Sunday, June 19, 2011

Garden Walks

Medinilla magnifica
 I love garden walks, and one of my favorite things about them, is seeing people's houseplants they bring outside for the summer. I don't usually take my plants outside for the summer. Number one, I have too many to take outside. Number two, in the fall,  things get brought inside such as insects, diseases, earthworms, unseen eggs that will hatch into pests that will have to be dealt with later, to name a few. However, there are ways to bring your plants in clean and insect free. We'll talk about that later in the year, when its time to bring them in from their summer vacations. As well as seeing beautiful plants,  I did observe a few sun burnt plants also. Taking a plant from the house and placing it in the full sun, is a big mistake. They really need to be put in the shade outside for a week or two, before putting them where you would like them to stay for the summer. The sad thing is that once the  leaves have burnt, there is no reversing the damage. The leaves will have to be trimmed or completely cut off to remove the unsightly foliage. Following, are a few pictures of houseplants I saw this week on garden walks.

This planting includes an 'Escargot' begonia,  an artillery fern, Pilea microphylla, and a bear's foot fern, Phlebodium aureum.




Angel vine, Muehlenbeckia complexa

Nepenthes

This was an unexpected surprise. This includes white impatiens with a purple passion vine, Gynura aurantiaca.

A trough which includes many succulents and a golden barberry.

Angel vine, Muelenbeckia complexa.

Many people bring their Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera outside for the summer. They love it!

This includes a selaginella .

How beautiful is this common asparagus fern, Asparagus densiflorus 'Meyeri' when placed on a fabulous pedestal. It becomes a striking piece of art.