Friday, February 24, 2017

Five Favorites for February (friday)

Yep, it's the last Friday of the month, which means favorites! Five of them, and no...I didn't plan it like that, alliteration be damned, it just happened that way.

First up is Phormium 'Yelow Wave' at least that's what I think it is. I've had it for years now and thinking it would be a short term garden resident I didn't bother to track exactly what it called itself. Pardon me? What was that you said? Something about  PKW?

Yes. This was most definitely a PKW (Phormium Killing Winter), there are Phormium all around town that are melting. However just like in the winter of 2013/14 (our last PKW) this one has survived! What's my secret? Well it's planted incredibly close to the foundation, on the west side of the house. Plus during that last PKW, I, on a whim, tossed a couple of old down pillows around its base, before wrapping up the foliage in silver insulating wrap and topping it with a burlap coffee bag. Since it worked last time I tried it again this time. Success! One of my few.

Oddly another of this month's favs is nestled at the feet of the Phormium, Arachnoides simplicior 'Variegata'...

Honestly I thought I'd featured this fern as a favorite just a couple of months ago, but looking for it I came up empty. Here's the remarkable thing about this plant. I did nothing, absolutely nothing, to protect it over the winter. It was covered in ice and snow and couldn't have cared less.

Didn't miss a beat! How amazing would this thing look in a normal winter? I can't begin to dream.

Naturally I did what any sane gardener would do, I recently purchased two more. Yep. And I talked a couple other people at the nursery that day into doing the same. They'll thank me later.

Now, because it's still winter and I'm really trying to avoid the garden, and all of it's deathly ugliness, let's look at the potted plants hunkered down in the basement. This Gasteria glomerata — a gift from Mr. Hogan — is amazing me with all the growth it's put on over the winter.

He gifted it to me last July when it was in fabulous orange bloom. I wish I could find a photo, I know I took a couple. Click here and you can see photos others have taken. What I'm really loving about this guy is it's multiplication. What was just a couple of babies has become many...

And more! It will be a Gasteria mound soon, I can't wait!

Next up, Passiflora 'Purple Tiger' This photo, one of those last minute snaps of heaven, was taken on December 6th, before winter happened. Honestly I was a little perturbed that those buds hadn't managed to open. What's the point of a Passiflora with no flora?

Because I do love the foliage I took a handful of cuttings, before the freeze, and stuck them in water.

Whadda ya know? Looks like there will be another chance to see those amazing flowers.

Finally, many of you have, no doubt, followed along with my past digging to overwinter Passiflora 'Sunburst'. I seriously had no intention of doing it again this winter. Yet when the time came I was out there with a trowel and dug up the base of the plant and stuffed it in a pot. Not much care taken. All the leaves withered and fell and I thought our relationship was over. But now there is this...

And maybe that means there will be more of these...

Ain't gardening fun? What plants are you feeling good about as February draws to a close?

Weather Diary, February 23: Hi 44, Low 33/ Precip trace

All material © 2009-2017 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.

24 comments:

  1. I thought that was Indian Holly fern! It just came into my market and I have just planted some in shade. Many of my fern disappear during summer but are fine the rest of the year. I am amazed that your plants in the basement do so well with out natural light. I know it will help when you get to bring them outside as you begin to restore your garden.

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    1. I'd never heard that name for the fern, thanks! Unfortunately it makes for a harsh adjustment when the plants do get to return to the natural light, but heck - it's worth the work to get to keep them alive.

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  2. Weird thing in my garden - the hardiest phormium, in the ground for several years is melting but those in pots seem to be doing just fine. They were closer to the house or greenhouse but maybe had better drainage? I've seen others around town that seem to be doing fine in raised beds. You've got a special way with passiflora!

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  3. That fern is gorgeous. I assume it is one for a zone that's warmer than my 5. My autumn fern and Christmas fern were fairly flat from snow when it melted recently but looking green and healthy earlier this week.

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    1. Maybe you could get away with the fern in a protected spot?

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  4. Wonderful ! ... I have a "thing" for Gasterias :)

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  5. Love that Gasteria!

    Congrats on the Phormium and Passiflora saves! I don't think you saw my Phormium 'Alison Blackman', which is yellow, tan, and bronze with the very occasional streak of pink. Quite a stunner.

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    1. Sounds lovely! Where, in your garden, does it live?

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  6. Wait - how did it get to be the last Friday of the month?! Just 2-3 days short of the norm and February throws my internal clock out of whack. I took a photo of an interesting newcomer to my garden (Ferraria crispa) just yesterday - if I come up with a few more, I'll get a post together tomorrow. I'm glad you could find signs of promise beneath winter's carnage. I hope you see 'Sunburst' again.

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    1. Better late than never, here's my favorites post: https://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2017/02/almost-forgotten-february-favorites.html I always appreciate this opportunity to turn a critical eye on my garden.

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    2. Thanks for participating Kris, I'm off to read your post!

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  7. Now I have a name for that Gasteria! Mine hasn't produced as many offsets, but it does have 4 bloom spikes rising up. And that's in my greenhouse which gets down to 40 degrees every night! That Arachniodes is amazingly hardy, especially given that it was considered a tender houseplant for a long time, and is still sold as a houseplant. I wish it grew faster in my garden. It may be time to take pity on it and move it to a location with more moisture. I'll have to look around for my favorites this month. I've been doing more planning for new plants than looking at what I have this month.

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    1. Have you seen the one (Gasteria) sitting on Sean's patio table? It's amazing! Now that I'm home I need to go look at see if mine has any blooms starting to push out, although I doubt it, being inside for months.

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  8. My Arctotis "Pink Sugar" went nuts in the rain and overgrew everything around it ... not sure whether to hack it back or leave it. Congratulations on saving so many of your plants! Question about plant in background of picture #10, with Passiflora "Purple Tiger" in the foreground: What is the green-lighter green variegated plant? It's really pretty against that dark wall!

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    1. Well that's a nice problem to have right? A happy Arctotis. I've not had any luck, too much rain I think. The plant you're asking about is an Echium, bought as 'Death Star' E. candicans. Sadly it's no longer alive...winter was just too much for it.

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  9. Five beauties, Loree! Down pillows and a burlap coffee bag - Phormium saved - love it :) I must get started with Passiflora... I have this approach avoidance with climbers - long story, but anyway, I never know where to start. Advice welcome... Here is my favs post: https://www.smallsunnygarden.com/2017/02/25/as-february-flies-past/ I'm so late I wasn't sure I should still do it, but the Senna deserves it!

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    1. Yay! Thanks for posting Amy. And I think I understand your issue with climbers. I love them but rarely have a good place for them...

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  10. What wonderful photos. I do not have your climate and outside I just have mud and water but inside I do have a glorious amaryllis, formerly completely forgotten and uncared for, with four scarlet blossoms. A lazier, but equally ignored, sister is just now starting to send up a blossom shoot. You'll be glad to know that I am keeping them watered now.

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    1. A bright blooming amaryllis sounds like the perfect antidote to mud and water!

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  11. Your favorites all look great, and congrats on saving your Phormium! I distracted myself from clean up by looking at my five favorites for February. And gardening is fun!

    February Favorites

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  12. The Passiflora 'Sunburst' bloom is stunning! I hope you'll be rewarded with an abundant of them this summer. The little fern went on my drool list right away.

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