Good job and lovely pics. Linda

That Ginger is really neat!!

Tropicalfreak

Thanks, I love it too. I bought it at USF last year. It did not come out of dormancy untill about 1 month ago. I thought I lost it. I think the plants are much smarter than us. It was probably waiting out the drought.

Here is another try at resizing.

These are my Namwa bananas. They were supposed to be dwarf. They are 16' tall, opps!

Here is my Mussaenda and Rangoon creeper. The Mussa's die back some in the winter, even with some protection but they are worth it. They come back so nice. I read somewhere that the Rangoon creeper is supposed to produce edible nuts. I have not seen it produce any so far. After 5 years in FL I am still not used to the size and speed at which vines and other things grow! It always amazes me.

Just a quick question if anyone knows. There is a Gaura lindheimeri in the lower left corner (just below where the Rangoon creeper and Mussa meet). I have had it a few years and have pruned it twice. Each time it grows back from the outside of the cluster and grows flat so that it lies down (I hope this makes sense). The center is empty. It looks odd. Was I not supposed to prune this? Does anyone know what I did wrong?

Close up of the Mussaenda

Thanks!

I love your swing! :) Yard is lovely!

Hi, Gabriele! First, let me say that for MY taste, your photos are not too large. I prefer them big enough to really see the plants, myself. It is more a matter of compressing the files so that the kb's are lower, not the physical size of the image. You can do that in any good graphics program. (The program will have a help file that will tell you how to reduce the FILE size, not the image size.)

Your photos are lovely, and I really enjoyed the trumpet ginger. I've never seen that and it's beautiful! I don't know what would make the guara lay flat like that. Perhaps it just needs some help...one of those circle stake thingies that would lift it up and get it started growing upright again. I have cut them back before with no problems, so it isn't the typical growth pattern.

Nice job and thanks for sharing!

Marcia

Marcia,

Thanks for the imput. I thought of staking the guara but the stems are very thick and stiff at the base and are growing straight out from the side of the clump (along the ground. I thought they may break off. I will give it a try but may just buy some new ones. Nothing to lose. Maybe I just got a plant that was growing odd to begin with. Thanks agian.

Gabriele

I have all those plants in the last shot myself and always enjoy seeing how others plant them and how they grow for you. What a surprize to get such giant bananas!

Gabriele
Beautiful photos, keep on sharing them. I have wanted to get that Musadena. I have been tempted by it's unusual flower. Love that ginger's flower, too.

Goldenpond,

I am not really happy with the way I combined them myself. I planted the Rangoon creeper too close to the Mussa's and it is hiding behind one. I am still working on realizing how big the plants in FL get. I had thought about moving the vine but it is doing so well and is lush I don't want to take a chance. Also, I need to put taller plants in front of the vine and mussa's. The short plants look odd. I am never happy, always changing.

Cindeea,

I found those Mussa's at Walmart several years back, of all places! You should have no problem with cold where you live. They are very, very easy to grow. I have had no problems with bugs or disease with them.

Gabriele

Very nice pictures! Is that swing a bed? How cool is that!

The swing is a padded bench that will fold flat into a bed. My brother works at a local Sams Club and they were clearancing them out. It was only $150! I could not resist. Of course I never seem to have much time to sit in it! Such is the life of a gardener. I always see something that needs doing.

Gabriele
Thanks, I also saw them at HD...don't tempt me, now, girl....lol

Why should you be the only one left out of the temptations :)! I recently read a discussion about Key Limes and had to have one when it was on sale at Lowe's for $6.99. We all take out chances when we log on to this site!

Seriously, they are really easy and beautiful. I put them in the most prominant spot in my yard because of that. No bugs eat them & no diseases either. What more could you ask? Tempt....Tempt....Tempt.... :) Ok, I'll stop.

Gabriele
I;m caving in.....I think Dennis still has some credits on his Father's Day HD gift cards....shhhh! If they disappear he prob won't notice he has a whole freaking drawer full of HD gift cards! His kids know what he loves!

Gabriele, I love your pics and your plants too.
I'd like to learn how to post photos. Where can I find Kate's instructions?

Timetraveler (I like your name!)

You can find Kate's instructions if you go to the top of this page and click on the link that says - conversations. About 1/3 of the way down the page is a topic called - Easy photo posting instructions. That is where they are. I hope this helps.

Gabriele

Spring...most gauras do tend to sprawl.
Are you watering it well during these hot, dry times, cause they love water! :)
Also...maybe try pruning only lightly next time. This should produce a fuller, more compact plant.
Just a thought.

Lovely photos, by-the-way.

Lellie,

Thanks for the recomendation. I didn't know they love water. You learn something new all the time here :)! I will try the extra water and light pruning. I have been very busy and they have been neglected. We have been focusing on the fruit trees and my husband is much more into that part of the garden.