Showing posts with label Gardening and Hobby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gardening and Hobby. Show all posts

The Ornamental Cabbages in the City Garden - Gardening and Hobby 51

Monday, March 4, 2024
We thought a cabbage, an edible cabbage with its flower when we saw plants in the city garden. But, after closer look, they are not cabbages as we know. 


Fig 01 - A cabbage like plant in the garden. 

Based on identification of Google and Bing, the flowers called ornamental cabbages with scientific name, Brassica oleracea

They look very colorful in the garden. Actually, the flowers have striking colors that could be:
- pink
- purple
- white
- green 


Fig 02 - Several ornamental cabbages.

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Fig 03 - Pretty flower of ornamental cabbage.

In our areas, blooming of ornamental cabbages could be seen during cool seasons, Fall and Winter times. 


 
Fig 04 - An ocean, just illustration

Just to let you know that ornamental cabbages are not typically edible plants. The tastes are bitter than normal (edible) cabbages.



Fig 05 - Ornamental cabbages on the ground.

Since ornamental cabbages have beautiful foliage, they are good and visual attractive for outdoor spaces.  


Fig 06 - Wild butterfly in the garden

In addition to gardens, parks and landscapes, the ornamental cabbages also visual interest for containers.


Fig 07 - A colorful ornamental cabbage

Have you seen ornamental cabbages in your areas?

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Day lily in Our City Garden – Part 2 - Gardening and Hobby 45

Friday, February 2, 2024


Fig 01 - Orange with mix colors

Daylily are adaptable plants, they spread to almost part of USA, and even in Canada. The well-known species has a scientific name Hemerocallis fulva, has other names include Tawny daylily, Ditch lily and Orange Daylily. This Daylily native to Asia, then grow well across America and Canada 


If we lucky enough, we may notice wild daylily, especially orange ones are growing (blooming) at roadsides, field and even in the open areas in many parts of USA.

Easy to adapt, also easy to spread into clumps. Crowd daylily may not bloom, thus we need to divide regularly. Some people do it for every three years.


The Reddish Fruits in the Winter - Gardening and Hobby 50

Friday, December 22, 2023
We saw a bunch of reddish fruit from the trees in the public parking lot in this winter, strangely, there is no single animal around.


Fig 01 - The color looks attractive.

After searching through the GoogleID, the tree was identified with many possibilities, some of them: 
- a Bald Cypress with scientific name is Taxodium distichum.
- a Japanese maple, scientific name is Acer palmatum.
- and Chinese pistachia or Chinese pistachio with scientific name, Pistacia chinensis.

Yes, the Bald Cypress tree produces some fruits, and turn to reddish when ripen, usually in the winter times.


Fig 02 - Reddish fruits in the winter

The Bald Cypress tree is native to southeastern USA. In our state, Louisiana the Bald Cypress trees are often found in wetlands and swamps.



Fig 03 - The plant during Summer times.

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Fig 04 - Plenty of fruit on the branches

Bald cypresses trunk has widen base and spread out like fins or may similar to flanges.


Fig 05 - The leaves and fruits, reddish.

However, we believe the tree tends to be Chinese pistachia (Pistacia chinensis). By the name, you may guess the origin of trees. True, they are native to China, especially western and central China. 


Fig 06 - The color of leaves not changed yet.

Many people choose this plant for landscape with many reasons, some are:
- able to live in the harsh conditions.
- attractive foliage
- and drought tolerance.


Fig 07 - Part of branches, Chinese pistachia.

The sizes of fruit produced by the Chinese pistachia tree is "quite small," but, bunches of fruit are striking sight. 


Fig 08 - A tree with less leaves. 

The fruits are not edible for humans, because the fruit may cause stomach problems (upset). Sure, there are several animals consume this fruit in nature such as squirrels and birds.


Fig 09 - The tree stand in the parking lot.

Do you recognize the plant of the above photos?

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The Tropical Bleeding Vine in the Winter - Gardening and Hobby 49

Friday, December 15, 2023
 The Tropical Bleeding Vine also known as the bleeding-heart vine or Glorybower with scientific name, Clerodendrum thomsoniae.


Fig 01 - Blooming in December

The flower comes from tropical regions, West Africa. In the USA, we expect the Tropical Bleeding Vine will grow well in the warmer areas (states) such as:
- Texas
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Alabama 
- Florida 
- and Southern California.


Fig 02 - Colorful of bleeding vine flowers. 

Since our state includes as one of the warmer states, we observe this flower in many different places.


Fig 03 - Combine colors of flowers

We saw some of our neighbors grow this flower. The plants look grow well on the ground and in the small containers. 


Fig 04 - Some flowers start to bloom.

In the city garden, we observed bleeding vines climbing wall. They are perfect to climb wood, concrete and bricks.


Fig 05 - Not blooming yet.

The bleeding vine flowers are showy red (a vibrant crimson) with combines of snow-white calyces color.  


Fig 06 - Flowers climbing the wall.

We may see blooming of Bleeding vines throughout the years. It is because our areas have mild winter and humid summer.


Fig 07 - Pretty flowers, Bleeding vine

The peak blooming around late Spring to early Autumn, March to September. The time when a lot of rainfall and warmer.


Fig 08 - Flower color looks like pink.

Do you recognize the Tropical Bleeding Vine or the bleeding-heart vine?

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Blooming in the Cool Weather - Gardening and Hobby 48

Thursday, December 7, 2023
Some of our friends understand that there are many cool weather plants bursting with color to brighten their holidays!!


Fig 01- Blooming in December

We familiar with several plants grow awesome during the winter months, they are dianthus, poinsettias, cyclamen and Christmas cactus.

Other plants which are blooming from December to March include Calendula, Foxglove, Alyssum, Snapdragons, Violas, Pansies and Camellias

These plants are sold in our local nurseries, quite plenty in our nearby areas (neighborhood) or city, Baton Rouge, LA.

Two flowers, Pansies and Violas are affordable with price just about US$ 1 to US$ 2 per plant and sold in many nurseries or garden centers.


Fig 02 - Cacti, good as indoor plants.

Cacti need temperature at least between 50* F to 55* F (10 C to 13 C) to grow well, below that temperatures, they will slow their growth.

Fig 03 - Indoor flowers, just illustration.

Since they enter what we call as a dormant stage, hence, we need to adjust to care the cacti during wintertime.



Fig 04 - Some flowers, sold in the local nursery.

What is your favorite flower during cooler months?

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JJ

Wildflowers in the Walking Trail - Gardening and Hobby 47

Sunday, December 3, 2023
 There are plenty of wildflowers in walking trails in our city, Baton Rouge. Based on internet sources, the species are no less than 200.

Fig 01- One of wildflowers

One of wildflowers we encounter when we are walking that is "purple" flowers. Based on GoogleID, the flower is identified as Ruellia humilis.

The common name of this flower is the dwarf wild petunia, native to the southeastern states of the USA.

The flower may reach 12 inches (31 cm), perennial flower and grow well during Spring to Autumn in the nature.

Our city has some good trails to observe wildflowers. The length of trails from 1 mile to 3.5 miles. Our favorite trail is 1.5 miles.


Fig 02 - Unidentified wildflowers.

Some walking trails in our city are Louisiana State University (LSU), South boulevard levee, Gus Kinchen, Dawson creek and Ward creek.


Image 3 - Wild tabasco on the trail

We love the LSU trail, since the trail is comfortable for us with only 1.5 mile long. We just need 30 minutes daily walking.


Fig 04 - Wild Tabasco flowers?

We observe some wildflowers while walking that are iris, crossvine, black-eyed Susan, azalea and hibiscus.


Fig 05 - A wildflower, Ruellia humilis.

Do you recognize some wildflowers?

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The Pink Silk Tulip - Gardening and Hobby 46

Friday, November 17, 2023
 The pink silk tulip is believed come from Netherland, breeding by about 17th century. Quite long time ago. 



Fig 01- The vase of pink silk tulip

Pink silk tulips were known to be cultivated in the USA by around the 18th century. It is one of the popular flowers for bouquets or arrangements in certain seasons, especially Spring.

In addition to bouquets and arrangements, many people enjoy the pink silk tulips in many different manners such as admiring flowers in a simple vase and planting them in the indoor or outdoor gardens.

Sure, the pink silk tulip is beautiful and versatile flowers. The simple cares could make flowers last for weeks.



Fig 02- Another variety of tulip flowers.

Just to let you know that there are about 3,000 variety of tulips in the world. Several popular tulips, just for examples are Triumph tulips, Lily flower tulips, Fringed tulips and Parrot tulips.




Fig 03- In the corner of the garden

Do you love tulips? 

what variety?

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Day Lily in the Our City Garden – Part 1 - Gardening and Hobby 45

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
We saw the sign of kids lying on the grass when we enter the public garden in our city. Quite long time, we did not visit this little garden.


Fig 01- Painting in front of garden


There are plenty of blooming, one of them was a flower called a Day Lily. The word “Day Lily” refers to the flower which “blossom” under sunrise and then die at night.


Since its stem has plenty flower buds, so, blooming could take several weeks then. Color combinations may be more than hundreds in the world, but we saw several dominant colors in our city garden:

- orange, rose, burgundy, purple

- pink, cream and lavender



Fig 02 – A yellow Day Lily


Flowering occurs in the Spring until early Summer in our place. Other places could be till Fall season. We don’t know the number of varieties in our area, but around 80,000 varieties in the world.



Fig 03 – A Dominic Day Lily


When Day Lily blooming in your area?


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