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Valentine
Flower, Falling Stars, Montbretia Crocosmia aurea
These pretty perennial plants are in the iris family and grow on corms.
Benefits: are hummingbird attractants.
From: Southern and eastern Africa grasslands.
Photographed: At the Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum,
in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA
in 2017.
Planting and Care: Plant these lovely flowers in well-drained
fertile humus rich moist soil in full sun or brightly lit semi-shade.
Text and Photographs ©GreenGardeningCookingCuring.com
2019 |
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**Vanilla
Orchid See
The "O" Page -- ORCHIDS |
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Vegetable
Sponge Gourd See
The "L" Page -- LOOFAH |
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Velvet
Sage See the "S" Page
-- SALVIAS -- Mexican Sage |
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(1)Verbena Verbena
Benefits: Verbena enjoys a place in herbal history
and is still used today in the Bach flower remedies.
From: The Americas and Europe
Photographed: In the Blithewold Garden in Bristol, Rhode Island
2013.
Planting and Care: Adaptable to a range of soil conditions,
verbena is also more drought tolerant than plants with a similar appearance.
It is also comfortable in full sun or in partial shade.
Text and Photograph ©GreenGardeningCookingCuring.com
2013 |
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(2)Verbena
'homestead purple', Garden
Verbena, Vervain Verbena
canadensis
This is a perennial groundcover that will easily spread. It will bloom endlessly
if pruned regularly.
Benefits: It is a hummingbird attractant
From:
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan
on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Plant it in full sun in more northerly
gardens, but I think it would like some relief from the hot sun of more tropical
gardens.
Text and Photograph ©GreenGardeningCookingCuring.com
2013
My
#30 Flower Mystery was solved by Ursula G. living
in Southern Germany |
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(3)Verbena
'Lanai-Candy-Cane'
Benefits:
From:
Photographed: In Bar Harbor, Maine, in the summer of 2013.
Planting and Care:
Text and Photograph ©GreenGardeningCookingCuring.com
2013 |
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**Vinca
Benefits:
From:
Photographed: In
the gardens at the Hotel Riviera on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care:
Text and Photograph ©KO 2010.
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Vipers
Bugloss Echium plantagineum Blue
Bedder
This low growing, one foot generally, bushy flowering plant is delightful filled
with pink flowers that aging turn to most appealing shades of blue and fading
they are with crimson. I never knew what they were, but now that I do, I'll
order seeds.
Benefits and Drawbacks: If you care about bees this is a survival
plant for all of them. They simply love it. If you care about your hands, wear
gloves when handling this plant.
From: Western and Southern Europe
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan
on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala in 2012 and 2013.
Planting and Care: Echium do not transplant well so you'll
want to plant your seeds directly in the area where you'll want them to grow.
I saw them first in a garden in the Guatemalan highlands growing in full sun
and it's not where I would have put them, given the hot and strong sun. In
a northern garden full sun is probably just fine; in a warm climate morning
sun and freedom from afternoon sun would be preferable.
Text and Photograph ©GreenGardeningCookingCuring.com
2015
With
my appreciation this mystery plant was solved by Jac from North
Norfolk, England |
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Variegated
Greater Periwinkle, Variegated Bigleaf Periwinkle, Periwinkle,
Large Periwinkle, Greater Periwinkle and Blue Periwinkle Vinca
Major variegata
I'm not always a fan of variegated leaves, but these
greens on a background of cream frame these little blue flowers
perfectly. This is a perennial that will spread liberally
as a ground cover.
Benefits:
From:
Photographed: In the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan
on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: This is a ground cover that will do well
in the sun or in a semi shady area. Make sure it receives enough rainfall or
watering to keep
the soil moist.
Text and Photograph ©GreenGardeningCookingCuring.com
2013 |
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Vireya
Rhododendron Rhododendron laetum
Benefits: This striking bush attracts
butterflies and hummingbirds.
From: New Guinea
Photographed: In
the Botanical Garden at the Hotel Atitlan on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala.
Planting and Care: Though this plant is said
to prefer a semi shady location, we saw it thriving in full sun.
Either way it likes routine rainfall or watering to look its
best as well as a bit of a breeze if you can provide it. It will
not survive a freezing winter.
Text & Photograph
©KO 2010 |
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VOLUNTEERS
Volunteers are those wonderful visitors to the garden
carried on the wind or brought by birds. Right now I have a lovely
coreopsis which I had nothing to do with planting. And, there have
been many of these gifts from nature over the years. I think it
is a good rule in the garden to leave what grows by accident unless
you are sure it's a weed or something else you don't really want.
Below you'll find photographs of some of my volunteers over the
years.
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Oakleaf lettuce in the foreground growing in
my pot of romaine lettuce. I thought it quite beautiful.
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A
Coreopsis that Arrived in 2014.
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If
You Know What This Flower Is, Please Contact Me
#24 Volunteer Flower Mystery
Photographed: In our garden at our former home in Montserrat.
These lovely yellow and orange flowers came as volunteers and spread maybe
more than I would have liked when I first let them blossom. They would make
a great wildflower field.
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