GPE #2 : Mitzi Likes Things With Sperm In

Fireball Lily, flowers once and then you're left with a load of leaves.

 

M I T Z I

 

Makes the Postman Gasp

 Yes, it's Mitzi's turn on the gardening merry-go-round, but before we get to the good stuff, we must first address the elephant in the room.  Or the bullmastiff in the bay window...

 

If you look closely on the right reflected in the

window, you will see the ghostly image of

my maid of all work Carmen taking the picture.

I hope it doesn’t cause your viewers too much distress.

Lofos, a climber by nature, looks equally good in a hanging basket as do Thunbergias. This one made the postman gasp.

[IDV] How do you get your Lophospermum¹ so lush?  Did you grow them from seed earlier in the year, or are they from previous year's tubers?

Mine have been pretty pathetic, but they're all from old tubers and are sharing with spider plants (which have monstrous roots).  Also, they aren't in the sunniest of spots.

I think I may have answered my own question...

I didn’t know Lofos grew from tubers. I sent off for a pack of 6 from J Parker bulbs last year and they were the sickliest looking plants, I had no hope for them, then the birds molested them looking for grubs, killing all but 1 in the process so I brought it indoors and kept it as a house plant, it soon grew about 10 feet, then Carmen accidentally caught it with the hoover causing carnage and reducing the plant by half, it grew back noticeably thicker after that, So that’s what I did with the 4 cuttings in the above hanging basket chopped them by half when they got a foot long.

 

Here's the embiggened section showing a ghostly Carmen lurking in the reflection.

 

Tuberose, not the best-looking plant but the scent it produces is exquisite, I planted 5 bulbs in the above pot but sadly only one of them flowered, overcrowding them was the problem they needed to be 6 to 8 inches apart. The above photograph was taken on the day I went to Benidorm, my mother came down the next day to water the plants and helped herself to the bloom along with a dozen Zinnias from the front garden, according to a report from a nosy neighbour, she was as brazen as you like. The vulture.

 

 

Boring garden. View from bedroom window. Brugmansias seen in pots were left out over the winter and survived and are currently in bloom, though they desperately need repotting.

 

 

I've planted one in the ground in the front garden, let's see if it survives the winter. I gave it a thick layer of mulch the other day, so fingers and toes! Lots of oohs and ahhs from the neighbours.

 

 

Flagging in the heat. Last year the blooms on this Hydrangea 'Strong Annabelle' were the size of footballs, the leaves were green and lush, even the window cleaner made a comment on it, a very poor display this year as you can see.

 

 

Decrepit Annabelle, just look at her now.

 

No me gusta. I bought some Hibiscus seeds in Fuengirola earlier this year, what I saw on the packet isn't what I got. I wasn't expecting it to flower this year either which suggests it could be an annual.

 

 

I had its name on the tip of my tongue. Some sort of clematis in a pot.

 

 

Cutting Corner.

 

☙❧

 

Ever the generous soul, Mitzi has thoughtfully provided photos for a couple of the Blogorati:

 

Taken from the spare bedroom with a view of a garret for Scarlet's enjoyment.

 

 

This one is for Jon to identify. All I know about this plant is the leaves are quite leathery, is mound forming, produces blue flower spikes and is highly scented, smells medicinal, you find these dotted around Benalmadena that's where I took this cutting from, I nipped the tip off and wrapped it in damp toilet paper for the flight home, it's rampant.

 

☙❧

 

Before we get to the end of Mitzi's tour, here are a couple of extra photos that she provided:

I germinated some lemon seeds from a Waitrose lemon, using the kitchen paper and zip lock bag method, took about 2 months to sprout. The plant front row left is a Pickle plant* cutting. Excuse the ghastly wallpaper it was Carmen’s choice.

 * Pickle plant, otherwise known as Delosperma echinatum²

 

 

Delosperma³ in terracotta pot. I like most things with sperm in it’s name.

 

 

I don't know about you, I just couldn't be arsed with the garden this year I've neglected it terribly.

 

Mitzi

 

☙❧

 

 Au contraire, Mitzi.  You clearly have the most marvellous green fingers - which have brought forth at least three incidents of sperm, to boot!  (There could be more lurking in your Cutting Corner, perhaps?)

 Next in show are the gardens of the House of Borghese, so pop back in a couple of days to see Maddie's wares!