I was first introduced to the Lavender Lady Passionflower
vine on Pam Penick's blog Digging. Since I'm obsessed with Passionflowers, I knew I had to add this
variety to my garden. It is one of my favorite plants. It
is an evergreen, a host plant for gulf fritillary butterflies and has gorgeous pink and
purple showy flowers. That is a winning combination in my book.
Another plant I have been searching for is the Chocolate Daisy. Jenny at Rock Rose
has featured this native plant several times on her blog. It really does smell like chocolate!
I've been coveting the Twinkle Pink Cuphea in Pam Penick's garden for
years. I first saw it in 2009 on Pam's blog Digging. Locating it has been no easy task. I planted the Pink Cuphea next to the White Mistflower. Looking forward to seeing this flowering combination in the Fall.
Thank you Pam and Jenny for your wonderful garden blogs. I have learned so much about gardening by reading your posts.
Those are pretty, so glad you found them!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shirley. It took me a while to find them. They were definitely on my plant wish list.
DeleteYou are most welcome! And thank YOU for sharing your plants and garden with me too! Haven't garden blogs changed the way we all garden? There's so much real-life, locally specific gardening info available now. I love it!
ReplyDeleteThanks Pam. I agree... garden blogs have changed the way we garden. It really helps me to see what plants do well in our climate. I also get a chance to see the plant through the different seasons. Local garden blogs are valuable resources for me.
DeleteAll of those plants are really pretty but I'd love to get the Chocolate Daisy. I remember seeing it in one of the gardening catalogs I get but now I have no idea which one it was. I'll have to keep my eyes open. It's always so fun to find a plant you've really wanted. When we first moved to TN eight years ago I really wanted some Peonies. When I finally saw them (I remember it was at Home Depot!!), I yelled for joy! Other customers must have thought I was a crazy woman!
ReplyDeleteChristy, I have a plant "wish list" a mile long:) I just wish I had enough room in my garden to plant everything that I want. Peonies are such a gorgeous flower. My Grandmother had them growing in her garden in Mississippi. Unfortunately, they do not do well in our soil and TX heat. There are perks to gardening further North even though you have deal with a longer Winter and snow;)
DeleteThank you Steph I am so happy to have introduced you to some very nice plants. I have learnt so much through garden blogging. I think it is a bigger resource that books although I have plenty of them too. There is nothing quite so good as seeing what is going on in the gardens of others.
ReplyDeleteJenny, I've been following your blog for a while and I'm always inspired by your garden. Now if I could just learn to grow plants from seeds;) Still amazed at how many beautiful flowers you have in your garden.
DeleteI really love the passionflower and have been trying to get them to survive in my Zone 8 garden without much success. I am glad to see that your results have been so gratifying.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, Passionflowers grow so well in the South that some people consider them invasive. They are sprawling on the ground in a flowerbed in my yard, but the caterpillars keep them in check. Thanks for stopping by:)
DeleteI'm a fan of both Pam and Jenny's gardens too. They are full of inspiration. I found a 4" pink cuphea at Barton Springs Nursery last year. I'm not sure if it survived the winter (I've heard it's more tender than the David verity and batface - both of which survived and are charging forward) ... it hasn't poked through the soil yet. I hope it made it as we had such a mild winter. I just put a Lavender Lady in the ground two days ago. It's already blooming and they are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteCat, Good to know about the pink cuphea. I currently have it planted in an area that gets only afternoon shade. It seems pretty happy for now. Glad that you are enjoying your Lavender Lady passionflower. The butterflies really seem to enjoy this vine as well;)
DeleteThat passion flower is a show stopper! I was hoping to naturalize some chocolate daisy in my wildflower meadow. Do you think it's drought hardy enough to survive without irrigation?
ReplyDeleteHi Ally,
DeleteMy passionflowers do require some irrigation in the summer, especially if there is a drought. Once they are established, they are pretty hardy. Not sure how they handle hard freezes since we haven't had any lately. They have a tendency to send out new runners every which way. I've just had the Chocolate Daisy a couple of weeks. It needs extra irrigation to get established. Once established, it is suppose to be drought tolerant.
I will look forward to seeing the color combo of the cuphea and the mist flower too! Sounds pretty :)
ReplyDeleteSteph, I was at shades yesterday and Millbergers today - I saw red columbine (saw your post on digging). Call first...so sorry I wish I knew which place it was that I saw it.
Heather, Thank you for the info on the Red Columbine. I've been looking everywhere for it.
DeleteI'm hoping the Mist flower and cuphea will put on a show this Fall.
Very pretty! Love that lavender passionvine. I have always loved those exotic flowers, but I have not been able to figure out where to put one. I think I'm just going to have to look a little harder!
ReplyDeleteHG, I was surprised how easy the Passionflowers are to grow since they do looks so exotic. Be prepared for lots of Gulf fritillary butterflies if you plant one. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI have hummingbirds that live in my garden year round so I am always trying to broaden the natural food sources; I appreciate any one who is doing the same. I loved the photo of your passion flower. I have tried for the past two years to get them to grow in my Zone 8 environment without success, I am glad to see your success.
ReplyDeleteCharlie, Gardening with hummingbirds in mind is so rewarding. I love to watch them zip around my garden. I had the pleasure of watching a Rufous at the feeder this Winter. I'm constantly making sure the sugar water is fresh in my feeder.
DeleteI have planted my passionflowers in direct sun, however I realized they like a little shade from the TX heat. The butterflies do seem to lay their eggs on the part of the vine that is in the sun. Hope you don't give up on growing passionflowers. Just be aware that once they are established, they can be difficult to get rid of. Thanks for your comment:)