updates on the patio garden

Here are some July updates.

After almost losing my deep, dark red Plumeria this winter, I've been pleasantly surprised with its growth. Here is a reminder of what it looked like after I chopped off the top.

And here is what it looks like today! It has three branch tips, although only two are actively growing. I need to start fertilizing it so that it might bloom next year.

Here is a succulent I ordered off of Etsy. I think it's Senecio mandraliscae. I like its cool, chalky blue color

Next is one of my most prized plants that I almost killed when it didn't get any water while I was on my cruise. It's Quisqualis indica - google it. BEAUTIFUL flowers

This plant is really neat, I'll be sure to take pictures of its flowers once it blooms. It's Snail Vine, Vigna caracalla.

Two new additions, boxwood basil (front) and lemongrass (back)

Unknown gladiolus. Beautiful peach color

Purple basil. Most recently used in a delicious pesto I made last night :-)

Ornamental Black Pepper. you do not want to eat one of these. Here are the leaves.

Windowbox planter. From left, Shasta Daisy, petunia, some type of chrysanthemum

I don't follow a weekly blogger format

Well I decided that I have too many pictures to post to wait for 'Bloomin Tuesday' or GBBD. Here are my most recent pics! Enjoy

The cutest grass ever. Lagurus ovatus 'Bunny Tails' This plant is so easy to grow and it is a fast grower. As for texture - it's so cloud-like and soft. The whole plant feels like velvet. Salpiglossis 'Kew Blue' The color in this picture is actually pretty accurate. Ignore the dying Delonix regia in the left background. I should repot that.

Salpiglossis 'Painted Tongue'

Capsicum annuum Ornamental Black Pepper 'Purple Flash Hybrid' I really like the variations in the colors of this plant, however I have yet to see any fruits forming. Hopefully the pollinators will start visiting my garden soon!
The bright green plant to the left is Liatris.

Lupinus texensis 'Alamo Fire'

Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost' I love this plant and it is so easy to grow. Just let it dry out a little between waterings and don't forget to fertilize it.

Morning Glory 'Carnivale' There is also a pink version.

Plant update 6/8/08. I know you're excited

It's mid-June and Breed and Co. had some very good deals on plants last week, much to my "chagrin" :-D I bought:

Justicia carnea (Brazilian Plume)

Thanks to gaygardener.com I know that this plant is a perennial that is native to the tropics and subtropics. It's also known as Jacobinia, flamingo flower, and others. Apparently it need shade/partial sun which is surprising to me because it's tropical. This website says it's easy to propagate, although I haven't tried it myself. However, I suppose this could become my next project. It's only hard to zone 9 which means it won't survive a central texas winter. Sad.. I guess I'll leave it in a container. Anyway, here's my plant

Duranta

So I was in Houston with Robert a month or so ago and we swung by Houston Garden Center on the way back to Austin, where I saw this plant

But it was in a really beautiful topiary form and I'm sure cost $30. Anyway, I found one at Breed and Co. for $5 or $6. That picture's not very good, as I took it on my cell phone whilst my camera was dead, but the plant basically has cascades of small purple flowers with a white edge, like this. 

a new red Plumeria. This one isn't flowering yet and probably won't for a year or so. But I was a little surprised at the condition in which I found it at Breed and Co. It was in potting soil which did not look well draining and the soil was soaking wet. If you don't know anything about Plumerias, one of the first things you should learn about them is that they don't like "wet feet." They prefer well-draining soil so that their roots can get air I presume. If you give your plumeria too much water, this atrocity results.

Also, here are the latest pictures of my garden. 

That is Ornamental Black Pepper Capsicum annuum 'Black Pearl'. Mine is just a baby but here is what it will look like later on. The growth starts out green but turns deep purple to black in the sun. It's beautiful and NOT meant to be eaten. I recently found a rather entertaining post on another gardener's website 

When I bought mine, it wasn't quite bushy enough, so I pinched it back and it looks like it's going to fill in nicely (the green growth is newest). I'm wondering if these are particularly thirsty plants (excuse the anthropomorphism). I would imagine they are because peppers have a high water content. I'd appreciate any feed back from anyone. 

Lastly, here is a preview of my next post (which I am just about to write actually) this is a Hollyhock seedling. It's a few weeks old. I don't know if it's pink or black, because I bought and planted both but I forgot to label them. I guess I'll find out in 365+ days. I'm going to make a while entry similar to my plumeria one which tracks the growth of this perennial. Thanks for reading.