This is a Rajin Cajun Ruellia (Ruellia elegans). I haven't put a picture of this plant on my blog yet. While I was looking at the plants this morning, I realized this and took a few pictures of it. Yes, I know the plant needs fertilzer, just ignore the yellowing leaves. And ignore the nutsedge. I hate nutsedge. It's the main weed in my garden and I can't get rid of it!
I love the bright red flowers! This plant blooms all summer long, no matter how high the temps get.
These are unopened flowers. They may open up later today or tomorrow.
And now for more pictures of Indigo Spires Salvia! I love this plant! The bees love it too. Every morning I see bees buzzing around the flowers. That is one of my Black eyed Susans in the picture too.
We've gotten a lot of rain lately and this salvia responded by putting out lots of flowers.
This is another plant new to my blog. It is a Chocolate Mint (Lamiaceae mentha). It smells like Junior Mints! I planted this in the corner of my garden 3 years ago. When I bought it, it was in a 4 inch pot. Since then it has tripled it's size(which is what I wanted it to do!). It does spread rapidly, but thats OK. Unlike other mints, it doesn't get very tall and it doesn't try to push other plants out of it's way; instead, it creeps along the garden floor.
It does go dormant in the winter, but when spring comes it puts out lots of new growth. In early summer it blooms and the bees love the flowers! After blooming, I cut it back to around 3-4 inches and let it put on more new growth.
Here is a close up of the leaves. I took this picture around 8:30 this morning and there was still dew on the leaves.
I love Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium coronarium). It smells just like a Gardenia. Give it shade and it will grow quickly. I've got mine under a big live oak tree and it seems to like it there.
Lastly, this is picture of a bluebird house that my dad built. The house is mounted on a live oak tree. I don't have any bluebirds around my house and I was hoping to attract them with this bird house. It didn't work! The only thing that lives in the bird house is spiders. I'm thinking about moving the house to my grandparent's camp in Clinton. They have lots of bluebirds there and they could make use of the house.
Mary, I'm glad you visited my blog so I could find yours! Love your pictures and you remind me I need to plant some Indigo Spires this fall. I've tried that Ruellia and had trouble getting it to grow, which is disappointing because I do like it.
ReplyDeleteNice variety. I also have that red ruellia and it can grow from cuttings! They set root in water. Now I have 3. Do you know if they will make it through a winter here?
ReplyDeleteOk, about that bluebird house. I asked a forest ranger how to attract them. He said they like the birdhouse on a post on fence out in the open with lots of flying space around it. Maybe you could try it.
Happy Gardening. David :-)
David, this is my first time growing the ruellia, but I have heard that it will over winter here. It should die down and come back in spring.
ReplyDelete