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Comment by Grant Meyer USDA zone 9 on April 17, 2012 at 9:25am

The garden smells so great this morning, a mix of citrus blooms, honeysuckle blooms, and this fun "flowering tobacco" (Nicotiana alata).  The blooms open at night and stay open until the sun gets hot the following morning.  I've been growing these since the mid 1980's collecting seed (or letting it self-sow) year after year.  Nice short-lived perennials in our climate, and great summer annuals in cold winter areas.  Be sure to get the old time scented varieties, as the newer hybrids (bred to either stay open all day, or to be super dwarf, or both) often aren't scented.  The fragrance says "summer!" to me (even though it's spring right now, LOL, but they'll bloom all summer and early autumn too).  Take care!

Comment by Grant Meyer USDA zone 9 on April 17, 2012 at 9:23am

Beautiful, iris, Deborah!  They are one of my favorites and yours are gorgeous!  I love the pot you selected too--great contrast of shapes and textures, and those almost-succulent iris leaves look so great in that pot.  Love them! 

The red Hippeastrum x johnsonii that I posted is just an old time variety of "amaryllis", like the types folks in cold winter areas grow as houseplants.  It's a different group than Lycoris or true Amaryllis that are often called naked ladies (which also thrive here--I've got a shameless amount in my garden, oink oink!).  If you go to any nursery, big box hardware store etc you should find "Japanese honeysuckle" Lonicera japonica for sale.  The blooms open white and fade to yellow.  I'd be sure to get one in bloom and smell the blooms, as some newer hybrids are bred to have different colors but aren't scented.  Good old "common Japanese honeysuckle" is what I've got, and love.

Just for fun, here's a pic geranium (Pelargonium, botanically speaking) variety 'Freckles' blooming away as it's done every single day since early November.  Such a treat!  Happy gardening all!

Comment by Deborah Hamel (Z9a-9b Arizona) on April 16, 2012 at 10:05pm

Grant-what variety of honeysuckle should I find that produces the beautiful white flowers?

Thank you all for your comments and help.

Comment by Deborah Hamel (Z9a-9b Arizona) on April 16, 2012 at 10:02pm

Thank you for the feedback, Grant and Nancy. I will try honeysuckle.

Grant-is the common name of the flowering plants of your last post "naked lady?"

I was in a hurry this evening when I shot the orange iris in bloom. Enjoy.

Comment by Nancy Mumpton - Phoenix AZ (Z 9) on April 16, 2012 at 6:37pm

I do not have any leafhoppers or aphids on my honeysuckle (roses, that's a different story). I was at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Phoenix Sunday and they have lots of the same variety of honeysuckle cut as a shrub and in full sun. It is very sturdy here and seems to be bug free.

Comment by Grant Meyer USDA zone 9 on April 16, 2012 at 3:44pm

Happy Monday all!  I hope you're as happy as I am to see some warmer temperatures again.  I was VERY cranky on Saturday when it was so gloomy and windy (but I had a great day at the Phoenix Art Museum where they had fifty floral displays right next to various art that inspired the floral designers--very cool).  Anyway, I'm glad to see it returning to average and above average temperatures.  

Deborah, I haven't seen any leaf hoppers or aphids ever on my honeysuckle.  Nancy, have you??  They seem pretty low maintenance to me (just regular water).  Mine is in 3/4 sun and seems totally fine.  They seem immune to just about anything our weather can give them as long as they get watered.  Great, fun plants.   

Speaking of fun plants, here's the container full of Hippeastrum x johnsonii just blooming away right now.  I really love it, despite the foliage that flops in every direction, LOL.  Happy gardening all! 

 

Comment by Deborah Hamel (Z9a-9b Arizona) on April 14, 2012 at 8:57pm

The honeysuckle intrigues me, Grant. Will it attract leaf hoppers or aphids? Will it grow near a north-facing block wall without burning up in our extreme summer heat? Are the humming birds attracted to the honeysuckle blossoms?

With respect to the prickly pear, will it enjoy life in a container?

Thank you for all of your wonderful plant wisdom, Grant!

Comment by Grant Meyer USDA zone 9 on April 13, 2012 at 12:06pm

Fun updates, all!  Thanks for the rose names, Kirsten, they really are stupendous!  Thanks for the vouch, Nancy, LOL.  I'm so glad the cuttings have all done so well for you.  That honeysuckle looks terrific!  Its parent is in full bloom in the garden now too.  I really, really like them and am probably going to plant even more.  Yours looks stupendous!!  Thanks for all of the fun pics, everyone.  This month and next are such great months in the garden here!  Take care all!

Comment by Nancy Mumpton - Phoenix AZ (Z 9) on April 13, 2012 at 10:54am

Yes, Grant, I can certainly vouch for you and the wonderful cuttings you send! I've populated my yard with quite a few! Here's my wonderful honeysuckle you sent that I rooted and then planted outside. I love it!

Comment by Grant Meyer USDA zone 9 on April 13, 2012 at 9:30am

Nothing fancy, but it's hollyhocks season in my garden, so here's a quick and casual pic of some double flowered pink ones that have been blooming for awhile now.  I do love hollyhocks and they thrive in our climate, so why not grow a bunch, right??  Also including a pic of some night-flowering nicotiana (N. alata) starting its looooong bloom season.  I love watching the super fragrant blooms open at night.  Such a great performer! Happy gardening!  I need to go find a sweater vest to wear today, brrrr! 

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