Heather (Just a girl with a hammer) had a better result, her plant lives on and bloomed...
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| (photo credit to Heather @ just a girl with a hammer) |
To rub salt in my wounds (cause it's all about me, right?) The Outlaw featured his blooming plant in a Vignette post in April...
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| (photo credit to Peter @ the outlaw gardener) |
So naturally when Peter mentioned he was thinking of getting rid of his Scadoxus puniceus, and asked if I would be interested in adopting it, I said yes. I was picturing a plant about 2 feet tall, at the most (something kind of like Heather's). You should have seen him pulling it from his car and hauling it up my driveway (why didn't I take a picture!?) He had one hand hanging onto the enormous pot (5 gallon size) and another hugging the almost 4-foot tall stems and leaves. It was so tall it couldn't even stand upright on its own (cushy life in a greenhouse). Where was I going to put it?
Luckily I found a place. I had managed to keep this brown urn empty, you know because an empty pot is an interesting focal point? Ha! Not in my garden. The pot is tall enough, and the opening small enough, that it supports the floppy stems and keeps them upright.
The flowers are long gone...
But interesting bits remain.
I did break off one stem, while wrestling the plant into the brown pot, but it was too fabulous to toss and is currently in a vase on the patio table.
I'm thinking of I protect it over the winter and then plant it out in the spring it will be a more "standard" size. Then again maybe Peter managed to create a beautiful monster (being a talented gardener and all) and this is the size it's always going to be? Only time will tell! Thank you Peter!
Weather Diary, June 13: Hi 68, Low 56/ Precip 0
All material © 2009-2018 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited and just plain rude.
That flower is worth the work it will take. What a knockout!
ReplyDeleteRight? I so hope I can make it happy.
DeleteHah! I know exactly how you felt seeing that monster (the plant, not Peter). I've been the recipient of similar gifts, a tall gangly Ashcroft Red Iochroma comes to mind. I hope your new Scadoxus thrives!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alison.
DeleteThe best adoption ever! (Even if the baby is bigger than expected.)
ReplyDeleteHmmm, there was the year I adopted a whole crew of Agaves from Peter. That was pretty sweet too...
DeleteI wondered what you'd do with that crazy plant. It was just taking up too much space sprawling in the greenhouse and the outdoor pot ghetto was getting pretty crowded. Your placement is great and I'm sure it'll live happily ever after in the ground after you plant it. So glad it has a good home.
ReplyDeleteI hope I can live up to that! (good home) Thanks again!
DeleteHow lovely to have plant-friends who know you'd treat their babies right. Better luck with the next focal-point urn :-D
ReplyDeleteI've tried so many times to do the focal point thing. Plants always find their way in...
DeleteWhat a pleasant surprise. You will have earned some of those big beautiful blooms when you get it situated in it's new home. Thank goodness for focal points.
ReplyDeleteI sure hope the perfect place presents itself. The garden is getting quite full...
DeleteWhat a fabulous addition to your horticultural family!
ReplyDeleteI love the way you phrased that, my "horticultural family"...
DeleteHello! I just bought that plant at RPR this past weekend. I think I read that it likes dry winters! How can I manage that in Oregon? I think it prefers some sun to shade, is that right?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Jennifer
Mine spent the winter under-cover in a container. It's out on the patio now and blooming in part-sun/part-shade conditions. That's all I know!
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