Thanks! My neighbors have a trumpet vine that's so ancient and massive that it's pulling their front porch down. It's beautiful, and at first I couldn't believe that they had it, because they're so anti-garden. Then I realized that they're too apathetic to dig the huge thing out.
I have an akebia vine too; has yours ever fruited? Man, that's one freaky, but fantastic-looking fruit. It looks like Frida Kahlo imagined it. Akebia is barely winter-hardy here, so mine struggles, but I love it.
Akebia fruits??? I don't think mine has fruited. From what you say, it sounds like I would remember seeing it if it did!! How big are the fruits? ...what color?
My akebia is the 5-leaf type. Is that what you have? Mine is planted all along the 6' fence on the east side of the yard. Last year it had grown so lush and dense that the fence was almost completely hidden. Then, last winter, most of it died down to the roots. It has come back, but not nearly as full as before.
I love the odd-looking purple/mauve flowers, and that delicious fragrence.
The Middle JungleelevatorrideOctober 4 2005, 04:13:39 UTC
Everytime I travel to the midwest, I'm stunned by the lush greenness (which you cultivate to excess and to greenness in me). Around these parts, most things don't do too well without water, and those that do seem green and lush enough until you travel somewhere like the midwest. Last time I was there, I was stunned by the din of the locusts and the hot, wet air. Those things, you don't get here. I don't mind not having the hot, wet air too much, but it would be nice to have a bit of green riot now and then.
Your place looks beautiful. The colours in the vine arrangement are beautiful. How does everything grow so strong? The walk beneath the willows must be dreamy.
Thanks. It was a really good summer; weeks of steady rain, alternating with weeks of hot sun. Fortunately, most everything has grown large enough that it crowds out the weeds, because I am really lazy about weeding.
I love it under the willows. I sit under there and read, and it's like being in a bamboo grove. Me and the huge-ass unintimidatable rabbits.
Hi- Isn't it great? It's actually a begonia (a close-up of a single leaf.) The shot's kind of blurry (it was windy), so you can't see how freakishly hairy the leaves are, or the twisty, prickly, bright-red stems. The leaves are huge (maybe eight inches long.) It's called "Escargot", but it made me think of Tim Burton/Charles Addams when I saw it. It's an ungainly plant, with a haunted house look, so I have a couple on my front porch to creep out the UPS guy.
I love that the leaf isn't just spiral-patterned, but the spiral is actually dimensional, all the way to the center.
I don't think I ever introduced how I found my way over here (blame everything on ghastlymess), but it is nice to make your e-acquaintance. The begonia is very cool! The only kinds I've seen before have just had those tuberose-like flat leaves.
I admit I have a great deal of envy for all of this green (no pun intended); I have to plant only ivy or ornamental grasses because I accidentally kill plants otherwise. I either over-tend them into a soggy end, or, in a fit of guilt for overtending, leave them on their own "for awhile" after which they expire for lack of water...or from a fungus...or some sort of aphid. Fauna I can handle; flora not so much. Your hops vines sound especially neat; are you harvesting them or are they purely decorative?
gaaawwwk. you could charge admission. that is hands down the most beautiful garden. I wish you good health cause you got alot going on there. it looks like you could single handedly handle the mn landscape arboretum!
Thanks. It's a lot of work, but it makes me happy. Plus, the birds love it all year long.
It was nice of you to come here and say that; I'm sorry to have snarked at you in the TC Community, but I get really tired of people being obnoxious when they could be helpful. Sometimes I admit it's funny as hell, especially when the request is stupid, or has been asked three hundred times, but now it just feels like the Jerry Springer Show, and I didn't show up there to show my tits.
Anyhow. If you want some seeds from indigo baptisia, or love in a puff (annual vines) or white globe thistles, email me and I'll mail you some.
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The willow alley is beautiful!!
In the past 15 years, I have planted some 20-odd trees and large shrubs in my yard, plus trumpet vines, akebia vines and roses.
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I have an akebia vine too; has yours ever fruited? Man, that's one freaky, but fantastic-looking fruit. It looks like Frida Kahlo imagined it. Akebia is barely winter-hardy here, so mine struggles, but I love it.
Reply
My akebia is the 5-leaf type. Is that what you have? Mine is planted all along the 6' fence on the east side of the yard. Last year it had grown so lush and dense that the fence was almost completely hidden. Then, last winter, most of it died down to the roots. It has come back, but not nearly as full as before.
I love the odd-looking purple/mauve flowers, and that delicious fragrence.
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I love it under the willows. I sit under there and read, and it's like being in a bamboo grove. Me and the huge-ass unintimidatable rabbits.
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I love that the leaf isn't just spiral-patterned, but the spiral is actually dimensional, all the way to the center.
Reply
I admit I have a great deal of envy for all of this green (no pun intended); I have to plant only ivy or ornamental grasses because I accidentally kill plants otherwise. I either over-tend them into a soggy end, or, in a fit of guilt for overtending, leave them on their own "for awhile" after which they expire for lack of water...or from a fungus...or some sort of aphid. Fauna I can handle; flora not so much. Your hops vines sound especially neat; are you harvesting them or are they purely decorative?
Reply
Reply
It was nice of you to come here and say that; I'm sorry to have snarked at you in the TC Community, but I get really tired of people being obnoxious when they could be helpful. Sometimes I admit it's funny as hell, especially when the request is stupid, or has been asked three hundred times, but now it just feels like the Jerry Springer Show, and I didn't show up there to show my tits.
Anyhow. If you want some seeds from indigo baptisia, or love in a puff (annual vines) or white globe thistles, email me and I'll mail you some.
Reply
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