Hidden Valley Hibiscus Forum

I like this second bloom on Old Spice better than the first.
Also:     Herm Geller
           Tahitian Sophistication
           Magic Crystal
           Deep Waters

Erny

More;      Burnt Saffron in sun and shade
             Slapstick        "   "     "      "
             Cherry Glow--also much nicer than the first two blooms.

My first bloom on Rainbow Sherbert.
Also:      Voodoo Magic
             Magnifique--fist bloom in past few months. Wet from sprinklers
             Strawberry Fields Forever--still looking good on day 2

First bloom of Golden Mist

Golden Mist looks very pretty. I don't recall ever seeing that one before.
Here is Cindy's Heart  in bright sun and shaded. Also Palm Springs.

Erny

Some other blooms from today.

Paul, very nice colors on Burnt Saffron and Satsuma.
Here are some late afternoon photos in bright sunshine:
            Bridal Path--like most of the new ones I planted in June, the second set of blooms are
                             far nicer than the first.
            Silver Dragon
            Sleeping Beauty--somewhat faded late in the day
            Night Runner

Erny

A few more:   Flickering Flame twins
                   Saffron triplets
                   Deep Waters
                   Tahitian Taui
                  

Great start to September everyone!
Today I had a couple Voodoo Magic, one had many many petals.
Creole Lady opening, and a few hours later.

Very nice Kristen. That's the first time I've seen Voodoo Magic as a double. Creole Lady is definitely one of those that fade quickly from their opening colors.

Erny

Happy Labor everyone!

Fly me to the Moon twins today, I think I might have a new favorite CV.  Huge 8 inch blooms too! Charlie you were right about this CV being a treat. 

Chris, your FMTTM is great! My congratulations!

Chris, all I can say is WOW!
I'm really liking Victoria's Touch.
Also:         Belle du Jour
               Georgia's Pearl
               Sparkling Water
               Silver Dragon
               Valentine's Day--reflexed in the early morning.

Erny

A few more:          Ruby Tuesday--a really vibrant red when somewhat shaded.
                          Daisy Mae
                          Winter Lights

Erny & Paul very nice assortment of blooms.  I really enjoy viewing them all. 

Chris that FMTTM is beyond words - perfect for you in those PNW conditions!  Wow!

Farmer D

Hey I got my first Exuberance bloom since late winter - this one also came very close to death when I replanted it.  The root system on this plant was so puny at that time it actually fell over at one point.  Looking good now...

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

farmer D

farmer d

Blooming in Ohio, Carmel Toffee



Patrick

Wow! Great blooms everyone!

Kristin - That Voodoo Magic Double is really cool!
Helix - FMTTM is amazing! I'll have to add it to my wish list.
Farmer D - Love them all, especially your Sea of Tranquility and Tahitian Lavender Mist!
Patrick - Caramel Coffee is amazing as well!

I just want you all to know that you are all ENABLERS! Lol  :) I want to order one of every plant  in your photos!  :D

Paul, I know what you mean!  Haha.  I wanted to only have 10-15 plants total!  Now I have 80!, Half of them being my own seedlings that will be trashed or given away, but still.  Being on this forum was my weakening.  seeing so many beauties.  Darren, I'm Loving your Summer Fun!

Wonderful pics everyone.

Acapulco Gold and Rainbow Sherbert

Hi Everyone your flowers look great
Darren we did get a decent amount of rain out of the storm , we needed it bad but the next few days it's up near 100 again then it's going to drop down around 90 .
Here is a real nice set of picture, then one uguly flower the same one you have darren it's Tahitian lavander pastel . In the winter when I have to bring them in I will thin out the ones that I don't like because I don't have room for all of them , this is probably one of them .    

here is hot wired & high voltage at another angle . I really like these two , same plant different color .
Hay Darren I planted a Valentines Day in the ground in the spring & I also have one in a pot and the one in the pot looks terrible & the one in the ground is beautiful and I take care of the one in the pot .I keep it in the shade and fertilize it all the time & spray it for bugs . and I don't do much for the one in the ground never fertilize it & rarely spray it . I think next year I will plant a lot of them in the ground then just dig them up around October & replant them in the spring . I will take a picture tomorrow you will laugh when you see the difference ?

Mike it is so true what you are seeing.  This is my first season of trying to grow some in pots and it has had it's challenges.  A great example is Acapulco Gold - we all know my in-ground one is doing great so I got my in-laws one for a 5 gallon pot on their porch which is the perfect set up with great dappled shade and a little afternoon sun.  It has been droopy and barely growing since mid July when I planted it.  It still blooms once a week so a testament to the awesome genes this one has but it is like a totally different plant.  I still can't figure out if it wants more water or less though Charlie did send me a monster at over 5 ft tall so maybe it is just so tall it's struggling getting water and nutrients up that high while adjusting to new and more challenging circumstances?  Maybe once our weather gets more back to normal it will be happier - I hope...

Hey here is a really interesting observation I had last week.  We all know how the hibs need lots of fussing over to stay happy it seems...well I'm over at my in-laws every other day at the minimum to keep their 10 potted hibs going strong.  For the last two weeks I noticed most of the plants just kept doing worse and worse and I was totally puzzled as to what was going on.  Then I noticed that their landscaping was starting to really dry out.  Turns out their sprinkler timer died and no water during the heatwave so everything there was starting to die.

Well I was watering, feeding and taking great care of those hibs since day 1 so they shouldn't have had any problems like the surrounding landscaping right?  Wrong - all but two totally showed signs of slowing down or starting to die back!  Most shocking is the total die down of the 2 gallon Black Dream I got them which in my book is a pretty easy cv to grow.  It just shut down and starting losing all it's leaves and now I am really concerned about it and all this started exactly when their landscaping started drying out.  I can see the one or two coincidentally having issues but 8 out of 10 at the exact same time.  It's not the weather as it has been consistently hot here all August so no change there.  I'm becoming more and more a believer in the morph fields that affect plants especially the hibs.  Again these were in pots separate from the rest of their landscaping so totally controlled by me only.  Let's see what happens now that they fixed their timer.

Well in the mean time I will enjoy the blooms from mine as my sprinkler timer seems to be working fine so far...

Farmer D

It's always a treat for me when 5th Dimension blooms...thought it would be interesting to compare to Sea of Tranquility which had a beautiful day 2 bloom too.

Farmer D

Paul now I'm going back and looking at all my past few months TL Pastel pics and it is really hard to say which it might be.  It changes it's look so much - I'll just have to wait and see what my baby TL Rainbow looks like one day...maybe it will help or confuse it even more...

Farmer D

Here's a photo of Sugar Plum, I don't recall seeing any photo's of this one besides Charlie's.  The blooms don't look too well in the hot summer but now that it has cooled down some the blooms look great.



Patrick

Patrick both your Sugar Plum and Caramel Coffee blooms are just gorgeous!  Really striking and good to see some different blooms as those two are special all right!

Farmer D

Thanks farmer D for your comments , I'm glad you liked them. Lately Everyone has had some great looking blooms it must be a good time of year for blooming.


Patrick Long

Here are some blooms, not promising what month they came out of lol
VERY Unsual look on Pinot Noir love it ! ( this whole series will be PN)

Fall leaves , Night fire , HBH, New seedling Orange mocha x Barry schlueter ( I think will double check later) , Blues in the night ,  island girl

Another island girl and solar eclipse

Charlie,

Do you have a Carmel Toffee and a Carmel Coffee, I thought I labeled my bloom wrong so I changed it to carmel toffee but when I got home I went out and checked the name and it says carmel coffee but I can't bring up carmel coffee on your web site.


Thanks, Patrick

San Diego Sun

Kerry that is a beautiful group of blooms!  I hope they do very well in their new home!

John SD Sun is really something with all that ruffling and tufting.  I bet it is very heat tolerant as well with those strong looking petals.  Very nice!

Hey where's the pads on VD?

Farmer D

In reference to the previous posts about T Lavender Rainbow/Pastel here is a progression of it opening, reflexing and then starting to bounce back from this morning.  Note the color fade on a cloudy day here.

Why don't we just call it Tahitian Lavender Pastel Rainbow and cover all the bases ;D

Farmer D

more cloudy day blooms...

Farmer D

Here is a progression of just opened & mid day Rodeo Drive twins to see the color fade.  Such a unique bloom thanks to Rainbow Christie!  

Farmer D

Thanks for your input on the Tahitian Lavender Pastel Rainbow Farmer D. :) It's still a pretty flower!

Rosy Cheeks
White Magic

Darren, San Diego Sun is heat tolerant.

First Rise and Shine bloom.

Beautiful, everyone! Here are some from the past few days.

John congrats on Rise and Shine - I really like that one a ton.  The bush is super vigorous and hardy.  For me it is one of those blooms that when you see it in person it is really impressive with the yellow and white playing off each other to varying degrees with each bloom.

Denise your CP really is perfection for me.  I just love the colors on that one to no end...

Farmer D

Another giant petaloid this time on the rt bloom

Farmer D

A useful shot of day 2 T L Pastel and a reflexed just opened one for comparison.

Star of the day is Vin Electrique - now that is some amazing color!

Farmer D

Three new first blooms today:
      Ay Caramba--planted in July from 4" pot
      Summer Shore--planted in June from 4" pot
      Prosperity--planted in June from 6" pot
Also Scarlet Beauty and Creme de la Creme.

Erny

Some more:  Pinot Noir
                  Palm Springs
                  Cindy's Heart
                  California Beauty
                  Me Oh My Oh
                  Black Baron

Inner Compass
Creole Lady
Jazz
Old Spice
Magic Crystal

Simple pleasures
Velvet Illusion
Rocket's Red Glare
Secret Heart
Voodoo Magic

Blooming in Ohio


Heartbreak Hotel
Cheerful Heart
Makenna (seedling)



Thanks, Patrick

Wow! Loving everyones blooms.  Great seedling Patrick! 
Vin Electrique
Cindy's Heart
Fire & Ice (there are a ton of buds on this little 4"er!)
Laguna Starlight

Erny that is one heck of a nice Ay Caramba for it's first bloom!  And I hope Prosperity goes to town on you, that is one of my favorites...Fab CH triplets and HH is breath taking.  Scarlet Beauty is one of the more challenging ones to photograph.  All that red seems to overwhelm the camera, I find before or after sunset works best but then it is either reflexed or faded so challenging...

Patrick lovely HH and your seedling Makenna is really great with those bright, fun colors.  You got a nice one there!

Kristen fab blooms - I have quickly become a huge fan of Vin Electrique especially with the way it fades.  Just lovely on day 2...

To the lft of AG is Saffron and to the rt is High Voltage kind of all combining together which is the goal...

Farmer D

Another insane Flickering Flame with super petaloid.  I thought it would be fun to put it next to the total opposite in form - Living Legend.  Both just gorgeous!

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Loving the look on day 2 for Vin Electrique!

Farmer D

Darren, me too!  It is also a favorite for me.  Wait till the winter blooms come for you.  I hope they are similar to what I get... however I get about 70º colder then you do!  But they look just like  Vin Extraordinaire!

Today I had my best Raging Bull to date...good size bloom too so living up to the rep!

Outrageous Scarlet Beauty and super awesome Living Legend with that speckled rim - mind blowing

Farmer D

more color...

Farmer D

Royal Hawaiian Plumeria looking amazing...first bloom cluster off of cutting

Farmer D

Darren, nice blooms as always and very nice color on your plumeria.
This may be my favorite photo--Night Runner triplets. Also my first flower on Pepper Spray, Slapstick, Cherry Glow, and Bridal path.

Erny

Erny!!!  That triplet photo may be my favorite photo too!  Beautiful!

Very nice triple of Night Runner, Ernie. It seems like many of your varieties have reached full summer colors - Cherry Glow with lots of white markings, Bridal Path with the yellow markings, Slapstick with super hot colors.

Farmer D, many super blooms but I'm particularly enjoying your photos of the way Flickering Flame is blooming.

Kristen and others, wonderful Vin Electrique blooms!

Charlie

Patrick, we have 2 varieties with the word Caramel in the name - Caramel Toffee and Sweet Caramel. I would guess that yours is supposed to be Caramel Toffee which is Born To Be Wild x Creme de Cacao.

Also, very nice to see Sugar Plum blooming elsewhere. I really liked that one when it first showed up but have never been able to propagate it successfully more than a couple of times.

Charlie

Interesting similarities in these 2 blooms. Sea of Tranquility may have 5th Dimension in its pedigree, but that would be several generations back. Thanks for showing.

Charlie

Hi Charlie,

Thanks for your reply, so does that mean this is a misprint?  So I should change the name to caramel Toffee


Thanks, Patrick

Had some nice blooms over the past few days...and the first for most of them!
Groovy Grape
Easter Glow with a princess flower next to it
My Blue Heaven
Sleeping Beauty (indoors)
Summer Shore
Deep Waters

Great pics, everyone! All the colors of the rainbow represented! I agree Darren...Confection Perfection is amazing!

Here is Sweet Pink. I am still grumpy about being sent the wrong plant (not from HVH) but I guess it is cool how big the bloom is....

We got our first taste of fall today. It got down to 65 this morning. High should only reach 89.

John that is a super awesome Hot Southern Nights bloom!!! I love the spots on it - really appealing.  Another heat lover.  Good to hear the weather is finally cooling a little.  Hopefully starting tomorrow here we can say the same finally...

Erny those Night Runner triplets are spectacular.  Not many of those happening around the world!

John R that is a great set of blooms you shared with us.  A nice variety of colors for sure!  Keep them bloom pics coming...

I have my first ever triplets on Confection Perfection so that is a nice start to the day for sure.

Farmer D

I'm really glad you're loving those FF blooms too.  I am not a big double fan but it is a pretty amazing swirl of colors when it produces those super petaloids.  Also love the dark and bright color combo too.

Farmer D

Wow great blooms everyone!

Came home to Cinnamon Girl blooming like crazy, 8 blooms today :)

Great pics everyone! Making me jealous. :) I have a few photos from the past couple days. Nothing too exciting, but still felt like sharing.


1) Black Dream
2) Snow Queen
3) My regular old garden center varieties must have been jealous. They put on quite a show, and I just had to get a group shot (with my Shrimp Plant).  [/center]

Hi Everybody
Your pictures look so nice , I have a few for today , Hot Wired & Rosalind & Rainbow Sherbet , Confection Perfection ,

Also one other thing
 Charlie does Rodeo Drive usually set seeds , I have two seed pods on my plant , and also one seed pod on Ruby Tuesday .

Wowie! Awesome eye candy everyone... Just gorgeous!!!  :o

Here's my bloom recap for the past week...

some more...

and the rest...

Deb  ;)

Deep Waters twins
Saffron
Angel's Wings
Me Oh My Oh---trivia question of the day; where does this name come from?

Erny

a few more:  Creole Belle
                  Scarlet Beauty
                  Prosperity
                  Rocket's Red Glare
                  Burnt Saffron
                  Zelma

Last ones:  Cindy's Heart
                Vin Electrique
                Heavy Metal
                Vin Beaujolais
 

Fab blooms everyone!

1st Heavy Metal this year, again another one that was on death row after replanting and then getting flooded by a broken pipe.  So glad it is back and blooming already...

Farmer D

Farmer D

My 1st adult size Cosmic Gold bloom - really nice!  It's been a struggle with this planter all summer, looks like I was under watering in this case...

Farmer D

Farmer D

These two are just so pretty to me...and the best Meteor Shower for me so far!  And if you can catch SP when she first opens that yellow edging with the pink is so colorful...

Farmer D

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!  Darren, great Bonnie Lass!  I thought it was Valentines Day.  And of course your Black Dream & Summer Fun is as always, a winner!  
Erny, I love your DD. & Heavy Metal.
Chris, Great Cinnamon Girl!
Deb, Your Sunshower is incredible!  And what is that Not Belle?  Really pretty!
Mike, Your blooms are looking great!

Right now it's in the high 40's!  Yes, you heard me correct!  CT is tough for my hobby!  Gives me great muscles lifting all these pots constantly though :)

Hi Kristen - (Sunshower) Thanks! He's been one very busy pollinator this summer!  ("Not Belle") I got "Not Belle" two years ago from HVH, I thought I was getting "Belle du Jour." When "Belle" finally bloomed this summer, it was obvious she wasn't "Belle du Jour"... So, I started calling her "Not Belle" until we figured out who she really is  :D

Charlie - I'll be sending you some "Not Belle" wood soon, along with some more seeds (Inner Compass x Sunshower and Tahitian Taui x Fantasy Charm)

P.S. Kristen - I know what you mean about the muscles... Everyone has been asking me if I've been working out... Gardening actually - LOL!  I guess carrying a full 3 gallon watering can in & out of the apt. 6 times a day/7 days a week is better that a gym membership   ;)

Deb  

Everyone's blooms look amazing.

Two first time blooms for me! Prosperity and Pinot Noir. And my ever-blooming Gabriel. This tiny little plant has pumped out so many blooms for me this Summer!

I don't know about Rodeo Drive but my best guess is yes since parent Rainbow Christie is an excellent seed setter. Let us know if you get black seeds from the pods.

Charlie

Yes, it was a misprint - should read Coramel Toffee. Sorry about that.

Charlie

John and Denise, very nice pictures.
My first bloom on Really Red today and it certainly lives up to its name. Also Sparkling Waters and Slapstick.

Erny

Magic Crystal
Burnt Saffron
Rainbow Sherbert
Creme de la Creme

Living Legend
Inner Compass
High Voltage
Black Dream

Sleeping Beauty
Creole Lady
Velvet Illusion
Simple Pleasures
Belle du Jour

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to say how amazing all the blooms are!  I am really enjoying getting to see all of them.  School is in full swing in South Carolina and I don't get to look at the flowers as much as I did during the summer.  My babies from HVH are really growing....no blooms yet.  Two more HVH should arrive this week to add to my small collection!  Keep the beautiful pictures coming....because I do enjoy looking at them in my spare time...when not grading papers!

Have a blessed week!
Vicki

Here is a new seedling--Tin Man X Tarantella. It is pretty, but small--sure didn't inherit Tarantella's size. Also Rum Runner profusion and Voodoo Magic profusion.
Darren and Charlie, here are some pictures of the Banksia blooms I wanted you to see but weren't fully developed when you were here.

Erny

So what is it??? It is so beautiful!

Erny, So glad to see Really Red!  Mine is still a little baby.  Growing strong though!

Wild Child - Love the grey eye ring
Sweet Sixtenn - My favorite pink
An idea I got from Darren :)

Kristen, you are really going to like Really Red. It's one of the nicest reds I've seen. The photo doesn't quite capture the true color--it's better than it appears there.
Len, very nice pictures--love the group shot.

Erny

Great shots, everyone! Erny, I really enjoy your Voodoo Magic blooms.

I had some more blooms today after I posted my others. A first time bloom for me from Sizzle. A funky looking Bonnie Lass and a High Voltage.

No takers so far on the trivia question: what is the origin of the name Me Oh My Oh?
Hint: Fans of classic country music should be able to identify the song and artist.

Erny

Erny, was it Jambalaya by Hank Williams.

John you nailed it!

Erny

Insane blooms everyone!!!

Denise that Sizzle is out of this world - I hope mine can get that orange edging.  Also love love love your Prosperity

John beautiful bloom as always!

Erny your blooms are looking the best I've seen yet.  That Burnt Saffron should be illegal it is so dark!  LL blooms are so amazing and the banksia is a trip - so different.

Len I'm glad you like the grass shots.  Very nice lawn by the way - clean and monoculture with no intrusive grasses in that shot.  Plus the dark color of grass makes for a nice background to contrast with the bright colors of the blooms.  Now you have to take them inside and find the right vases and such to enjoy indoors which they will last a little longer too!

Farmer D

I had over 120 pics from the last two days so I've worked hard to pare that down.  Amazing stuff so not easy...

Farmer D

more color insanity...

Farmer D

more...

Farmer D

Farmer D

Darren, it looks like it won't be long before you have a solid hedge in the front yard.
First blooms today on Sizzle and Gentle on My Mind. Also Silver Dragon, Old Spice, Ay Caramba, and Really Red (day 2).

Erny

Bessie--my favorite red double
Rum Runner
Georgia's Pearl--opening colors
Bon Temps
Tahitian Sophistication
Valentine's Day

Slapstick
Blue Ballerina
Scarlet beauty
Delta Dawn
Rocket's Red Glare
Heartbreak Hotel

Thanks Darren, however I am fighting off a kikuyu grass invasion.

I cant wait for Slapstick and Vin Electric to flower after looking at the shots here.

Hi Len,

I think I had that same stuff too up until last year.  I used Turflon and it worked great to pretty much get rid of it.  I have some residual spots that still try to grow but once sprayed it dies after about 3 weeks.  My lawn is Marathon II in case that helps at all.

Farmer D

Turflon Ester will ony prevent the spread. Once in the lawn it must be killed with a herbicide. It is a serious pest once it spreads. My gardener brought mine in with poor sanitary practices.

Second bloom on Really Red today--in sun and shaded
Cranberry Muffin
Vin Electrique
Tahitian Taui

Erny

Cindy's Heart
Deep Waters
California Beauty
Tahitian Princess

Palm Springs
Flickering Flame
Rainbow Christie

Winter Lights in sun and shaded
Acapulco Gold
Slapstick
Creole Belle
Haute Coutere

Fifth Dimension
Velvet Illusion
Magic Moments
Belle du Jour

Some profusion shots:  Rum Runner
                                Electric Orange
                                Kinchen's Yellow
                                Voodoo Magic
                                Jazz
                                Sun Shower

Voodoo Magic twins
Secret Heart in sun and shaded
Cherry Glow
High Voltage
Delta Dawn

Len I don't know how serious your invasion is but at my worst point I'd say almost a third of my lawn was taken over.  I know Turflon doesn't kill it off completely but I was really surprised at how little was left after a couple of spraying sessions.  In the end I just weeded out the remaining patches and I have only a few sporadic areas pop up every year which get knocked out when I spray for my ever present pest - bermuda grass.  Again not sure what grass you have too which I'm guessing can be a factor too.

I hear you on the gardener issue that is why I haven't had one in 7 years.  Time consuming but totally worth it - my lawns are close to looking like carpet these days.

Farmer D

Erny your Winter Lights is very impressive.  I now have that on my radar thanks to you.

Farmer D

more blooms...

Farmer D

Everyone's blooms are looking sooo amazing!

Darren & Ernie - Your blooms are just beautiful... Simply stunning :o

Looks like today was our last warm & sunny summer day here in MI; Lots of 40ºF nights in the forecast... Time for the herd to start migrating back inside  :'(

The 'biscus had one final outdoor bloom party; I had to work late and missed most of it, but fortunately they waited...

Deb  ;)

Erny, I have enjoyed seeing your Really Red blooms. It's a beauty.

I will have to use it more then. Kikuyu grass is the most invasive grass species for SoCal now. Hard to get rid of in the lawn.

I do all my planter bed gardening. I just have a mow and blow guy. But you are right, it is always best to do it yourself.

Thanks John. Really Red is even better than it looks in the photos. It maintains its form and color very well through the second day and isn't too bad on the third day either.
Another really nice red with a different hue is Ruby Tuesday which is also turning out to be a prolific bloomer.
also:    Silver Dragon
          Rainbow Sherbert
          Cindy's heart
          

Erny

3 shots of Creole Lady just after opening. Also Double Date.

Hottest day of the year so far, over 100F and the hibs seen to know this - not many blooms today

Farmer D

Farmer D

Darren, those are some of the best Tahitian Princess blooms I've seen!

I had some nice Bonnie Lass blooms the past 2 days.

Confection Perfection
High Voltage
Midsummer Night
Pinot Noir
Valentine's Day

Very nice photos Denise. It must be quite hot upin your area. We had record heat here in Orange County yesterday at 104. Today it was already 96 by 10:30. Heavy Metal appears to like the heat.
Also:  
         Cindy's Heart
         Valentine's Day
        

Erny

Silver Dragon continues to be a winner. Also Daisy Mae and Winter Lights in sun and shade.

Forgot to mention the unusual petaloids on Winter Lights above--I suppose it is due to the heat.
Contrasting sun and shade photos of Inner Compass, Saffron, and Bright Horizon.

High Voltage
Electric Orange in sun and shade
Love Story

Denise - gorgeous blooms!  Loving Bonnie Lass so much...

Erny - WOW it is hot today, I thought yesterday was a scorcher but it is now 102F and it's only 1pm.  Lovely blooms, you're right about Heavy Metal - it looks like it is in it's prime!  Man that Bright Horizons is really killer.  I always wonder why I haven't purchased that one yet.  The tables are turning as you are now getting me to add to my wish list with your pics...

Speaking of hot weather loving cvs, I have noticed this last month with the hot weather here that my two best growing plants have been Cindy's Heart and Bridal Path.  No surprise there...

Farmer D

Magic Crystal with a beautiful light grey in today's heat - lovely!

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Darren, I'm glad to hear that I'm helping add to your wish list. If I can get you to add about fifty more, we might be close to even. Some Like It Hot is certainly living up to its name. I'm really liking T. Antique Purple as well. Here are some that opened later today:
Strawberry Fields Forever
Special FX
Double Date triplets
Creme de la Creme

Erny

A few more:
                  Deep Waters
                  Rocket's Red Glare
                  Howard's Stage

Some real beauties posted lately - and its only the beginning of the best bloom season!

Here's some from the HVH greenhouse:

Tiger Cub - small but pretty!
Belle of the Ball - big offspring of Belle du Jour
Fickle Female - fun flower, child of Space Oddity
Blushing Peach - one with Mom for size ref and a group together - big vigorous bush, tons of blooms, great plant if you like the softer colors.

Charlie

Great pics everyone! Sounds like most of you are experiencing a heat wave.. its quite the opposite here. Its been cool, highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's.  

Erny - Love your Heavy Metal! Hoping to get ahold of one some day soon!
Farmer D - I really like the softer look of Magic Crystal!
Charlie - I really love Tiger Cub. Hoping it gets crossed off my wish list soon. :)

Here are a few of mine over the past few days.

Seems ages since I have posted, the weather has been horrendously hot with torrential rains, days of 38c in the shade with 90% humidity, still it has given me chance to improve the garden with many grafts [getting better at about a 40% ok rate now] and a few cuttings so hopefully some nice pics of the garden to post soon.
I have had my first seedling bloom, Saffron x Cream De Cacao, its a nice bloom but the bush is a bit rubbish, I have 9 others growing so hopefully some nice bushes may come.
Acapulco Gold never stops blooming no matter what the weather and I was surprised with a nice Melon Melangi today. at the beginning of April I popped over to Thailand for a long weekend [played golf badly and got drunk haha] but I did pick up a nice double Andenium which is doing nicely.

I have to say the quality of the blooms and pictures over the last few months has been outstanding, Darren Erny and Deb are setting the bar pretty high I am going to have my work cut out come December and January.

David, Acapulco Gold blooms great for me also.

Let's make it an Acapulco Gold trifecta   :D

David - Missed you!  :-*
John - Your AG looks amazing  :o
Paul - Great blooms... LOVE Satsuma & Burnt Saffron Twins! So happy to see that your hibs survived "the big chill" from the other night (41ºF? Brrrrrr!)   :P

Acapulco Gold
Scarlet Beauty
Amber Suzanne
Tahitian Princess
Angel's Wings Twins


Deb

Paul I absolutely love the look of your Burnt Saffron - very unique for that cv and what a color combo going on there!!!

David great to hear and see from you, has it been that long?  Incredible petaloid on your AG!

Deb gorgeous blooms and nice to see the herd still enjoying the outdoors.   Get them every extra minute of fresh air possible as I see the colder weather is already coming fast for you.

John lovely Acapulco Gold too - your weather seems very pleasant lately.

As for So Cal it is heat wave city here with yesterday topping out at 103F.  All August it was hot and humid so the hibs were enjoying but now it is a lot drier which is typical for this time of year but also the spider mites like it dry and hot so on the lookout big time now.

What the heck - let's make it a quadfecta for AG...

Farmer D

check out day 3 for Cosmic Gold - looking great (though it was indoors whole time)

Farmer D

Fun shot of Rainbow Sherbet from way up high to see it nestled in that lush bush

Farmer D

Farmer D

Deb, great photos and the outdoor jungle is looking good.
David, good to hear from you. Love your double adenium.
Two first blooms for me today--My Blue Heaven and Chariots of Fire.
Also Palm Springs.

Erny

Some more:  Old Spice
                  Thanksgiving
                  Flickering Flame
                  Silver Dragon
                  California Beauty

More blues:  Blue Ballerina and Rocket's Red Glare. Also Bridal Path.

Prosperity
Heavy Metal

Simple Pleasures
Velvet Illusion

Wow great blooms everyone!

I just got back from vacation, and came back to one of my cuttings from seedling "Riptide" rooted.  The seedling plant is growing back with multiple branches and the cuttings apear to show the same thing.  

Pics of bloom and cutting below :) :) :)

Some nice blooms after overnight showers.

Erny very nice blooms - I am going crazy over CA Beauty, Bridal Path and especially Prosperity.  I really miss mine and it is struggling to start up again.  This heat has been tough to say the least but finally today more normal temps.

Chris that is awesome news! Man that bloom is so unique and sophisticated.  That cutting looks really strong too - congrats!

John your Rainbow Sherbet is amazing!  The color and form are perfect - really a pure joy to view.

Today started off in super fab shape with amazing Tahitian Lavender Mist triplets.  It's good to see this plant happy and growing again...

Farmer D

Best bloom by Exuberance since it's replanting - very nice and wow the plant is really coming back as a very full bush.  I'll get a pic of it soon posted.

Farmer D

some day 2 blooms looking great even in the heat...

Farmer D

Vin Electrique just rocks!

Farmer D

Some really nice end of day blooms today...

Farmer D

so you can see how they fade after a day in the sun...

Farmer D

Darren, I love those T. Lavender Mist blooms.

This is the first time I have been able to capture the true subtle beauty of Romeo in a photo.
Also Creole Belle, Vin Beaujolais, and Old Spice.

Erny

A few more:  Chariots of Fire
                  Inner Compass
                  Heartbreak Hotel
                  Cranberry Muffin

Cheery Glow
Climax--showing spots for the first time.
Slapstick
Burnt Saffron
Rainbow Christie
Flickering Flame showing a petaloid for the first time.

John I agree those TLM blooms are pretty awesome and there is a fair amount of variability in each bloom so you never quite know what look you're going to get with each bloom.  Your Lemon Life is just gorgeous - I love that ringed eye zone with white rays.  Fun to see that with Rise and Shine.

Erny your blooms are getting better by the week!  That Slapstick is looking outrageous with what looks like an eye and two rings of color as well.  And Vin Beaujolais is looking fierce! I hope mine can one day achieve that level of performance...great blooms all around!

Well sometimes you get your first really nice bloom after a long stretch of disappointing ones as a newer plant struggles to get going which can take years sometimes.  It's like getting your first bloom ever and it is really exciting and satisfying.  Today that is how I feel with Raging Bull.  It has not been happy at all in it's home for a little over a year until about a month ago when I realized that now it wants a lot of water all of a sudden.  Very impressive - a commanding big bloom!

Farmer D

Venetian Brick twins - only second time it's done that.  Pics are just after opening and a few hours later.  Also Magic Crystal twins day 1 & day 2 together.

Farmer D

Erny very cool to see spot on Climax - this hot weather is definitely doing things...Sizzle today showed some spots too so very excited to see that one her.

We have confirmation that Tahitian Sunset Glory does have a sweet scent so that is really neat too - sweet & waxy but it is present none the less!

Farmer D

Some bush shots...the wall is 2'2" (66cm), Porch front is 2'6" (78cm)

There is an African Daisy between Exuberance & T Antique Purple.  Also AG branches partially obscuring front rt of Saffron.

Farmer D

Acapulco Gold and Rainbow Sherbert

Herm Geller is an old cv that just keeps producing lots of perfect blooms.
Also:  Sleeping Beauty
         Cindy's heart quad
         Deep Waters
         Palm Springs
        

Erny

Valentine's Day
Rocket's Red Glare
Angel's Wings
Blue ballerina

Farmer D

Loving this day 2 bloom of Magic Crystal - the slight violet highlights are very intriguing...

Farmer D

This hummingbird is getting braver by the day or is just tired of seeing me in the garden constantly so it is feeding regularly when I'm across the yard now.  Still very cautious and skittish...it also likes to buzz my head at 90 mph while making that signature hbird territorial chirping sound.  Glad I don't speak hummingbird cause I know it wouldn't be too polite what is being said...

Farmer D

Rainbow Sherbert twins

John, very nice Rainbow Sherbert twins.
My first bloom on Bright Hope today--in bright sun and shaded.
Magic Crystal
Saffron
Scarlet Beauty in sun and shade.

Erny

First decent flower on Bon Temps
Creme de la Creme
Night Fire
Hot Pepper
Heartbreak Hotel

A couple of nice flowers on Love Story
Velvet Illusion
Creole Lady
Magnifique

Wow great blooms, really liking all these bush shots.

I have had a lots of really dark blooms the last two days.

Dark of Night, first bloom interesting form and color.  I like this mini alot :)

Seedling, has a nice uniform dark blue/grey color.  So far has only bloomed as a mini, but the nice saturated dark coloration and 3 day bloom duration makes me want to take cuttings of it

Heart of my Heart, amazing dark red with great form.  

John the depth of color on your Rainbow Sherbet twins is amazing!  Such rich colors - I'm in love...

Erny that Bright Hope bloom has a lot more color especially the pink than I would have expected - very nice!  Also your Night Fire is extremely insane and that Heartbreak Hotel is mesmerizing.  Wow!

Chris the dark colors you're getting on your blooms are just beyond anything I could have imagined for hibiscus or any flower for that matter.  Truly amazing - and your seedlings have all been very impressive.  Congrats and can't wait to see many more...

It's just about a bloom a day for Magic Crystal - Charlie this cv is in a league of it's own.  I hope there are a lot of them offered next year as it is a top addition to anyone's collection IMO.

Bonnie Lass is another that just puts out the blooms non stop - also like MC fun to watch the blooms transform over the day...

Farmer D

The color on Cindy's Heart is so strong I just love it.

This is probably the best Some Like It Hot bloom I've had yet.  The colors are so vibrant and the eye has some really interesting pinkish rays extending out.

Farmer D

Farmer D

The cool weather didn't last long. Already back in the low 90s.

LOVING your blooms everyone!  :o

Chris - You finally got "Heart of My Heart"... What a beauty!  Hopefully mine will be blooming again soon (She had a good pruning earlier this summer).

Well, the time has come to bring the outdoor herd inside... Cool daytime temps and rain this weekend, and they're predicting a low of 39ºF this Sunday night  :'(

I took a week's vacation to transform my apartment and hopefully make all the hibs happier indoors this winter: I've cleared out the living & dining rooms, painted the "wet sand" beige walls "polar bear" white (satin so that the light is better reflected), and I'm going to hang several modified T8 4'/4 bulb lamps (in addition to the light tables). The real trick will be finding room for 145 hibiscus (20 of which are over 4' tall) in 250 sq ft of space  :P  Time to think three dimensionally (I let you all know how THAT goes - LOL!)

This week's bloomers - Lots of amazing colors, shapes and textures brought out by the cool nights here...

Bienvenue
Byron Metts (in a nice pentagonal package)
H. Liliiflorus (it actually bloomed RED!)
Kona
Midsummer Night ("END-of-Summer Night," more like!)

And the rest...

Spring Showers
Tahitian Princess
The entire "Indoor Herd" (in the dining room, waiting for me to finish painting)
The new paint color vs the old (BIG difference in brightness)

Deb ;)

John, your Wild Grape is fantastic.
Deb, loving Bienvenue, Midsummer Night, and your Tahitians.
New first blooms for me today: Solar Soul snd Funny Voodoo (I really like this one), . Last is Bright Hope, still looking great on day 2.

Erny

Hot Pepper
Really Red in sun and shade
Winter Lights showing petaloids for the first time.

Flickering Flame
Prosperity in sun and shade
High Voltage
Fifth Dimension

Chariots of Fire
Angel's Wings

Erny,

Wow great blooms!  The stand out for me is also funny voodoo.  That one ready for cuttings this year? :)

Great blooms everyone!

Farmer D

Farmer D

Chris, Funny Voodoo is still a small plant (planted in July). But everything has been growing fast this summer so it is possible there may be cutting material by the end of fall. One problem is that my first attempt at rooting cuttings was an abject failure. I recently read about another technique and may give this a try.

Erny

Great blooms everyone.

I have one large plant of Funny Voodoo and expect to be offering it from the online store in 2013. Pretty flower and decent bush so far although I had 2 at one time and 1 suddenly died of no apparent reason - hopefully that is not an indicator of systemic weakness in the variety.

Charlie

Thats great news both Charlie and Erny!

Today lots of blooms!  Also have a new seedling, a cute pink and lavender, looks like it will have a nice bush as well. 

Here is the seedling

Baby Mia x Modern Art, born and raised here in the pacific northwest!

Close ups of Dark of Night and Fly me to the Moon (Love this one so much)   

Chris, lots of nice basement blooms. And that Baby Mia seedling sure looks nice.
A good day here for old red and white cvs. Four shots of Strawberry Fields Forever, and Mary Louise.

Erny

Saffron
Old Spice
Ay Caramba

Rainbow Sherbert
Scarlet Beauty
Magic Crystal
Tahitian Sophistication

Again really fantastic blooms from everyone.  I can't think of a better place to visit online than here.

Porch Planter: Daisy Mae, Cindy's Heart, Tahitian Lavender Mist, Summer Fun, Tahitian Lavender Pastel, Living Legend

South Planter: Bon Temps, Luck Be A Lady, Black Dream, Palm Springs, Tahitian Lavender Rainbow (super small can't really see), Exuberance

Gate Planter: Inner Compass (stick like one), Vin Electrique, Climax (front), Unforgettable (tucked behind T Princess & Climax), Tahitian Princess

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Rainbow Sherbert is really a prolific bloomer.

In addition to increased white and yellow spots the heat seems to be bringing out petaloids on cvs I haven't seen with them before.Here are Acapulco Gold, Bridal Path, Fifth Dimension, and Living Legend; all showing petaloids for the first time on my plants.

Erny

Two more blooms on Living Legend showing petaloids today.
Heartbreak Hotel showing a different color pattern with a much wider yellow edge.
Palm Springs
Silver Dragon

Secret Heart also giving a little different look today.
Cranberry Muffin
Sleeping Beauty

Slapstick
Angel's Wing
Prosperity
High Voltage--currently my most prolific bloomer; flowers almost completely cover the small plant.

John wonderful array of Rainbow Sherbet blooms.  It really is a special plant...

Erny those are some amazing blooms.  I have petaloids showing on the same ones too but not first time - those seem to do it often.  Outrageous Slapstick, HH and Victoria's Touch.

Farmer D

1st blooms for Tutti Frutti

Farmer D

Farmer D

a few evening shots - Tutti Frutti looks to be a fun bloom that really does change over the day.  It's hard to show how vibrant and fun E.R. is - a ton of personality...

Farmer D

Erny, I think the heat causes the petaloids also.

John, it occurred to me that given the fact that the petaloids tend to cluster around the ends of the stamens, perhaps they serve a useful purpose such as shielding the pollen sacs and/or stigma pads from the hot sun so that they won't dry out too quickly. Chris or Charlie may be able to shed some light on this question.
A good "Vin" day today--V. Beaujolais and Vin Electrique. Also Magic Crystal

Erny

My third bloom on Funny Voodoo--getting even better.
Valentine's Day
My Blue Heaven
Herm Geller
Grand Fiesta

Sizzle lived up to its name today.
Summer Shore
Zelma

Second bloom on Solar Soul
Slapstick
Winter Lights
Daisy Mae
High Voltage
Wheel of Fortune profusion.

Interesting premise on petaloids Erny.  I think John has a good basic point with the heat being a factor.  My observations here I noticed I got the most petaloids when the plants seemed the strongest and happiest.  It will be a good test to see what happens as the temps start to cool down here in the next couple of months.


Erny that first set of photos is flat out amazing!  VB is off the charts and your Sizzle today is exactly what I was hoping that one could look like.  At hope mine can get that coloration at some point.  How is the bush for you on Sizzle - mine is growing like no other!  Impressive...

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Darren, my experience with the Sizzle bush is the same as yours. It is strong, upright, and thick with leaves and branches. Also has several more buds waiting to pop over the next few days.

Erny

Great blooms everyone!

Erny - Jealous of your collection! Love your My Blue Heaven! I hope mine buds up soon!
Farmer D - Jealous of your collection too! Great blooms as usual! I love your Summer Fun! I have only has 2 blooms on mine since I got it back in April as a 6". It has some new buds now though so maybe in a couple weeks (fingers crossed).

I had a few blooms over the past week that I haven't had time to post until now.

Also had a couple of "first time bloomers for me today".

Hi Paul - Pretty blooms!  I am 99.009% sure that your new CV "Wagons of Fire" is really "Painted Lady"  ;)

Spring Showers
Angel's Wings

Deb

It probably is, but I like my name better. Lol.

Paul those are some fabulous blooms.  Man that Burnt Saffron is something wicked - killer colors of which that rim is just to die for...  Very nice!!!

Deb beautiful blooms as always.  Spring Showers has always had my attention and your blooms of it so far are just wonderful!  I am so glad you have it and are sharing pics of it.  How are the hibs handling the move back inside?

Summer won't end here, today was nice around 80 but by the weekend supposed to be close to 90 again but what has been really different this year is that it has been pretty humid for us so that has been great for the hibs.

Farmer D

The star of the garden today was Vin Beaujolais.  This bloom had four different colors, a little subtle but definitely there and now that I moved it under my plumeria tree the blooms aren't fading much so those colors can be enjoyed for the day!

Farmer D

Miss Congeniality is finally back in strong form after a really long stretch of not being happy - pretty much from Feb till now.  Actually I could say that for many of my plants in the backyard.  I think they went well over a month being under watered once the heat started up.  With my old soil they hardly ever wanted water but now with the new soil and the hot temps they want and do need a lot of water which sounds a lot more like normal hibiscus to me.  Still so much to learn....but better late than never!

Farmer D

 Farmer D

Thanks Paul. Darren and I are fortunate to live in southern California where everything grows well year round. The plus is that we get large bushes with lots of blooms when the plants are in the ground. The negative is that our flowers get somewhat beat up by the elements. The color on your Burnt Saffron is striking. I also like Creole Darlin'.
Darren, our Vin Beaujolais seem to be in sync. Mine had triplets yesterday and three more new blooms today.
Also California Beauty and Silver Dragon--two of my favorites.

Erny

Cindy's heart
Pinot Noir
Daisy Mae

Valentine's Day
Chariots of Fire
Palm Springs
Simple Pleasures with a visitor
Hedge shot showing mixture of Prima Ballerina and Herm Geller.

Great blooms everyone.

Great shots John and Erny!  That shot of Simple Pleasures with the bee honing in on the center of the bloom to me is a perfect illustration of the natural color evolution at least for hibiscus flowers.  To get the needed pollinators to the pollen you need to give them that unmistakeable bull's eye of bright color that leads them directly to the source especially for such a large bloom.  Totally makes sense that in nature a red eye would be the most prevalent color for hibs to achieve this purpose.

These are the best Cindy's Heart blooms I've had to date - just in awe...

Farmer D

Farmer D

Farmer D

Fantastic Darren, Erny and John!  I hope someday I can grow these plants in the ground too!  

Moonstruck and a new seedling today

Great Blooms everyone! That Moonstruck is awesome!

A few days ago I posted a picture of a bloom of what was supposed to be Flirtatious. Well it has been confirmed that this little guy is not Flirtatious. So do any of you experts know what CV it could be? This little guy needs a name. :) Whatever it is, its bloom is on Day 3 and the yellow color seems to have intensified, which is cool. Any guesses?

A few more from today. They must know that tomorrow is my Birthday because I have been getting first time blooms all week.  ;D

Darren, your Cindy's Heart is stunning.

Some great day 2 blooms yesterday in particular Magic Crystal looks like it just opened still - helps that the temps have calmed down finally but that won't last long as we will be over 100F again by Monday.  Wow summer is definitely still in full swing here.

Farmer D

some day 1 blooms...actually the further away Raging Bull is a day 2 also

Farmer D

Beautiful Darren!

Today was the day of seedling blooms, with four new seedlings blooming!

I picked out two that I thought were quite nice.  

The first is a cross between Winter Lights and Black Voodoo I got from Kerry, which surprisingly gave a large (7inches) dark dark red bloom.  It is about as dark as Black Dream and Dragon Slayer I would say.  The plant is very upright and looks to be sending out side branches.  I think I will try cloning this one soon.  I thought Charlie would like to see one the nice results from one of the many winter lights seedlings I have.  Most have been plain blue/purples so far, but this one is very striking.  

Thanks Deb, I like this one alot too.  It wasnt one that I was expecting from this cross, but I like the rings of color.  It the yellow tinged edge fades to pure white later in the day.

Also Fly me to the moon, never fails to please.

I really like that second seedling Chris, and that Fly Me To The Moon is amazing!

Some for me today!


1) Chariots Of Fire Twins
2) Satsuma
3) Happy Heart - Day 2 bloom[/center]

... a crazy looking caterpillar on my tomato plant! It took me by surprise... Its so creepy looking!


 Ugly alien caterpillar - YIKES!  ;D[/center]

Thanks Paul, I like number two alot too! 

That is SO AWESOME that you have Braconid parasitic wasps pupating on that caterpillar!  WOAH SO COOL!  More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braconidae

Happy Birthday Paul!  Lovely blooms, awesome present (the CV, not the critters)  ;)

Wow! Thanks Chris! I would have never guessed what those white pods were on the back of the caterpillar. And that link helped me identify the caterpillar... The Tomato Hornworm. My caterpillar looks identical, right down to the red horn on its head!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tomato_Hornworm_Parasitized_by_Braconid_Wasp.jpg

Thanks for the info!  :)

Chris, mega-dittoes on the Baby Mia seedling. Always a thrill to see Fly Me to the Moon as well.

Erny

Chris I ditto the ditto on your Baby Mia seedling - really amazing colors.  Lots of potential on that one for sure!  Also that is totally fascinating about the parasitic wasp doing it's thing on the tomato worm.  That is so unexpected and delightful as I used to be plagued every summer by the green hookworm growing.  I'll have to see if that is fatal for it and check out your link.

Paul great blooms and I really like your Chariots of Fire twins - that cv can really be an ultra bloomer!

That really nice day 2 bloom of Magic Crystal has made it to day 3 which is impressive for this time of year...

Farmer D

A killer True Love bloom and some outrageous Some Like It Hot blooms too.

Farmer D

Its nice to see Ragin' Bull start blooming for you, Farmer D! Lots of great photos from everyone.

Below are a few greenhouse photos taken lately.

Too Hot To Handle - Creme de Cacao offspring with better color
Blushing Maiden - beautiful full size bloom
Wild Blue Yonder - nice purple/blue similar to Deep Purple
Cloud Soft - one of my favorite light pinks, 7-8 inch flowers
Corazon - heavy textured red and white
Red Flair - offspring of Love Story with a more upright bush, excellent double

A few more greenhouse photos.

Daisy Mae - good bloomer in the heat
Summer Fun - another one that has excellent color in summer heat
Hibiscus tilaceous - a variegated leaf hibiscus - this one has grown to 8 feet
Purple Magic - excellent color on a not so great bush
Haute Couture - one of the fanciest colored blooms, check out all the colors!
White Hot - new variety (never sold) that has super summer colors

Charlie

Charlie, I really like Cloud Soft.

Some blooms  :D

Pretty blooms Paul, John and Kerry.  Seems like this time of year is the best now for the blooms as Charlie stated recently, definitely showing here!

Well I have a new top 5 favorite bloom as of today.  When my Meteor Shower first bloomed I was somewhat disappointed with the bloom as it was regular sized and looked a lot like some of my other blooms I already have.  Well this plant has regrouped (along with most of my others) and is now gone to the next level.  Today's bloom was a knockout and pretty big too.  Actually there are twins but one is in the sun so I'll wait to shoot that one later today.

I still see it is available in today's store update along with Miss Congeniality which is another amazing one.  That plant is vigorous and boy does it bloom!

Farmer D

Every time Magic Crystal blooms I am amazed.  The quality of blooms as well as the sheer consistency of blooms is hard to match.  Whenever I post it's pic on facebook people really go crazy over it too.  I see it sold out super fast today which is the way it should be for this one.  Twins today.


Farmer D

Another amazing Cindy's Heart - the amount of magenta and pink together is heaven for me...

Well on Thursday I had to remove what was left of all my grapes as it was becoming a fermented disaster zone.  Unfortunately the result of this is that some nocturnal animal, either a possum or raccoon decided to fulfill it's grapes hunger with I guess grubs or worms by digging up large sections of my lawn.  Talk about a disaster, not only is my grass all messed up but it is going to be up to 103F for several days starting tomorrow so all those digging zones will dry out super bad.  Any suggestions from anyone would be great for stopping any repeat performances...I got 5 spots like the one pictured below.

Farmer D

Sooo many gorgeous blooms!  :o

Charlie - Awesome greenhouse blooms... I always enjoy seeing those!
Darren - Love Magic Crystal & Cindy's Heart... I had a chance to get caught up on my Forum reading today: Thanks sooo much for the birthday wishes!  Also, the outdoor to indoor transformation is going well, so far... Since the weather has been so nice, there are quite a few hibs back outside again.

Today's blooms...

Cosmic Gold
El Capitolio yellow
Kona
Scarlet Beauty
Sun Shower
Tahitian Princess

Deb  ;)

Wow great blooms everyone! 

Charlie, White Hot is something else, what is the cross of that one?

High Voltage and Hot Southern Nights

John those are two lovely blooms.  Your HSN with the spotting is just wonderful!  Very impressive...

Deb very nice blooms too!  Glad to hear they are going in and out still.  How is the bush on Scarlet Beauty for you?  After I replanted mine earlier this season it has taken off like crazy - just wondering what you're seeing with yours.

Farmer D

Farmer D

Paul you got some nice strong colors in your blooms.  I particularly like the colors of your Burnt Saffron, quite unusual.

A few more from today including my first ever bloom from my new Surf City plant that replaced the one that died last year while out of town.

Farmer D

Thanks Farmer D! It's probably the cooler climate, but my Burnt Saffron couldn't be happier it seems. I'm always jealous of your Summer Fun. The blooms on mine are few and far between. And your Confection Perfection in this most recent photo is awesome! Love the look of this bloom! Also jealous of your Tahitian everything! Lol

Darren I suspect you are to young to remember the second world war, in England we had a guy called Chad who used to lean over the fence on a poster with a message ''Chad says'', that's the first thing I thought of when I saw your Rise and Shine picture haha, certainly made me smile this morning, as for the rest of your blooms a big congratulations, they are just stunning and all your hard work has certainly paid off.

Not much blooms for me yet, I have spent the last few months making big changes, I am fed up battling the sun so I put loads of cv's  in the shade, I also stopped feeding; the result is I now have some very green healthy bushes which now the temperature has dropped will need acclimatising, hopefully now winter [temps of around 80f] and the wet season is here it will all pay off.

David - Wow... Your garden is looking very lush and beautiful! How are you?
Darren - Lovely blooms, as always!  Awesome Heartbreak Hotel... As for your question about Scarlet Beauty: SB has been a super 'biscus for me so far... Lots of beautiful blooms, gorgeous bush & foliage (I staked her to help protect from the wind outside, but she doesn't need them - Bush is upright and full all on it's own). She's about 3.5 ft tall and in a 12" pot. Oh, and she also has hot pollen & sets seeds, too. What more could you ask for?

Anyway... Last bloom of the month for me: Pinot Noir

Deb  ;)
P.S.  I think I've learned how to do the "super size" picture trick... Whoohoo!

Hey Deb! Love the Pinot! Can't wait till mine blooms.

So have any of you had that "What have I done?" moment? Lol The temperature is
supposed to reach 40 tonight in my area. In fear of risking my precious
investments, I decided to bring all of my babies in tonight. Also a good test of
how I am going to get them all through the winter. Considering how I also
ordered 12 more plants yesterday during the update, I am looking at my living
room thinking "oh Lord, what have I done?". Lol I imagine that Deb is in the
same boat up in Michigan. Somehow this year Hibiscus have become Pokemon to me.
Gotta catch them all! Lol Oh well. Gotta love 'em!

LOL paul, your post made me laugh.  Kerry and I call them hibiscusmon too, haha.  Welcome to the club!

LOL Well you and me and Kerry should challenge each other to a Hibiscusmon battle! I DO have that yellow one that was labeled as Flirtatious, that is currently without a name. I'll call him Pikachu! LOL

I do have a red seedling I want to name Charmander... :P

Ha ha ha! Awesome! Snorlax was always a favorite! Boy have we strayed from the purpose of this forum, or what?! Lol But naming seedlings after Pokemon is kind of a fun/geeky idea. Lol

I named my pink and white seedling "star of elendil" is that geeky enough? :P

One hibiscus to rule them all?  ;)

I'm fine thanks Deb, a big trip coming up on Monday to get some Hibs which I will be writing about later, the foliage on your Scarlet Beauty is just lovely.

Belle du Jour is finally blooming again after a long rest. Also Vin Beaujolais.  Simple Pleasures and Night Fire blooming side by side and look like they are coming out of the same plant.

Erny

Rainbow Sherbert
My Blue Heaven
Really Red
Angel's Wings
Inner Compass
Burnt Saffron

 Silver Dragon
        Herm Geller
        The Path

Strawberry Fields Forever--day 2 or 3
Palm Springs
Daisy Mae
Havanese puppies

Magic Crystal
Flickering Flame
More puppies