tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post1811189319361838030..comments2023-10-17T10:25:34.828-05:00Comments on Prairie Rose's Garden: Playing Plant DetectiveRosehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-10787266586253682112014-04-22T08:42:51.607-05:002014-04-22T08:42:51.607-05:00It looks vaguely like a bay? or is that totally st...It looks vaguely like a bay? or is that totally stupid?<br /><br />Lucky daughter to have you for her mom.Liz Hindshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04646532093872561703noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-71905570791708437052014-04-17T21:09:04.208-05:002014-04-17T21:09:04.208-05:00I don't think anyone knows whether it's sp...I don't think anyone knows whether it's spelled crepe or crape! lol I just use the word crape now, since that's how most people in the South spell it I think.sweetbayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248743114944736346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-34339031618951692552014-04-15T09:10:47.470-05:002014-04-15T09:10:47.470-05:00Great post. I have a daughter in Texas, too, and i...Great post. I have a daughter in Texas, too, and it is so difficult to give her much advice. She doesn't have a pool but the huge expanse of her backyard is daunting in its own right. It is very slow work for a non gardener with a limited budge to know what to do when there are great limitations, or almost no limitations on a blank slate.<br />CommonWeederhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704682182459794221noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-84680581817915562682014-04-12T23:46:26.100-05:002014-04-12T23:46:26.100-05:00It would be easier if you could start with an empt...It would be easier if you could start with an empty space but I think you can make something beautiful of her garden Rose. I hope you had a wonderful time together with your daugther.<br />Have a wonderful day Rose.Marijkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12848940570958437408noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-1680343908611399622014-04-12T22:35:49.855-05:002014-04-12T22:35:49.855-05:00I would have been completely baffled by this selec...I would have been completely baffled by this selection of plants. But as you say, thank goodness for the internet. I wonder if a "yes tree" is something like a yes man?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-31723497725355856412014-04-12T12:54:15.563-05:002014-04-12T12:54:15.563-05:00So many plants, so many possibilities for design. ...So many plants, so many possibilities for design. And education. Going to another zone can be like going to another world of gardening. Enjoy your continuing adventures in your daughter's garden.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12817320435164750225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-47661145820115610772014-04-12T08:09:11.472-05:002014-04-12T08:09:11.472-05:00Jean, I agree--why people plant these crape myrtle...Jean, I agree--why people plant these crape myrtles in locations where they can't grow to their full size makes no sense to me. Thanks for all the tips on plantings--I did plant some Oriental lilies for Daughter, because they're her favorite.<br /><br />Nadezda, My daughter doesn't have time to garden, so a complete change wasn't something she wanted to do. And the shrubs already there were looking good anyway.<br /><br />Maggie, I had fun trying to figure out what everything was, and it was good to spend some time with Daughter. No point in ripping everything out if it still looks good!Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-79971433029872716132014-04-12T08:05:04.593-05:002014-04-12T08:05:04.593-05:00Layanee, it was still cold and rainy when I left I...Layanee, it was still cold and rainy when I left Illinois, so I loved every warm minute I spent in Texas!<br /><br />Donna, I can see why gardeners call this crape murder; the pruned trees really looked awful. Seems like you shouldn't plant them unless you have a spot where they can grow to full size without cutting them back this way.<br /><br />Indie, This experience made me realize that if I moved to another zone, I'd have to re-learn so much about gardening! Thanks for the encouragement on the Abelia i.d.; I'm waiting for a photo of it in bloom.<br /><br />Tina, When I finally realized these were crape myrtles, I felt very sheepish:) I checked out images of pittosporum--you may be right. I asked my Daughter to send photos of these when they're in bloom, so maybe I can get a definitive answer then.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-84264105896613199162014-04-12T04:36:42.097-05:002014-04-12T04:36:42.097-05:00You did very well with your detective work. I thin...You did very well with your detective work. I think it is difficult to change a 15 yr old garden without razing everything to the ground but your ideas are really good, I think. Compromise is usually the best way to go.<br />Maggie x<br /><br /><a href="http://granniemay.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Nuts in May</a>Maggie Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06183886005936250976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-46598805346482613922014-04-12T03:42:19.835-05:002014-04-12T03:42:19.835-05:00I think you make a right decision - to plant more ...I think you make a right decision - to plant more annuals and some perennial in the spots. This garden has been planned 15 years ago and now is difficult to change something, Rose.<br />Nice tulip garden bed!Nadezdahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08159291982383302922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-61954714141927474372014-04-11T10:54:02.891-05:002014-04-11T10:54:02.891-05:00The variegated shrub looks like an Euonymous of so...The variegated shrub looks like an Euonymous of some kind. <br /><br />Mama's years-ago yard man used to cut down every Lantana he saw, muttering something very ugly about the only thing they were fit for. When they need pruning, a few old canes at a time keep them from looking leggy as new growth staggers. <br /><br />Crepe myrtles planted too close to a building can be cut to the ground yearly and grown as shrubs -- not as ideal as moving them out to grow in their tall glory but better than stubby crape murder. <br /><br />For low maintenance flowers, I suggest bulbs. Early and Late Daffodils in spring, early and late lilies of all kinds for late spring and summer, lycoris and rhodofiala for fall. Jean Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09000315400392984647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-20662925966098314482014-04-11T07:35:12.856-05:002014-04-11T07:35:12.856-05:00Chuckling a little bit on the crepe. Tho when I vi...Chuckling a little bit on the crepe. Tho when I visited Maine several years ago I had a hard time identifying some northern trees. It can be very frustrating! You did well here. I think pittosporum might be the first one. Also, tho the foliage is variegated it looks like and azalea. Good luck!tinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17415302577518111227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-85318194850686976642014-04-10T19:35:36.106-05:002014-04-10T19:35:36.106-05:00It's impressive what a difference even one zon...It's impressive what a difference even one zone can make (since I just moved from zone 7b to 6a)! Don't feel bad about the crepe myrtle - I was asking a landscaper here in Boston if they grew up here, and he had never even heard of a crepe myrtle! <br />I don't know what your first photo is, but I do think you are right about the Abelia. It will be fun to see what it all looks like when everything starts flowering! Too bad you didn't get to do more gardening, though!Indiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14004102653896371835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-35235814795778601252014-04-10T15:24:29.353-05:002014-04-10T15:24:29.353-05:00I always get confused when visiting different grow...I always get confused when visiting different growing zones, not so much that I don't know the plant, but how BIG they grow. So many plants become monsters in these warmer zones. I do hate crape murder though, even though they grow back so fast. It would be better to just plant them where they could grow to full size. You must have had fun though in your ID and plant suggestions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-24578677693829332962014-04-10T14:18:15.713-05:002014-04-10T14:18:15.713-05:00What a fun trip. You got to play plant detective a...What a fun trip. You got to play plant detective and visit an arboretum not to mention enjoying the sun out by the pool. Warm weather can really perk up the spirits of a cold climate gardener can't it? Layaneehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03711709343178927400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-24167079997454764622014-04-10T07:25:56.160-05:002014-04-10T07:25:56.160-05:00Sally, I didn't realize how much difference a ...Sally, I didn't realize how much difference a few zones could make--so many different plants I wasn't familiar with. I'm going to ask Daughter to send me some photos when everything is in bloom...or maybe I'll just have to make another trip soon:)<br /><br />Cheryl, I had some different ideas than my daughter about what to plant, but she chose what she wanted, which I think is important. Most of all, it was fun to spend time with her shopping and working in the garden. I wasn't too impressed with the Fatsia, so I would love to see it later in the season.Rosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01384059342847120951noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-17216918732880035082014-04-10T03:43:08.891-05:002014-04-10T03:43:08.891-05:00So difficult to plan a garden when so much is alre...So difficult to plan a garden when so much is already in place. Lets be honest Rose, us gardeners, will always find room for more plants.<br /><br />You did well with id.......I have Fatsia Japonica in the garden, it does get frosted once in a while but reappears each year.<br /><br />I hope you enjoyed the time with your daughter........<br />Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14802468583972118464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9125698507772106631.post-81309426926992096422014-04-09T21:22:46.831-05:002014-04-09T21:22:46.831-05:00I guess I must be a true gardener at heart because...I guess I must be a true gardener at heart because I kept thinking how much fun it would have been to try to identify the plants growing in your daughter's yard. I am like you in zones that are not familiar to me. All of the diversity in plants between zones is so fascinating to me. I think you will need to go back soon to see things as they bloom. What a great mom you are!Sally Wesselyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06470453773515491625noreply@blogger.com