eye soars for me and Happy shooting lol

You have a wonderful day also

Lucy

Oh, yes, Mike, this is what I was waiting for!! I do believe she is even prettier than last year.

Nice swallowtail photos, too. Reminds me that I saw a blue swallowtail on my Joe Pye weed the other day. Time for the good cats to appear on host plants all across the country! Munch, munch!!!
~Brenda

Beautiful, nice swallowtail i love butterflies

Nice photo's Mike, what rigg, I was to busy enjoying
the brugs and butterfly! :)
Susan

Mike, had to come back and look again.

You better believe I'm gonna have some pollen handy for this beauty........... won't be long now til mine is blooming! Can't say thank-you to you enough, for sharing her with me!

~Brenda

She is beautiful Mike!
The Xena you sent me is blooming now too!
Thank you!

Karen

Mike,
She is beautiful and just think of all the joy you have spread by sharing her cuttings! I wouldn't be happy with the rig parked there and spoiling the pictures. Hopefully he travels often???
Joyce

Shawn - I measured the first one to bloom when it was open. It measured 13" long & the bloom was close to the same size in diameter! :) She does have large blooms. My favorite thing about her is the extremely 'intoxicating' smell! She smells like no other! lol! Remember though - she is pampered!! :) I hope yours will bloom for you this year!

Kylie - Thanks! I'm working on a fur-baby thread! Shhhh! Our little secret! :))

Lucy - That darn rig has been there ALL summer! It has not moved! And 'yes' on the perfect shot. Sometimes though - it's impossible! lol!

Brenda - I can't take 'night' pictures worth a darn - but thought I'd try for you! She really shows her stuff at night & it's the best time for her to 'strut!' Here are a few I took about 25 minutes ago! I think I got a little 'intoxicated' too! lol! The smell! The smell! It's funny you mentioned 'pollen!' I have a nice size 'Kong' & I'm hoping he blooms! ;)

Karen - Yay! Glad she's blooming! And?? What do you think of her? :)

Joyce - The guy doesn't travel! I've found out he repos! I don't think that rig is going anywhere - anytime soon! I can only hope though! :))

Mike
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oh Mike she is truly one very special angel. What beautiful beautiful blossom! color and all.

Hope it last a LONG time! hmmmmmmmmmmm don't you just love it when they smell GOOD instead stinky lol

Lucy

'Xena' today! (8-20-09) A few more blooms on a slightly cloudy & rainy day! :) Sheesh! I hate the neighbor's flatbed & the rest of his junk!!

Mike
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Mike

Thanks for taking those night photos- she is even more beautiful.

Mine will be blooming in about 5 days. The buds are very large, huge, so yes, this is a good sized blossom!

I don't notice "background noise" unless it is in my own photos, Mike!

hey mike, didn't you give barry a cutting of xena a year or two ago?

I inherited the plant last fall - check it out now!

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that was a few weeks ago, and she's already flushing again - I'll make my own thread for that, though XD

so, thank you indirectly for the 12 foot tall xena gracing my deck now! XD

Ria

Oh, nice, nice, Ria! What a lady she is!!! There is something about that shade of pink I just love. I also love Fandango and Pink Favorite for their shades of the warmer pinks.
You've done a fantastic job with her!
~Brenda

haha, thank you! most of the height was barry's doing - the plants TOOK OFF and grew for him, seriously, like ten or fifteen feet tall there, but he didn't really have any flowers - I remember him talking about how disappointed he was with his brugs that year.

I'm apparently the flower girl though :P I've grown tiny floriferous little leafy beasties over here, haha. this year I planted them in giant planters. a few of mine that I had from last year and didn't even put in bigger pots SHOT UP and are now taller than the imports from barry's house! I had like 60 trumpets open at the same time recently. I know that's not hugely impressive to you amazing brug vets, but I couldn't believe it! XD

to give a sense of scale, I'm probably about as tall as the yellowish leaves in the plants on the far left, LOL. can't be sure cause the picture is a few weeks old. but when that versi peach flushed, my nose was even with the very bottom of the trumpets, LOL!

I love my little jungle :3

Mike and Ria
Both have beautiful Xenas. Mind is no where near that size: (
And NO Blooms.
Dorothy
Ps
Mike if the rig is not going anywhere Plant MG's!
Make it Pretty! LOL

Ria ..................WOW!!!

Lucy