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  • #2273114

    What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

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    by jardinier ·

    Surprise ! Surprise ! No politics, no religion, no sh*t-stirring.

    The reason that I am asking this question is that gardening/horticulture has been my second trade after journalism. My modest involvement in IT is quite a recent string to my bow.

    I am currently building a website:

    http://www.gardening4pleasure.com

    and your input may be helful in choosing what plants or other aspects of horticulture to include on the website.

    The few pictures which are on the website to date were all taken by myself, of plants in my own garden — that is to say the garden of the family house in which I lived at various stages in my life until 10 years ago when it had to be sold as my mother had eveloped dementia and had to be transferred to a nursing home (still hanging in there at 94, but hasn’t recognised any of us for several years).

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    • #3316655

      Snapdragons

      by packratt ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Why? Well, they are colorful, pretty, and are a lot of fun to make them “snap” open and shut. lol

      • #3317468
        Avatar photo

        What about the Venus Fly Trap

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to Snapdragons

        You can spring them and they look effective as they slam shut on your finger. They also have the added benefit of catching flies so they can save you on insecticides.

        Col

        • #3299208

          Too true

          by packratt ·

          In reply to What about the Venus Fly Trap

          and yes, they are very interesting plants in many ways, right up there in my favorite plant list… at least any that I would have if I were to commit such a list to paper…

          Yet they aren’t as colorful nor beautiful as the snapdragon.

        • #2887961

          The TickleMe Plant won’t hurt a fly!

          by plantastic ·

          In reply to What about the Venus Fly Trap

          But the TickleMe Plant is easy to grow and will close their leaves and lower their branches when Tickled. Just search pet TickleMe Plant

    • #3316626

      Flowers on TechRepublic??

      by crake ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      *gasp!!*
      Well… since you asked… my favorite flowers can be found in tropical climates, such as protea, heliconia, and anthuriums.

    • #3316622

      Crocus tells me spring is coming!

      by mlandis ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Some years the colorful crocus blooms peep through the snow! Short-lived but a welcome sight.

      Lavender tipped irises in late spring…

      Midsummer Rose’s full and fragrant blooms fill the eyes and nose with her beauty…

      Hardy golden marigolds last until the first frost.

      Maureen

      • #3317463
        Avatar photo

        So conventional Maureen

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to Crocus tells me spring is coming!

        I on the other hand was an avid Carnivorous Plant Grower several years ago so much so that I had sample plants on TV and was considered as an expert by a lot of people.

        The real problem for them came when they found my preferred fertilizer was “Roundup” and I only grew the carnivorous because they where totally different.

        No one could understand just how I could grow such lovely plants and dislike plants in general.

        If I had it my way I’d plant some green concrete seeds all around the house so I would never have to weed or mow the grass again. I prune trees with a chain saw about 1/2 an inch from the ground this is very effective as they stop dropping leaves and flowers on the ground and can not fall on the house in a storm.

        Poor old Ross could never understand how I could grow such lovely plants and dislike plants in general, but I made it up to him when I went north and couldn’t take my plants with me I donated them to the Local Botanical Gardens.

        Col

        • #3317449

          Actually

          by mlandis ·

          In reply to So conventional Maureen

          I had done a lot of greenhouse work for a postdoc who was working on aerialphotography for mining.

          I had some of the craziest things to put in the soil to see if the plant would absorb enough of the mineral to be read from a spectrograph.

          Pretty cool stuff.

          Anyway, at home we have hundreds of tulips and daffodils planted. My husband had done something in the early fall that he said would really surpirse me in the spring – I can’t imagine what he did.

          We are not allowed to remove our trees from the streets here – we have quite a few 100 year-old sycamores which drop their leaves quite late in the autumn. The trees do make the town appear quaint if not rustic. You are right though, come the winds of March or the hurricanes in the fall there are a lot of tree limbs on the road.

          Maureen

        • #3317414
          Avatar photo

          Maureen it is all in the definition

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Actually

          You do not cut down trees but you do prune them so they do not cause problems. I just prune severely and leave a few inches raising out of the ground that has a few holes bored into it and then fertilized with roundup just to make sure that it grows again.

          It really is amazing what enough concentrated roundup will do to woody plants you just have to hide the holes that you have bored into the tree so no one becomes suspicious.

          Which reminds me I have to go over to my mothers place and fertilize some of her weeds so that they are no longer taking total control of the yard.

          Col

        • #3317439

          Green concrete seeds ….. Aaaahhh !!!!!

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to So conventional Maureen

          Do you realise Colin, that if someone invented a maintenance free garden, I would have to earn the bulk of my income from IT? You, know, Uncle Bill’s software and all that?

          Surely you would not wish this fate on me.

        • #3317415
          Avatar photo

          Well Jules think of it this way

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Green concrete seeds ….. Aaaahhh !!!!!

          You would never be out of work and the seasons wouldn’t cause a problem either.

          After Windows problems are for ever not just durring the growing season.

          Think of it as Job Security I do and it is the only thing that keeps me part way sane now days.

          Col 😀

    • #3316540

      My favorite plants

      by bfilmfan ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Interesting choice for a topic thread. My favorite plants in my lil hothouse garden are:

      Ricinus communis (The Castor Bean)
      Abrus precatorius (The Rosary Bead)

      Both of these plants are considered the most poisonous in the world as the seeds contain ricin. It has been estimated that gram for gram, ricin is 6,000 times more poisonous than cyanide and 12,000 times more poisonous than rattlesnake venom. A dose of ricin weighing only two millionths of an ounce (roughly equivalent to the weight of a single grain of table salt from a salt shaker) is enough to kill a 160 pound person.

      Dionaea muscipula (Venus Flytrap)

      This plant is only found in one small area of the Carolinas natively. Plus it is fun to watch it eat skeeters.

      Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove)

      We get lovely digitalis from this plant.

      Amanita phalloides (Death Cap), Destroying Angel (Amanita ocreata) and Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric)

      These mushrooms are famed for their ability to kill even expert mushroom hunters. Just in case you are out in the woods, if the mushroom is growing on the base of the tree and it is all white, leave it the hell alone!

      The Fly Agaric are the mushrooms with generallly bright colored spots. Again, bright colors in nature mean leave me the hell alone!

      In addition, there is a wonderful Clint Eastwood movie, called Beguilded, which features Amanitas in a prominent section. As it has Clint Eastwood romancing a whole house of young women, I think it is a chick flick date movie, but your opinion may vary.

      Sarracenia purpurea (Pitcher Plant), Drosera capensis (Sundew), Drosera capensis (African Sundew) and Drosera binata var multifida extrema (Forked Sundew)

      I love sundews and hate skeeters, so I figure I can have my posse of sundews ready to do battle with Florida’s mini-vampires on the wing.

      And while I don’t have a Titan arum (Corpse flower), if I had a really annoying neighbor, I think I would buy one just to irritate them. Nothing better than a garden of monstrous plants that smell like road kill to run off neighbors.

      • #3317480

        Thanks for your detailed response

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to My favorite plants

        It will make an interesting item for my website.

        I have seen the movie “Beguiled” several times, and really enjoyed it (well what red-blooded male wouldn’t like to have every female in the place of varying ages DESIRE him?)

        Sad but realistic ending.

        • #3317230

          Weird Hothouse

          by bfilmfan ·

          In reply to Thanks for your detailed response

          My nephews and nieces claim I am really a freaky old mad scientist and just can’t afford the whole castle and a hunchback.

          I did ask my redheaded lady friend to be my hunchback, but she told me she’d hit me on the head with an iron skillet (she was cooking when I asked her) and I could be her personal creature assistant, so I didn’t ask her about it again.

          And I agree on the truly creepy and realistic ending to “Beguiled.” I find it truly a sad comment on the film audiences of today, that they made some excellent horror movies in the 70’s and today’s Hollywood efforts are just truly dreck in most cases.

          On other thoughts, my nieces and nephews purchased me a pipe organ music box that plays Tocatti and Fugue, by Bach. It always has been my dream to live in some small town, with a creepy house on the hill, and to have a pipe organ. I would play it as the sun was setting, just so all the local kids could make up stories about the creepy old man and his house on the hill. 🙂 My redheaded ladyfriend says I am already a creepy old man, so I am at least half-way there….

        • #3298531

          to Mr creepy old man

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Thanks for your detailed response

          I do have a couple of electronic organs, but a while back I was allowed to practise on the powerful pipe organ in the church that I was attending at the time.

          It is quite an awesome experience to sit at the controls of a powerful organ — especially when you pull out the 32 ft stops.

          However I am only a novice, but from time to time I like to play (via CD or tape) Bach’s Toccata and Fugue on one of my two powerful sound systems.

      • #3317460
        Avatar photo

        If you have a hot house go with the Nepenthes

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to My favorite plants

        They smell far worse when in flower but eventually you get used to the smell. The Mirabilas and Kasinia are the easiest to grow.

        As for Sarracenia’s I much prefer the Flava it just looks so much better than the Purpurea which is a ground dwelling plant while the Flava is more an upright one which shows off much better particuarly when in flower.

        Col

    • #3317469
      Avatar photo

      Really easy one there Jules

      by hal 9000 ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      It’s the Nepenthes Rajah a protected plant which is illegal to bring into AU to prevent its extinction in the wild. But you can bring in seed legally but not germinate them silly idea. On the other hand if it is in Tissue Culture {cloned} all bets are off it is perfectly legal to bring in and grow.

      I just will never forget the look on Ian’s {The head of the Quarantine Office Here} face when he asked what all those tubes that I was bringing in contained? I just replied it was easier if he didn’t know!

      While the plants look great forget about the flowers as they smell like rotting meat so you do not want to be anywhere near them when they are in flower.

      Col 😀

    • #3317410

      agave salminae

      by neil@home_in_uk ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      The Maguey bush – though too many tequila slammers last night has changed my mind a bit

      Happy New Year to everybody.

      Neil

    • #3317403

      My favorites

      by salamander ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      I like these because they are easy to grow…

      -Moss roses. We grew them when I was a child. I have more difficulty growing them in my current climate, but they’re fun.
      -Cosmos. I have a massive wall of them that sprouts against my fence every year. I have to tie them up in summer to keep them from falling over their own weight.
      -Irises. I have some beautiful dark red ones that have been spreading like mad. I have no idea what kind they are. I need to divide them this year.
      -Tiger lilies. Another favorite that I need to divide before they take over.
      -Peppermint. Though it’s not a flower, I have it growing around the foundations of the house.
      -Snow on the mountains. Not a flower, but it takes over in shady spots.

      I am going to try poppies this year, I think. If anybody has any advice on care and feeding of poppies, I’d very much appreciate it.

      • #3304833

        Mountains, trees, and poppies

        by house ·

        In reply to My favorites

        Somniferum strains will enhance the colors in your garden. In fact, they will enhance your perception of everything. Don’t listen to me, I’ve got nothing to say about flowers, I’m just surprised that nobody’s dropped favourites that might be called into question.

        Personally, I’m more for wise old Oaks, Elms, and Willows, than I am for flowers. I don’t see much of these trees, as most of the wilderness where I live is made up of Cedar and Pine largely due to the re-greening process after we realized that sulfuric rain is not a good thing. Ever seen rough black mountains? I thought it was normal until I started travelling a bit. Covers graffiti pretty good though.

        • #3304732

          Trees…

          by salamander ·

          In reply to Mountains, trees, and poppies

          Urk. No, I’m only looking for non-perception-enhancing poppies.

          I’ve had a thing for apple trees lately. I have one that’s about forty years old, and planted a couple of new crab apples two years ago.

          The problem I have with pines is that they get so rangy and scruffy-looking after a time. But the acid rain gets to pines, too…turns them yellow.

        • #3299292
          Avatar photo

          Just avoid Pencil Pines

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Trees…

          Anywhere near buildings. They have a shallow root system and fall over easily.

          I saw a 65 Footer come down on several houses and the damage was unbelievable. But the best thing was that the insurance paid for the crush damage where it fell but not for where the roots lifted things up.

          It made a real mess of things.

          Col

        • #3299164

          The Pine Problem

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to Just avoid Pencil Pines

          No, Julian, no pines at all, of any sort. Are our memories so short? It was principally pines which caused the tremendous damage in the Canberra bushfires not so long ago. They go up like Roman candles and are difficult to control!

          Gret

        • #3299126

          Point taken

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Just avoid Pencil Pines

          We have several in the grounds of the units where I live, but one in particular is situated where masses of dead gum leaves and bark accumulate around its base.

          So these have to be regularly removed.

          However for the website, there are many, many varieties of cutesy wootsy little pines which are very decorative but do not grow to a great height.

          There used to be a garden in East Lindfield that was adorned almost entirely with a great variety of pines of dramatically different colours and shapes, and all fairly compact in growth.

          But then of course there is always bonsai ???

        • #3313715

          Inferno

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to Point taken

          I don’t have a problem with the size of anything you choose to plant, Julian. Only availability of space dictates that.

          I do, however, have a problem — a very big problem — with anything that goes whoosh in the night, or at any other time, and pine trees are notorious for doing that as exampled by the Canberra bushfires.

          You don’t want to come home one day only to discover that where you lived earlier is now a pile of ashes, do you?

          Gret

        • #3317155

          I didn’t plant it !

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Inferno

          Hi Gret.

          The complex of several blocks of units in which I live was built in the late 1950s — more than 55 years ago.

          I have been told by residents who were here long before myself (and who have mostly since died) that the original gardens were kept in immacculate condition under the guardianship of the builder’s daughter.

          There are several very large pine trees of various types which I would think were planted 55 years ago.

          The only one which I consider a real danger is the one under which dead leaves and bark accumulate.

          But if any of them DID catch fire, I doubt that it would damage the units.

          The tallest trees on the property are eucalyptus — probably 100 feet high or more, and I imagine they were already in existance when the units were built.

          There are also a number of pittosporum trees which are native to this area, and so are probably originals also.

          These provide a canopy for my rainforest garden — a great variety of palms, ferns, foliage plants and a couple of cycads.

        • #3294207

          History goes up in flames

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to Inferno

          I’m not pointing any fingers at you, Julian — heaven forbid! I’m sure you had nothing to do with planting any of the pines that are already in your garden.

          As for those around Canberra, they were most likely government decisions, given without too much thought as to how they’d behave in a bushfire. Government decisions generally are — given without too much thought, that is, as to their end effect.

          It wasn’t just the people who lost their homes who suffered. It was the HISTORY that was lost when Mt Stromlo went up. (Yes, it had to be that!)

          Did you know that one of the ‘scopes lost forever was the original Great Melbourne Telescope (19th century), since converted to Stromlo’s needs, but which, in its time, was the largest telescope in the world? Not so unlike the fire which finished the Great Library of Alexandria, in a way!

          All I’m saying is: CAUTION about highly flammable trees and others which may cause damage or death. And I’m pretty sure — no, I KNOW — you’ve got far more intelligence in the nail on your little finger than all the government horticulturalists in Australia put together, and know jolly well which ones to avoid.

          Happy gardening, for the next decade, by the sound of all the responses!

          Gret

        • #3294205

          More about pines on my property

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Inferno

          Now that I am constantly on the alert for potential photographs for my website, I have noticed that, apart from the three very large pines (which I have been told are deodars) there are a considerable number of smaller pines of varying species on my property.

          They are mostly of the kind which has golden-tipped foliage, which makes them very showy on a sunny day.

          I photographed some of these today and they should be up on my website sometime next week. Perhaps someone will be able to identity one or two for me.

        • #3317118

          Other risky trees…

          by salamander ·

          In reply to Just avoid Pencil Pines

          I had to remove a sugar (water) maple that was growing close to my house a couple of years ago. It was such a beautiful tree. Unfortunately, it was less that twenty feet from the house, but the west wind had shaped it so that it inclined toward the house. Such a beautiful shape, perfect for a tree swing and quite lovely shade.

          After some mild storms of winds 10-20 mph, it would be dropping occasional alarmingly-sized branches on the roof. Some greater than twenty feet long and the diameter of my leg. I had it thinned twice by an arborist who insisted that it would allow the wind to “pass through it.” Nonetheless, they nearly ripped the electrical service wires out of the house when they fell.

          I finally had to have it removed. The thinning was costing me around $300 per year, and it was cheaper to have it removed. My father says that sugar maples are structually weak. I wound up planting a red maple, which he says are stronger trees, further out from the house, so I am hopeful that it will grow up to be as large and beautiful as the first in another forty years.

          Every once in awhile, I find one of the original sugar maple’s progeny taken root in the yard.

        • #3298107

          Trees that topple

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Just avoid Pencil Pines

          By far the worst offenders in Sydney are some of the taller varieties of eucalyptus. That grow to a significant height, but have a relatively small root system.

          Whenever there is a severe gale in Sydney, invariably a number of eucalyptus fall on houses or block the roadway.

          Another widely grown tree which likes to shed large branches without warning is the American liquidambar.

          Originally it was grown for its autumn (fall to you) foliage, but as most are self-sown, they do not produce the colours and are simply a nuisance.

    • #3317392

      That’s easy

      by dwdino ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      PLASTIC!!

      Because I can’t kill them.

      • #3317388
        Avatar photo

        I bet my wife could kill them

        by hal 9000 ·

        In reply to That’s easy

        She can not even grow weeds when she tries.

        Col 😀

      • #3317337

        Imitation flowers.

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to That’s easy

        Because my apartment is too dark for any real plants to grow successfully, I have brightened it up with a number of vases of excellent artificial flowers.

        • #3317336
          Avatar photo

          Jules I want to get

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Imitation flowers.

          Some plastic plants and glue them to the bottom of my fish tank so the fish will not tear them up and block the filters. Of course “Her In Doors” will not let me do this and as I now refuse to put in any plants the fish tank looks quite bare. Other than the filters and the phone there is nothing in there and the fish regularly ring up the RSPCA to complain if they are not feed by a certain time.

          If you where to sleep in you virtually get attacked by these pan sized Gold Fish I’ve tried some aquatic carnivorous plants but none of them are big enough to eat the fish the fish eat them. Talk about a no win situation.

          Col

        • #3317295

          “Her In Doors”

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Imitation flowers.

          Hi Col. Shouldn’t that be: “She who must be obeyed?”

        • #3317250
          Avatar photo

          Jules it all

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to “Her In Doors”

          Depends on the day and her mood.

          Col 😀

        • #3317228

          She Who Must be Worshipped

          by bfilmfan ·

          In reply to Jules it all

          My grandfather passed along some Lakota wisdom when I was younger. He said once, when asked on how he always seemed to make grandmother happy, “Son, you must understand that this home (he was speaking of his house) is like a great bear’s den. A wise man does not go into the den and arpuse the bear. The bear will eat him. So it is with women. It is best to just walk about softly and hope the bear is not home.”

          Often to my regret, I’ve forgotten the bear was home… haha.

        • #3298623

          My favourite plant

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to She Who Must be Worshipped

          It would be nice if we could get back to addressing the discussion topic, so here is my contribution.

          Nandina Domestica (Japanese sacred bamboo).

          I like it because it shows three distinct features each season: the new growth is copper-coloured; the flowers are white, and these turn to red berries.

          It is an aesthetically pleasing plant at all times. It is easy to propagate by removing a portion of the root (or from seeds). It stays in a compact form, not spreading runners all over the place like the traditional standard bamboo.

          I also love roses, but they require a lot of work in Sydney. They suffer two fungus diseases, powdery mildew and black spot (because of the high humidity in Sydney) and are attacked by aphids, grasshoppers and possums.

          I am currently waging war with a possum who is eating the new shoots from a group of 18 carefully selected roses which I have planted in the garden of a client.

          There is a product called “D-Ter” which animals do not like, but it washes off in heavy rain.

          In the long run, one has to resort to feeding the cute little blighters each night with bread and fruit.

    • #3298621

      gardening website an instant hit

      by jardinier ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Even in its rudimentary stage, I am receiving compliments from email friends in many countries including Germany, Italy, Argentina and South Africa.

      A friend in Italy insisted that I must have some magical technique to produce such brilliantly coloured plants.

      So I encourage you to take the discussion seriously and offer further “favourites.”

      Perhaps someone would care to start a separate discussion on how to deal with spouses.

      • #3298599

        Great website!

        by av . ·

        In reply to gardening website an instant hit

        You have quite a green thumb! I love the roses and the orchids. They are so tricky to grow. I’m sure your garden is an absolute delight to be in.

        I have been into gardening for about 10 years, but I have the most luck with container gardening. I like having large pots of basil or thyme or rosemary. I think you should include an area in container gardening for cooking or something like that.

        I also think a flower you should consider growing if you can is the dinner-plate Dahlia. I am just amazed at their size and beauty.

        Good luck with your website and your garden!

        • #3298584

          The “secret” of growing orchids.

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Great website!

          Of course I can only speak for my climate which is temperate.

          But I have resolved the mystique of growing cymbidium orchids.

          They need to be in a well-drained position or pot, they require morning sun all year round, and protection from the hot afternoon summer sun.

          They flower the most profusely if they are left to grow in a clump in the ground (in the conditions described above) or left in the pot until they are virtually pot-bound.

          The should always be repotted into a pot that is only one size larger than their bulb and root mass.

        • #3304844

          Orchid anecdote

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to The “secret” of growing orchids.

          Dad always used to give Mum orchids on their wedding anniversary each year. They were married on the very day Darwin was bombed, February 19th, 1942, when Dad had a couple of days’ leave.

          I think giving the orchids was a beautiful custom, and after Dad died, I missed Mum getting them every year.

          Gret

        • #3304834

          Conception

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to The “secret” of growing orchids.

          Were you were conceived on the day Darwin was bombed? If so, that might explain your (very welcome) outspokenness.

        • #3299163

          A very long pregnancy??

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to The “secret” of growing orchids.

          Unfortunately Julian, I have to disappoint you there! Unless it was a very long pregnancy, of course; I didn’t hit the world until nearly two and a half years later, in October, 1944. My father was away so frequently while he was in the army, my mother was almost a “widow” during that time. Sorry to shatter your illusions — although I won’t stop being outspoken, of course!

          Gret

        • #3298581

          Further comments

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Great website!

          Many years ago I was actually shamed into building a vegetable garden after seeing what a friend had achieved in containers on a small balcony attached to an apartment.

          The largest single flowers I have seen are certain camellia reticulatas, which reach the size of a saucer — that is at least six inches in diameter. I have several varieties in the garden which I built on land belonging to the block of condos in which I live.

          Some of the dear ladies who live there, who had never seen reticulatas before, seem to think that I created these myself.

    • #3298529

      Colour me purple!

      by levannah44 ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      My mother was the green thumbs in our family, and knew every tree and plant by its full Latin title.

      However, it meant that I grew up with a love of flowers and plenty or respect for the natural world.

      So what are my favourite flowers? Well, practically anything, provided it’s purple — or mauve — or lilac — or violet. My favourite colour is lilac, and any of its different shades, as above. So my favourite flowers revolve around purple and lilac species.

      I love lilac itself, especially when growing over a pergola or similar structure where it can provide shade on a hot day.

      Then I love little African violets, as much for their colour as for their perfume. Sweet and petite!

      Purple irises are a favourite, as are mauve agapanthus and hydrangaea. Heavens, I even like Scotch thistle, provided it’s mauve!

      And what about our own Aussie natives? Well, I’m very much in favour of encouraging Aussie natives in our gardens.

      So, any of the purple-toned hibiscus varieties, or grevilleas (also purple), circus trigger-plant, and any of the mauve varieties of acacia or rhodadendrons, boronias and bogainvillea.

      Hope that’ll keep you busy, Julian! I’ll check out your gardening website presently.

      Cheers

      Gret

      • #3298521

        No worries

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to Colour me purple!

        Just this week I have photogaphed some petunias which I planted in Mary Ann’s garden which are the most exquisite shade of violet.

        Subject to the photos turning out satsifactorily, they should be up on the website in a few days.

        In my own native garden I have Melaleuca Thymefolia, which has small bottle-brush type flowers in a gentle shade of mauve.

        And when they come into flower again, I will photograph what is currently the most eye-cathing plant in my area, Tibouchina – a brilliant purple.

        Please feel free to act as my roving photographer if you see anything that catches your eye.

        I already have on my computer an exquisite photo of a bee enjoying the nectar from — yes, a mauve Scotch Thistle. I will upload it immediately, to the page “Miscellaneous.”

        • #3304842

          Lavender’s blue, dilly, dilly . . .

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to No worries

          Julian, I just remembered, I forgot the most important mauve plant of all — lavender! A lovely large lavender bush, please, not just because they look nice, but their perfume’s just terrific!

          Gret

    • #3298522

      Faster than a speeding bullet

      by jardinier ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Colin likes plants which prefer the same diet as he does — MEAT.

      Thanks to his prompt action, I have added a page “Carnivorous Plants” to the website, which features eight photographs provided by Colin.

    • #3298441

      Potato

      by montgomery gator ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      I like the Potato plant, because potatos come from it. They are easy to grow, and good to eat, and go with all kinds of food or as an ingredient in many dishes. They have spread from their homeland in Peru to the entire world, being incorporated into the cuisine of many cultures. I found out a couple of weeks ago why I might like potatoes. I found out I have a little bit of Irish ancestry (and the Irish are known for their love of potatos), from an ancestor who immigrated to South Carolina from Ireland in the 1750s.

      • #3298338

        The versatile potato

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to Potato

        Boiled, baked, mashed, French fries, potato salad — there are indeed many ways to enjoy this vegetable.
        Thanks for the info about their origin in Peru.

        A local charcoal chicken shop is owned by a man from Peru. I will ask if he knows that potatoes originated there.

        • #3304839

          Variety is the spice of life

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to The versatile potato

          Not just the “humble” potato, but an entire vegetable patch set aside as part of the garden. Change and change around as per the seasons, so that there’s always enough food on the table — from your own garden.

          And while I’m about it, berries too, and herbs and even a couple of fruit trees wouldn’t go astray.

          All this has exactly nothing to do with my favourite colour, but it does have everything to do with eating the right food, good health and even organics.

          Gret

        • #3304731

          Potatoes and Guinea Pigs

          by montgomery gator ·

          In reply to The versatile potato

          You might ask your Peruvian friend if he knows any recipes for cooking up Guinea Pigs with potatoes. That would combine two of their favorite foods.

          http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6281125/

        • #3298108

          Guinea pigs a favourite food

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Potatoes and Guinea Pigs

          Today I addressed your question to the Peruvian-born daughter of the proprietor.

          Yes, she knew potatoes originated in Peru and yes, guinea pigs are a popular food, which she compared with chickens in Sydney as regards priority as a source of meat.

          She said her mother might know of a recipe which combined the two, but obviously it was not a common combination.

      • #3298298

        Oh no! We might be related!!!

        by mlandis ·

        In reply to Potato

        Say it ain’t so!

        Happy New Year Tom!

        Maureen

        • #3299326

          Do you have Irish ancestry?

          by montgomery gator ·

          In reply to Oh no! We might be related!!!

          If so, and we are related, it would be quite distant. It was a 5 greats grandfather and grandmother that came over from Ireland in the 1750s. Don’t know what part of Ireland. However, I am about 1/2 English (both sides), 1/4 Cornish (Dad’s side), 1/8 Danish (Mom’s side), and the rest a mix of Scots, French, and Irish (Mom’s side), basically a Northwestern European mix.

        • #3299056

          Tom – I was joking!

          by mlandis ·

          In reply to Do you have Irish ancestry?

          But actually, yes, both my parents were raised in Ireland. My father was ‘all’ Irish, and My mom is ‘half’ Irish and half American (Welsh/German and who knows.)

          I’ve been told I take after the ‘who knows’ part.

          Maureen

    • #3298402

      Any plant that bears safe and tasty food to eat..

      by tomsal ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Trees are plants….so orange trees, apple trees, cherry trees, banana trees…

      Let’s not forget…tomato plants, potato plants, strawberry plants (or is that a bush?), etc. etc.

      That’s good stuff.. yum!

      Flowers are nice too, they smell nice, but unless you are strange or incredibly hungry you don’t/can’t eat them. I like stuff you can eat.

      • #3298339

        Thanks Tom

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to Any plant that bears safe and tasty food to eat..

        There is a page on the website for fruit. Photos and data will be added in due course.
        So far there is only a photo of lemons, but a cousin of mine used to eat lemons.

        I may add the following observation:

        Lemon tree very pretty
        And the lemon flower is sweet
        But the fruit of the poor lemon
        Is impossible to eat.

        Actually citrus trees are quite ornamental, but people seem to think it is politically incorrect to grow these in the front garden where they can be readily seen.

        However with the white blossoms and the coloured fruit, they actually make an appealing display.

        • #3304837

          Fruit salad

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to Thanks Tom

          Don’t you believe it, Julian! My mother used to eat lemons the same way I eat oranges — by the bagful!

          And for that reason, we always had a lemon tree in the garden. Which reminds me, we also had a couple of cumquat bushes, in tubs, too.

          She didn’t eat them, but made jam from them every year. As she did from our plum tree too, although we used to eat the plums in their natural state as well.

          Gret

    • #3298348

      ones that get me lucky of course!!!!

      by jkaras ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      roses, posies, daffadils, or what have its all good. Am I shallow? Yes, at least I’m honest, we men buy them for that reason.

      • #3298329

        Have you ever tried reverse dating?

        by mlandis ·

        In reply to ones that get me lucky of course!!!!

        Like, you know, instead of giving flowers ahead of ‘time,’ give them afterwards based on merit.

        I don’t know how that would work for you, but it is a novel idea, don’t you think?

        Maureen

    • #3298346

      Herbs!

      by gralfus ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Herbs are generally easy to grow and care for, and are essential for good cooking. I have Basil, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, and Oregano. I leave the larger bulby ones like Garlic for commercial growers, though I have books on how to grow them I just don’t have that much room. I used to grow mint, but it wasn’t all that useful to me.

      I wasn’t able to get your site to come up. I’ll keep trying.

      • #3298336

        Herbs

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to Herbs!

        There is a page reserved on the website for herbs.

        I have been having trouble with the server lately. It is situated in America, and has been giving all kinds of trouble since a recent software “upgrade.”

        • #3298320
          Avatar photo

          Julian while I hate to point out the obvious

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Herbs

          All plants are Herbs no matter what they are.

          There is a common misconception that “Herbs” are only plants that can be used for cooking but if you have a look at any of the big gardens like Kew they are all called Herberiums.

          Col

        • #3304880

          Sorry to disillusion you, old chap

          by jardinier ·

          In reply to Herbs

          but I will stick by the dictionary definition. (Identical in Oxford and Collins):

          1 any non-woody seed-bearing plant which dies down to the ground after flowering; a herbaceous plant.
          2 any plant with leaves, seeds, or flowers used for flavouring, food, medicine, scent, etc.

        • #3304835

          Herbariums

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to Sorry to disillusion you, old chap

          Just as a matter of sheer curiosity then, why is a herbarium called that? We have one here in Melbourne, adjacent to our Botanical Gardens. I’ve been there tons of times, because we use it for the meetings of our astronomical society, but there’s nairy a herb nor flower in sight.

    • #3299152

      OK, time to come clean

      by jardinier ·

      In reply to What is your favourite plant or flower, and why?

      Which one of you was it who failed to tell me 20 years ago that one day I would be publishing a horticultural website?

      In those days I was working in a variety of private gardens; spending hours walking around my neighbourhood watching the progress of the plants through the seasons, and regularly visiting the Sydney Botanical Gardens.

      I could have photographed EVERYTHING I would ever need for the website: each flower, each shrub, each tree, each vegetable, each fruit, each palm etc. etc.

      There was a time when my vegetable garden covered an area of 50 ft X 50 ft. I could walk down and pick freshly a complete salad: tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, capsicums, beetroot.

      I grew every common vegetable (yes, including potatoes).

      Our fruit trees included lemon, orange, mandarin, peach, plum, persimmon, avocado, mango. There were also abundant strawberries, and sugar bananas.

      But at that time there were four of us living in the house. Then there were three and then there were two. It was hardly worth the trouble for just two people as most vegetables have a habit of maturing at a given time.

      So I gave away vegetables to neighbours and friends, especially cauliflowers, cabbages and beans.

      Now I live in a location where it is not sunny enough to grow anything.

      • #3299066

        Hosta’s it is then

        by tony hopkinson ·

        In reply to OK, time to come clean

        Watch out for slugs though. I’m sure one can eat an entire plant while your back is turned. Seriously you can get some beautiful plants for shade. I’ve always more of a naturalist in gardening terms, I’d much rather find plants that fit the environment, than changing it to fit specific plants. Always makes me chortle when you go past someones garden in winter and the contents are covered in plastic bags full of polystyrene chips.

        Your other option is of course to wire it up with five hundred watt search lights. Don’t forget the water feature in front of a mirror (essential in a garden) preferably mounted in an old fireplace under a rusty bike nailed to the wall.

      • #3317172

        Indigenous plants

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to OK, time to come clean

        When Europeans settled in Australia they brought their culture with them, which included culinary habits which were not suited to the climate, but especially the traditional Northern Hemisphere cooler climate garden: a neat lawn, edged with garden beds containing camellias, azaleas, roses (which don’t too well in Sydney because of the high humidity)and various annuals, trees and other shrubs.

        The idea of using Australian native plants in domestic gardens started to become trendy only a few decades ago.

        However most of the more colourful varieties (especially of banksias and eucalyptus) are native to Western Australia and simply will not grow in Sydney.

        My former neighbour was a member of SGAP (Society for Growing Australian Plants) and after 10 or so years of disappointment, we agreed that most natives simply were not suitable for domestic gardens.

        So nowadays plants are chosen which are indigenous to the area, and they do very well. However overall one can expect more losses with Australian native plants than most other varieties.

        The unique characteristic of perhaps a majority of Australian native plants is that the foliage is very narrow, thus giving minimual evaporation in the mostly hot, dry climate.

        The first plant that I know of anywhere in the world which flowers continuously all year round is the hybrid grevillea Robyn Gordon.

        • #3317088
          Avatar photo

          Many years ago we used to put on

          by hal 9000 ·

          In reply to Indigenous plants

          Carnivorous plant displays at the Brisbane SGAP shows and the first question we where always asked is “Where are the Venus Fly Traps?”

          I used to have a good selection of Australian Natives in the Carnivorous range some of which where very specular and fairly easy to grow as well but eventually instead of only being allowed to show Australian Carnivorous Plants at the SGAP shows we where eventually allowed to bring in some foreigners provided we kept the display small.

          Col

        • #3294204

          Deciduous vs evergreens

          by levannah44 ·

          In reply to Indigenous plants

          Julian, please don’t get me wrong; I have absolutely nothing against decids, which, for the most part, are non-indigenous. I guess here in Melbourne we have a somewhat more sheltered climate — Melbourne-of-the-four-seasons-in-a-day as if you didn’t know! — so it’s marginally easier to grow natives here.

          Plants indigenous to the area would surely have to fit into that category anyway, but a good garden should always have a healthy mixture of both decids and evergreens anyway.

          I’m not entirely in favour of the “English” style garden often seen here; as you say, neat well-clipped lawn, surrounded by colourful flowerbeds, Julian. It really doesn’t fit with the climate (here, anyway, in the “Garden” state!) and the general feel of things. It looks “out of place” somehow.

          And nor does it fit with the low water conditions and restrictions now in place in both Sydney and Melbourne, unless you have access to grey water, something which I will as soon as my tank arrives!

          The best gardens I’ve seen are those which DO have a good mix of everything, so that the trees aren’t all bare in winter, and there are flowers of one kind or another all year round.

          And you’ll have seen by my “purple” list (above) that I love all kinds of plants anyway!

          Best of luck with your “Eden”, Julian!

          Gret

      • #3298204

        Lack of sun does limit your choices

        by av . ·

        In reply to OK, time to come clean

        My property is very shaded also, except for a couple of small areas. After living here for 10 years, I have found certain types of plants that actually love the shade.

        Ferns grow great in shady areas and they are beautiful. I have lots of ostrich ferns and many other varieties. They all do well. Hostas are another great plant, but the local deer love them also.

        Impatiens grow very nicely in the shade as well as vinca and myrtle. I plant them under trees. I don’t know if you have these plants where you live, but I’m sure you have similar varieties that thrive in low sun.

        I usually make containers of annuals. Some will grow in less sunny areas, just not as much. Plus you can move them around to a sunny spot for a couple of days to help them out.

      • #3298109

        Plants that prefer shade

        by jardinier ·

        In reply to OK, time to come clean

        There is one plant that is commonly grown in Sydney which actually performs at its best in deep shade, and that is Clivia. The deeper the shade, the darker green the foliage, and they never fail to raise their cheery head of orange bell-shaped flowers.

        Hydrangeas will also perform excellently in full shade, and the difficult-to-grow daphne also likes a lot shade.

        Whilst some palms are sun-hardy, most perform best in semi shade. Off all the various palms I have that are grown in 2/3 shade, the only one which is VERY UNHAPPY is Washingtonia Filifera — the American cotton palm, named after George Washington.

        It LOVES the sun, but begrudgingly barely stays alive in the shade, never bearing more than four fronds at a time, whilst most of the other palms are growing vigorously in the shady environment.

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