skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Given yesterday's enthusiastic reception for the Kopper King, he's graciously granted us another brief audience ... I took these shots on August 16, late in the afternoon when he was starting to close up shop for the day, so that accounts for some of the petal ruffles, though others just never fully opened during the day because they were crowded together so closely. In this first shot, you can see how densely the buds pack themselves together, and on truly lucky days you can get 3-4 blooms all open at the same time on one stalk of the plant.
And, to address a point that Annie in Austin brought up in the previous post's comments, somehow I neglected to mention how big Kopper King actually grows! I can't recall (in his 7-8 years here) that he has ever gotten any bigger than 4 ft, which is right about where he is this year as well. As perennial hibiscus go, he's got a very neat growing habit, compared to say, a 'Lord Baltimore' or 'Blue River' who can get pretty tall and ungainly at times, which puts them at significant risk for damage from wind. There's nothing quite as discouraging as seeing a 5-6 ft tall stalk loaded with buds and blooms toppled after a violent thunderstorm. Often, such stalks can be saved if carefully re-staked immediately, but sometimes they just snap, and that it's for that part of the plant for the year. 
I was also trying in these shots to capture the fantastic veining in the foliage as well, since that's the feature that most attracted me to it when I got this plant. This shot also shows that he has sustained some minor foliage damage, most likely during one of those thunderstorms we had last week when we got the first hail of the summer (that did a number on the pumpkin leaves). Fortunately we haven't had much in the way of insects bothering this plant (unlike poor Shady Gardener does this year), which might be due in part to the Praying Mantises that have taken up residence in the garden. We haven't been able to get close to any this year, but we have had fleeting glimpses of them around the back yard, so are keeping an eye out for them so we can capture them (with the camera of course)! If you're interested in seeing some up close and personal, click on the Praying Mantis label below to see last year's posts on them.
As for this third shot, I wasn't sure that I'd manage to get the textural look I was aiming for, but I was pleased with how this turned out. I even knew at the time I took this what I'd call it (I rarely give photos a title other than a descriptive one): Shybiscus. Usually the blooms have their inner bits proudly displayed to the world, but not this discreet bloom, thus the name.... This shot also demonstrates the depth of the red and veining these flowers have ... they're truly among the deepest reds I think you can find in a perennial hibiscus, though I suspect the Fleming Brothers have also developed other varieties with this color trait. I can see that I need to spend more time on the Fleming Flowers website, though I know full well I'll be way too tempted to pull out the credit card and go crazy snapping things up. And worse yet, I'll have Fernymoss wagging his finger at me asking the usual question: And where do you think you are going put this one? I do have an answer where next year's acquisition is going though ... in the spot where I yanked all that Coreopsis out last weekend. It doesn't have to be filled this year, and some of the Coreopsis is likely to reappear anyway, at which point I can either transplant it or yank it out. So I'll just use that site as a 'wish list' for now, then order for spring delivery, so I don't make too many spur of the moment plant purchases, something I'm well known for doing when it comes to plants!
Last weekend, when we were doing some end of the day weeding out front, I just had to get a few more shots of this new variety of Celosia called 'Caracas.' It was a new discovery for us this year, and since we got it at a end of season discount, we had to give it a try. When we got them, they were already about 2 ft tall, and have since grown to between 3 and 4 ft at present. It's obviously a cultivar of the Plumosa type Celosias, with a bit of the bronzy red foliage that you find in other varieties such as 'New Look,' though the latter never reach this height. We used to always plant the big Argentea cristata or 'Cockscomb' form, those old fashiony types with the huge "brain clusters" of flower heads, but the past few years we've been too occupied to get them planted in time. I'm thinking now that we could really save a lot of money on annuals if we just started them indoors under lighting, so maybe this winter we'll actually get motivated enough to set that up and avoid having to buy them.
Anyway, Gail also discovered this one as well and has it in her garden, so she's the only other gardener I know who has this particular variety. I'm definitely going to collect and sow seeds from this one this fall, because it looks like it's going to be a real performer for the rest of the season. I've at times mentioned on this blog that Celosia is particularly susceptible to "sporting" and producing odd mutants, so I'm curious if this one will cross with others in our garden and produce something different next year. You never know with Celosia volunteers, and I've found a few recently that are part 'New Look' and who knows what else. They're not blooming just yet, but I'll be curious to see what those look like.
If you've never grown Celosia, it's worth a try, if for no other reason than they bloom right up till frost, snort at heat, dry and humidity (once established, of course), and bring great splashes of colors to the garden when everything else is tending to look a bit past spent. And if you're really lucky, they may cross and give you some real oddballs in the garden the next year! One word of caution: when buying Celosia from garden centers, make sure you don't mistakenly buy the 'Jewel Box Mix' varieties, because they are dwarf cultivars that barely reach 5 inches high! I did that one year, and cursed myself all summer for that mistake as they got swallowed up by their bigger neighbors. The ones often called the 'Castle' varieties get taller and produce a lot more flowers as well ... and they come in a nice array of colors from pink to yellow and brilliant reds (my favorites). Under optimal conditions we've had those get over a foot tall and loaded with bloom spikes bursting with color. They're well worth a spot in your sunny garden, and make great front of the border annuals ... oh, and bees love them! Need I say more?
Here's the Hibiscus that several regular visitors have been waiting for ... His Legendary Highness, Kopper King! This unique and gorgeous hybrid variety was developed by the well-known Fleming Brothers from Lincoln, NE ... I'm not sure if they're still alive, but their legacy continues and they have a wonderful site with even more of the beauties they developed over the years, but to my mind, even though they are remarkably lovely hybrids, none of them begin to surpass the sheer uniqueness of Kopper KIng! When I first saw it (probably about 7-8 years ago) I just had to buy it if for no other reason than because of its foliage, which is unlike any other perennial Hibiscus I have seen. And when it bloomed the second year, the flowers were every bit as impressive as the foliage, with their intense deep red veining and 'eye,' and shades of pink radiating out from the flower's eye.
I should probably note that this year these first few flowers have been strangely lacking in the pink that's one of the distinctive features of this cultivar. I find that a bit odd, but maybe successive flowers will take on more pink as they bloom throughout his relatively limited bloom period. Some Hibiscus (such as 'Blue River,' 'Lord Baltimore,' and the 'Disco Belle' cultivars) will bloom for at least two months in our garden, and last year 'Blue River' stopped in late August, took a couple of weeks off and then bloomed non-stop through October until we had a killing frost. Not so with Kopper King, because when he's spent, he's done and packing it in for the rest of the season. The bonus, though, is that you still have that fantastic foliage remaining, which turns colors in the fall before the freeze ... the bronzy red deepens in the autumn sun, rewarding you once again by its foliage. To my knowledge (and I'm not an expert, just a fanatic), no other perennial hibiscus can offer such year round appeal.
The first shot above was the only fully open flower when I took these late Saturday afternoon (16 August), after the weeding frenzy we went on that afternoon. Anyway, I was hoping to catch the waning western sun coming through the petals ... maybe next time sometime soon! The second shot (above) was already starting to pack it in for the night, only to drop off a day or so later ... such is the longevity of a Hibiscus bloom ... so impressive, yet so ephemeral that they have to pummel you with quantity to make up for their brevity on the scene. Yet another reason why I'm such a fan(atic) about Hibiscus, whether they be perennial or tropical, because they both give a gardener a colorful, reliable and so rewarding a show while they're in their prime during the summer months. You want a late July-August bloomer in the garden? Hibiscus moscheutos cultivars are for you!
Oh yeah, and the shots above and below showcase a Ladybug I happened to see on this flower at the time. She eventually took off, but these last two give us a good look at her going about her business. I don't often catch them at work on our flowers, but when I do, they always give me such a warm and fuzzy that I'm glad they're around taking care of critters we don't even know who invade the garden spaces....
I'll plan on working more Kopper King into the mix as it progresses through his bloom cycle, so you haven't seen the last of him (unless I receive complaints in the comments, lol). There's a lot of other stuff going on in the garden now (the Voodoo Lily is up!) to take up the slack, so variety will likely be the theme here for a while. I can't believe it's already August! We should have corn and tomatoes soon, even though they got started later than we would have liked, but then June was a truly aberrant month this year with all the rain!
Consider this post a condolence of sorts to Shady Gardener and Gail, who are currently experiencing problems growing this particular plant ... While Shady has something devouring the foliage (Japanese Beetles or a Caterpillar?), Gail's plant apparently wants more sun for it to bloom for her ... I guess we were fortunate to plant ours where it is, even if it was a rather 'ad hoc' decision at the time. I think that was about the time we were buying the house way back in 2000. Sometimes it's hard for me to grapple with the fact that we have been here since 1998 come September. As regular visitors will know, ours is a work in progress, and we have had our successes and failures over the years, but for the most part, we like to think we're on the way to building a durable perennial and annual garden that works for us ... it's just going to take a few more years....
I'm only up to a 'drive by' post tonight for two reasons: 1) I've had a killer headache since this afternoon that refuses to give up, and 2) I needed to make the rounds to the other gardening blogs to catch up a bit, so now that that's done, I thought I'd share a couple more shots of 'Blue River,' currently in bloom. 'Kopper King' is still holding out on me, but I'm going to check tomorrow after work and maybe I'll have news on that front ...
The first shot gives a decent impression of what the whole flower looks like, though it's not the best one I've posted, and I hope to have better soon to share with fellow (and incipient) Mallow Maniacs. Another thing I really like about 'Blue River' is that depending on when you look at it during the day, it can take on a lot of different aspects ... from pristine white with a hint of yellow, to creamy white, to stark shadow play in the late afternoon, when this was taken (on August 5, 2008).
Now, what's wrong with that second shot? That is the result of that heavy rain and hail we got last week, and those holes you see in the petals are not insect damage, rather, this flower opened before the hail came in and obviously suffered from it. In previous years early on, I would have lamented and gnashed my teeth in sorrow, but you know what? 'Blue River' is such a reliable, prolific and long blooming Hibiscus, I don't worry anymore. Last year this plant took a 2 week break from blooming in September, came back again and bloomed right up until frost, when it still had unopened buds on it. Yes, it's unfortunate to see such a lovely flower damaged, but these days I just take it in stide, because 1) the damage is already done and I could not prevent it, and 2) since the flowers last only one day, I know there will be numerous others to replace it....
So there you have it for today ... posting may become a bit spotty this week due to work demands, but I'm going to try to keep up, but if I miss a day or two or three, I'll be back once things have eased up a bit at work....
Despite the cooler weather today, I didn't get much done outside, in part because I had tons of laundry to do (and hang out), and by the time that was done (around 6:00 pm!) I had run out of what little steam I started the day out with ... plus, my arthritis has been really bad of late (e.g. high humidity!) and is only starting to ease up a bit. With a little luck and cooler temperatures in store for this week, I'm hopeful I'll get at least some minor tasks (weeding is not minor, but oh well...) done after work, which is slated to be very busy this week as well, so I remain ever hopeful I'll find some time.
So again, excuse the hodge podge nature of this post ... I just wanted announce the arrival of bloom time for the Hibiscus and Zinnias, and provide a peek at what's currently coming into prime time. First off, you can see the backside of a 'Blue River' bloom, something we both find fascinating due to its structure and just plain cool look. 'Blue River' is one of my all time favorite Hibiscus due to its simplicity. Pure white with hints of the slightest bit of yellow in the center, and lines that seem so crisply drawn, that they alone add interest to this prolific bloomer. Currently I need to get it staked back up to display it properly, so be patient, that will happen in a day or so!
This is a 'Disco Belle' variety that I planted a few years ago ... unfortunately there wasn't a tag with the proper variety (it simply said "Hardy Hibiscus," lol), but it's definitely one of the 'Disco Belles.' What distinguishes them from the older varieties of Hibiscus moscheutos, is that they don't grow as tall as say, 'Lord Baltimore' or 'Blue River' hibiscus. They have a much bushier habit and this one never gets much bigger than 3-4 ft over the season, but is also a very prolific bloomer. I like the gradations of color in this variety because, aside from its brilliant red center, there's a lot of variation among the flowers with regard to the extent of the pink coloring. Like all hardy Hibiscus, this one requires very little attention other than an occasional watering during dry spells, and cutting back the dead growth in early spring before it emerges again.
As a general rule, I'm not a real fan of hybridized perennial varieties (look what they've done to the Coneflowers and Gaillardia species of late to see why!), but in this case, I really like how breeders have tinkered with the newer hybrids on the market now, such examples of 'Kopper King' (which isn't exactly new) 'Disco Belle' and 'Luna' hibiscus ... They've addressed a key problem with the older varieties who grow to impressive heights, but are so prone to being blown or beaten down by hard rains and high winds. These newer members of the family may not be as tall, but they fare much better in such weather with much less fussing to keep them staked up properly. (That's my only gripe with 'Blue River' which is why I want to get one of the smaller 'Blue River II' ones.) Anyway, you readers can look forward to much more of these beauties in the near future around here, as it's prime time Hibiscus now until probably October!
Mother Nature, who lives in Tennessee, mentioned in a comment to yesterday's post that her neighbor grows a 'Confederate Rose' hibiscus, which was a new one for me. At first I thought she was talking about the annual variety Hibiscus acetosella, 'Red Shield,' but apparently they are two very different species as the links above demonstrate. We wanted to try 'Red Shield' this year, but didn't get any seeds, so that will have to wait until next year, but it looks like a more than acceptable compromise for those who can't grow the perennial varieties (due to zonal incompatibilities), even if their flowers are not as big as the Moscheutos varieties.... We're looking forward to giving 'Red Shield' a try next year!
I used to be a bit of a flower snob with regard to Zinnias, that omnipresent annual so common in many gardens, but I soon changed my tune when I actually started using them around our garden spaces here, I quickly underwent a conversion and now we consider them as essentials. What's not to like about Zinnias? They're practically fail safe (as long as you water regularly after planting the seeds and during dry spells), they're easy, prolific bloomers who reward gardeners who cut them regularly, by producing bushier plants and even more blooms! Zinnias are the first annuals I always suggest to first time gardeners, because they provide pretty quick gratification in the hottest parts of the summer, when they are happiest and really in their prime. The only caveat I mention is that it's really not worth the effort to collect the seeds in fall and plant them the following season, because they rarely (if ever) come back true to what the parent plant was, mostly producing wan pink and white flowers that are much smaller than the parent. But if that's what you like, then collect to your heart's content ... snobs that we are, we just compost them after frost and buy new seed every spring because they're so cheap and give so much back for such little effort ... except for the initial phase of getting them well established. This particular one is one of the many we have planted on the perimeter of the back veggie garden, and you can see that in this shot, it's bordered by a wayward tomato plant and one of the corn stalks. 
Another nice feature of Zinnias (which I've never quite understood) is that they attract butterflies by the droves! So if you're looking for a butterfly magnet, and don't already have these in your garden, give them a try, and you'll most likely be rewarded with many visitors. Combine them with other butterfly magnets and you'll have a sure fire show of flora color and fauna visitors including not only the butterflies but the bees as well. We like to keep ours busy in the garden and Zinnias give them a perfect work site to visit frequently. Not to mention that they make perfect cut flowers for inside as well, because they last a long time in the vase, and cutting them promotes even more prolific blooms ... what more could you ask of an inexpensive annual? If anyone has a good answer to that question, I'd like to hear about it!
I was saddened to see today that Isaac Hayes died. Though I don't own any of his work, I've always been really admiring of a lot of it, and always enjoyed seeing his performances when I managed to see them. His talent was genre changing and inventive, and ever evolving until now. Of course I loved his stint as 'Chef' on South Park, at which he was clearly at his peak of comedic and musical powers ... I was disappointed to find out he was a Scientologist --I'll readily admit a bias here-- but I never doubted this man's incredible talent. Isaac, we'll miss you ... too many good ones gone this year ... George Carlin ... and just yesterday Bernie Mac (who spookily enough, acted in the same film as did Hayes just recently).
No, this is not a soft serve ice cream cone. With apologies to Dr. Freud, there are sometimes where a hibiscus bud is just a hibiscus bud, and in this instance, namely a Hibiscus moscheutos 'Blue River' about to spring into bloom. However, it does share some resemblance don't you think? Actually, this hibiscus started blooming shortly after this was taken, but it needs staking up (again) after that pounding rain we had earlier this week, so I'm refraining from showing it in its full glory just yet. But soon, after I've gotten the bed weeded, and 'Blue River' staked up again, you'll be be seeing a lot more of him around here. That's my only gripe with this spectacular and prolific hibiscus: it gets so tall and unwieldy (it can get to 7 ft!), that strong winds will blow it down, and if there's a hard rain with hail, it doesn't fare very well, as ours demonstrates. Next year, I vow I'm going to get a 'Blue River II,' the shorter and bushier cultivar of this particular strain. The size and beauty of these prolific flowers is astounding, but constantly having to stake it up after hard rains gets a bit tiresome....
Some of you regular readers will immediately recognize this shot as 'Kopper King,' probably one of the most successful Hibiscus moscheutos hybrids ever developed ... by two horticulturalist brothers in Omaha, NE (more on that later). Those who already have it in their gardens know the pleasure of growing this particular cultivar, because it so perfectly encapsulates why we fanatics grow hibiscus. It has huge pink, creamy white and deep red flowers all rolled into one, it's a real dry hot, humid weather lover and during its (albeit brief, compared to other Hibiscus) bloom period, it will wow you (and passersby) with its striking beauty. If you have no other perennial hibiscus in your sunny garden, you owe it to yourself to seek out 'Kopper King' and get it into the ground. That, from an obsessed fan of the Hibiscus species, mind you. Just wait until you see it in bloom ... it's that good. (Or visit the label link to the archives, if you're impatient). More (obviously) to come....
"Pay no attention to the man inside the box."
That line from The Prestige, (which we watched the other night), could well sum up the focus of these shots Fernymoss did last week. Though in the context of the film it clearly refers to the illusionist's techniques to distract the audience from what is really going on (which is of course more interesting than the false focus), here it's meant more to guide the viewer of these photos to the true subject of these shots: the shadows.
Fernymoss was out to capture more of the effects of late afternoon sun on the 'Blue River' hibiscus than to get tightly focused Inner Bits shots ... and to that end, I think he succeeded quite well. These aren't the most perfect of Hibiscus blooms, au contraire, they're a bit chewed up (likely by grasshoppers who have been real pests of late, and have eaten all of my prized Convolvulus seedlings!) We also thought that the textures displayed here were interesting in and of themselves, as well as the strategically placed "eyes" the marauding insect left on the bloom ... and in particular, the inner bits reminded us of those 'blow out' noise makers so popular with birthdays and New Year's Eve celebrations. Whether you see a Mardi Gras mask or just a rather molested Hibiscus bloom, it doesn't matter ... what I like best about these shots are the golden hue of the late afternoon sun, combined with the shadows it makes during the transition to evening ... after which, of course, another bloom will come along to replace it in the cycle this 'Blue River' hibiscus goes through every year. Though the flowers may seem the same, it's shots like these that prove to us that each one is unique in its own way, and there's always something new to be seen on close examination out in the garden....
As a quick aside ... The Prestige is a film well worth viewing for its multi-layered temporally distinct narratives as well as its intrigue created by the rivalry between two late 19th century illusionists played by Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. It's a film that will engage your intellect immediately and sustain it throughout its many plot convolutions and trips through time to tell its story. Directed by Christopher Nolan of Batman Begins and Memento fame, it's a film that generally got overlooked last year (hmm, was it because it was too intelligent for most audiences?) but merits more attention from a wider audience. We highly recommend it, and look forward to comparing it to that "other" magician film from last year, The Illusionist. The latter is going to have to go the extra mile to achieve the astounding effect The Prestige did for us, but we'll approach it with an open mind and see what it has to offer. I'm just curious though, about why two different films focusing on the minutiae of magic acts happened to be released at roughly the same time last year ... after all, it's not a subject that readily springs to mind as a potential film vehicle, but as far as The Prestige is concerned, I'm glad it got made and actually saw the light of day!
Tonight's treat is an experiment Fernymoss tried during the late afternoon-early evening hours when the western sun was at its brightest ... he went looking for some interesting shadows and I think he succeeded fabulously with this shot that he calls Faerie Passing. I think there are a lot of things you can conjure up in this shot, so I'd be really interested to hear what you folks see in it.
It's a detail of Hibiscus moscheutos 'Blue River,' of course ... which is carrying on admirably its non-stop bloom fest as usual. Still waiting for 'Kopper King' to end its break and start up again so we can see some more of those, but they'll be along soon! Oh, and that green castor is taller than Fernymoss now ... it's just loving this heat and high humidity, even if the dogs and humans aren't! We'll do an update shot of that soon, as well... but for now, enjoy Faerie Passing!
Here's good ole Hibiscus moscheutos again, but this time it's my favorite hybrid 'Kopper King!' As I've often stated, I'm not usually one to adopt most hybrids, but 'Kopper King' is just too outstanding an exception that I think every serious gardener should have at least one in the perennial border.
For one, its bronzy, reddish purple foliage reminiscent of maple leaves is the most striking of any of the H. moscheutos cultivars of which I'm aware. Even when it's not blooming (which from July to September isn't often) it's a very attractive plant, growing to about 4 feet by 3 feet in a season. It's a relatively low maintenance plant and aside from pruning it back in the spring and keeping it fairly well watered in hot periods, it doesn't really demand much in order to wow you with its fabulous flowers. It's also quite cold hardy, happy to dwell within Zones 4-9. The only real drawback I can see is that, as it's a hybrid, it produces no viable seed, and the only way to propagate it is from stem cuttings rooted in late spring or summer.
But once established and when it gets to blooming in late July, it rarely ceases to amaze passersby with its truly dinner plate sized flowers, intricate veining on the petals and just plain eye popping blasts of red, pink and white. We're starting to see a few more of these around local gardens, but it doesn't seem to have caught on as much as the 'Lord Baltimore' and 'Disco Belle' cultivars you more commonly see growing in local gardens.
No matter, we like having one of the more rare Hibiscus moscheutos in our garden (in fact we have two!). I named this one 'Olivia' last year (I don't go naming too many plants but this one just begged for it) due to her deep admiration of pinks. So here are two very different angles on it. The first shot was intended to capture the absolute competition between flowers to be the first to show off ... these three were so closely situated that none of them managed to truly open to the full potential, but as an ensemble I think they make a nice cluster of contrasts between colours and textures. The second shot is a full on close up aimed at getting the whole inner-bitian enchilada for Olivia. (I may have posted this before, but it's a worthy rerun for this flower!)
At present it's taking a bit of a break due so the recent dry weather, but with the regular rains of last week, it should be gearing up to launch another round of blooms soon, so keep dropping by and I should have more sometime soon, because you can never have too many Hibiscus blooming, no matter what variety you grow!
Because Olivia just has to have them! So here ya go, toots ....!
These are a couple of inner bits shots of the Hibiscus 'Disco Belle' I posted earlier this week. (Photos taken 22 July, 2007 by IVG.)
I think the colour gradations in the flowers show up pretty well here (and yes, these were two different blooms), despite the shadow, which was totally unintended. Bonus points if you can identify the source of it ....
When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that a flower that lasts but one day goes to such intricate extremes to lure its pollinators to visit. I guess that's one of the reasons I've always been such an enthusiastic promoter of Hibiscus in general, and H. moscheutos in particular. It was definitely the tropical look in the midst of the midwest that hooked me initially (though I grew the tropical varieties for years), but the longer I've grown these beauties, the more I've come to appreciate their complexities. And when you add in the 'wow' factor they produce in their admirers, I just can't see how any garden is complete without a few representatives. And even the tropical varieties are pretty easy to grow inside over the winter, and will even reward you frequently as long as you provide them with a sunny window and adequate water and humidity. I actually look forward to pampering Erin Rachel come winter, so we can keep those giant 'froot loops' (Fernymoss' description) blooms coming!
July is prime Hibiscus blooming season, and the past week it's really been revving up around here! As most of you know by this point, I'm a fanatic about Hibiscus and most members of the Mallow family ... examples of which you've seen in various posts recently.
Hibiscus moscheutos, sometimes referred to as 'Rose Mallow' is the species that definitely packs the most "Wow!" factor, with its dinner plate sized blooms in eye-popping shades of red, pink, white and combinations thereof. Though the eventual plant height may vary by cultivar (the Blue River white one I posted recently has been known to top out at about 7 feet!), most species tend to grow from at least 4 feet to 6 feet at maturity.
The 'Disco Belle' variety shown here is one of the smaller cultivars and usually tops out at a very bushy four feet, which makes it an attractive option for closer to the front of the border. Though its blooms don't quite reach dinner plate size (usually about 7-8"), they're every bit as striking, and what it may lack in size, it more than makes up for it in sheer quantity! On a given day, I've seen as many as 10-12 blooms open, and this past weekend it was really outstanding with approximately 6-8 blooms opening every day. As I've mentioned before, their blooms only last one day, so every day it blooms it's essentially a whole new show!
Notes on the photos: Taken 22 July, 2007 by IVG.
The first shot gives you some perspective of where this beauty is situated in the front boulder bed. In the background you can see it surrounded by Zebrina Mallow, Artemisia, Coneflowers, Sea Holly, and Porcupine grass.
The second shot is an in your face close up of one of the blooms, complete with lovely IBs. And finally, the third shot is a kind of 'peekaboo' shot I took just for fun, to try to get the perspective of the bloom rising up from the background.
If you're still with me after that dissertation on Volver, here's a harbinger of things to come over the next few days. The Hibiscus have begun their full on bloom fest in earnest, much to our delight, and this tantalizing bud is but a teaser to what is to come from this 'Disco Belle' variety. To me, this shot looks a bit like a carefully crafted bit of elegantly served soft serve ice cream (are you there on that one Olivia?) ... what does it suggest to you?
Longtime readers here at Urban Oasis know all about my long-term love affair with Hibiscus moscheutos varieties, of which we have at least some five in various parts of the garden. Every July I dread the arrival of the inevitable blast furnace heat and humidity, yet at the same time I get increasingly excited because I know the Hibiscus moscheutos will come into their full summer glory.
Though each bloom lasts but one day (like most, if not all Hibiscus), they make up in quantity what they may lack in longevity, by producing at times ten or more blooms a day! (This particular variety 'Blue River,' has been known to have over twelve in bloom on a given day.) For those interested in cultivation tips and care information, I'll just refer you to one of my posts from last summer for more ... just click on the following link: Moscheutos Madness .
I just noticed yesterday (14 July, Bastille Day, as it were) that 'Blue River' had a bloom open, the first of the summer. And today I saw that one of the 'Disco Belle' varieties had started to bloom as well, but it was posititioned such that I couldn't get a good shot of it without having to crawl into the boulder bed and avoid everything else surrounding it. But no worry, it is so loaded with buds that it will soon be appearing here, probably within the week. Stay tuned, as they say ....
Just a few other words on 'Blue River.' Though it's not the flashiest of the Hibiscus we have planted (those are yet to come!), it's really become one of my favorites due to its elegant simplicity, yet extremely malleable appearance based on how you choose to shoot it ... Today I was trying for something a bit beyond mere 'representation,' and more along the lines of shadow play in the late afternoon sun. Given how these blooms were positioned today (mostly nodding down or to the side), I think I was able to get some interesting perspectives of what the light coming through the blooms can do to an otherwise quite plain colour. I particularly like the silhouettes of future blooms through the petals of the second flower, while the first shot somehow reminds me of the apex of a canopy or tent with sun peeking through....
Photos by IVG, taken 15, July 2007, late afternoon, no flash, no crop, organic and unadulterated in any way.
Just because I'm a space case and rarely remember birthdays (and assiduously avoid my own!), here's a nice bit of inner bits for my good gardening friend Olivia, who just recently avoided a birthday.
From the archives ... 30 July, 2006 (umm, my birthday, prime Leo I am) ... here's an interestingly crumpled looking shot of Hibiscus moscheutos "Kopper King" --- inner bits on full display! This is the plant in our back garden we've named "Olivia," in honor of our Canadian contingent in the gardening clan.
Kopper King is a magnificent Hibiscus Moscheutos hybrid with wonderful bronzy foliage reminiscent of a maple ... and the flowers speak for themselves! Amazing ... same easy upkeep as other Moscheutos varieties ... what could be easier?
Anyway ... sorry about spacing it out Olivia! Just think... it's warming up and soon the last of the winter funk will dissipate!
Given yesterday's enthusiastic reception for the Kopper King, he's graciously granted us another brief audience ... I took these shots on August 16, late in the afternoon when he was starting to close up shop for the day, so that accounts for some of the petal ruffles, though others just never fully opened during the day because they were crowded together so closely. In this first shot, you can see how densely the buds pack themselves together, and on truly lucky days you can get 3-4 blooms all open at the same time on one stalk of the plant. 
I was also trying in these shots to capture the fantastic veining in the foliage as well, since that's the feature that most attracted me to it when I got this plant. This shot also shows that he has sustained some minor foliage damage, most likely during one of those thunderstorms we had last week when we got the first hail of the summer (that did a number on the pumpkin leaves). Fortunately we haven't had much in the way of insects bothering this plant (unlike poor Shady Gardener does this year), which might be due in part to the Praying Mantises that have taken up residence in the garden. We haven't been able to get close to any this year, but we have had fleeting glimpses of them around the back yard, so are keeping an eye out for them so we can capture them (with the camera of course)! If you're interested in seeing some up close and personal, click on the Praying Mantis label below to see last year's posts on them.
As for this third shot, I wasn't sure that I'd manage to get the textural look I was aiming for, but I was pleased with how this turned out. I even knew at the time I took this what I'd call it (I rarely give photos a title other than a descriptive one): Shybiscus. Usually the blooms have their inner bits proudly displayed to the world, but not this discreet bloom, thus the name.... This shot also demonstrates the depth of the red and veining these flowers have ... they're truly among the deepest reds I think you can find in a perennial hibiscus, though I suspect the Fleming Brothers have also developed other varieties with this color trait. I can see that I need to spend more time on the Fleming Flowers website, though I know full well I'll be way too tempted to pull out the credit card and go crazy snapping things up. And worse yet, I'll have Fernymoss wagging his finger at me asking the usual question: And where do you think you are going put this one? I do have an answer where next year's acquisition is going though ... in the spot where I yanked all that Coreopsis out last weekend. It doesn't have to be filled this year, and some of the Coreopsis is likely to reappear anyway, at which point I can either transplant it or yank it out. So I'll just use that site as a 'wish list' for now, then order for spring delivery, so I don't make too many spur of the moment plant purchases, something I'm well known for doing when it comes to plants!
Last weekend, when we were doing some end of the day weeding out front, I just had to get a few more shots of this new variety of Celosia called 'Caracas.' It was a new discovery for us this year, and since we got it at a end of season discount, we had to give it a try. When we got them, they were already about 2 ft tall, and have since grown to between 3 and 4 ft at present. It's obviously a cultivar of the Plumosa type Celosias, with a bit of the bronzy red foliage that you find in other varieties such as 'New Look,' though the latter never reach this height. We used to always plant the big Argentea cristata or 'Cockscomb' form, those old fashiony types with the huge "brain clusters" of flower heads, but the past few years we've been too occupied to get them planted in time. I'm thinking now that we could really save a lot of money on annuals if we just started them indoors under lighting, so maybe this winter we'll actually get motivated enough to set that up and avoid having to buy them. 
