Monday, May 10, 2021

Giant Milkweed and other flowers

Good Monday morning from Plum Cottage ~ It's a new day, a new week and I pray it will be a good one for all. May we count our blessings, letting go of negativity, and move forward.

A few of you asked about one of the flowers I had posted. It is unusual and beautiful. It is 'Giant Milkweed' or Calotropis gigantea  . You can read about it here: Giant Milkweed. I got a couple of cuttings of this from a friend who worked at Butterfly World, she had this growing in her home garden. I need to try propagating from cuttings from this one. It grows in zones 10-11, but can be grown as an annual in colder climates.


Now for other blooms that are giving me joy right now.

The white flowers are basil, and I do not have a clue as to what the purple/pink flowers are, no tag when I bought it.

Below is Confederate Jasmine. I look forward to this blooming every spring. 

The scent is oh so wonderful.



Next is a 'frangipani'. I love the colors of this one. I have another color which is pink. This one I bought, the pink ones I have were grown from cuttings given to me many, many years ago.


This is 'Philippine Violet'. I love it and don't remember where I got this. It spreads by seeds and I think it will also root by stems touching the ground. Grows with little care.

 

 

 
The foreground flower is an unknown ground cover that creeps everywhere and also spits seeds. The flower behind is 'Spicy Jatropha' which the Zebra Longwings love.
 
 




This little gem is a 'walking iris'. It spreads by the flower head bending over, touching the ground, where it will send out roots. You can read about it here.


 
 Here is a pink tinged shrimp plant which I really love. I have the normal color also which is more of a rusty color.

 
Here is another zebra longwing sipping nectar from hamelia paten blooms.

 
I snapped another picture and happened to catch another zebra flitting by.

 
Below is 'Blue Lips', friends Nanci and John took me to a funky nursery a couple of years back and I picked out this plant. I love it and the flowers have such a wonderful scent, stops me in my tracks when I walk past and catch a whiff.
 


This is a piece I created for a recent widow. I believe she and her husband had been married for 63 years. Needless to say, she is missing him terribly. Do keep all who have lost loved ones in your prayers and thoughts. Visit, send notes, etc. to let them know they are loved and thought of.



I finished the lap blanket I was working on, and love how it turned out.


Ok dear friends that is it for now. Have a great week. Look for, enjoy, and be thankful for the beauty that surrounds you.

A friend brought this little plaque to me this morning, and another friend gave me the orchid a couple of years ago, I put them together for the photo. This is oh so true. Thank you for your friendships through the years here in blogland.


FlowerLady

23 comments:

firefly819 said...

You are a very lucky woman to have so many beautiful flowers in your garden. The butterfly blessed you too and thanked you for his meal.

Nancy J said...

A walk through your garden is always a delight, down here winter is approaching faster each week, snow in the far south, rain where we are. Love the last photo, so true.

Lynn and Precious said...

Lorraine,, we do have some butterflies flitting about here now. But we
are to have frost the next 3 nights. So I am loving your photos of
flowers and butterflies. You have such variety in your secret garden.
Wonderful of you to post so many pictures and the names. If that Giant
Milkweed could live in zone 5, I'd have it. Lynn and Precious

Ruth Hiebert said...

Thanks for a walk through the flowers.the butterflies add a special touch. Have a good week.

L. D. said...

All of your tropic flowers are beautiful. I would not know how to identify any of them. Your heart pillow is wonderful. 63 years is a long time. The orchid is wonderful and the plaque gift is great. Take care.

Ann said...

Wow, so many beautiful flowers. What a joy to be surrounded by them.
That is a sweet gift you created. I'm sure that it was much appreciated.

Vee said...

That is a sweet gift for a new widow. So very thoughtful of you. Your flowers are gorgeous and unique. Have a blessed week.

Morning's Minion said...

Thank you once again for sharing your flowers--so many exotic tropical plants I will never see in person.

ellen b. said...

Pretty flowers. When we lived in southern California it was always nice to walk past Jasmine. Such a welcome scent. That was a sweet gift for the recent widow.

Olde Dame Holly said...

What an amazing post! How I miss the plants of my youth, in Arkansas and the Gulf Coast area. Your yard reminds me very much of my granny's and my mother's, they had pure green thumbs but I am seeing plants in your yard that I did not see in theirs. The Giant Milkweed has me amazed. And the Blue Lips, well, ALL of your beautiful garden! Thank you for sharing it!

Deb J. in Utah said...

Wonderful pictures of your beautiful garden. I love that pillow you made for your friend. What a lovely heart-felt gift. I also love that afghan. You are one talented lady. Have a good week.

Terra said...

Rainey, I love this visit to your gardens. You are a fount of knowledge about many tropical plants; you could give people garden tours in person. I like the colors of your new lap blanket and I treasure the one you made for me, of green and blue. Have a blessed week.

gretchenjoanna said...

I have never seen anything like that Giant Milkweed. I did grow Tropical Milkweed which is not native to this area and it didn't thrive after the first year. My native Narrow-Leaf Milkweed died out, too, probably because it was always destroyed by aphids, having such skinny leaves to start with.

Now the Showy Milkweed that is also native -- it LOVES my garden and has self-sown a couple dozen "babies" this year so that I have a milkweed forest under my fig tree. This plant gets four or five feet high. I'm going to be content with it now ;-)

Sandra said...

Oh sweet Lorraine, I am so so glad you left a comment on my blog, a few days ago. I had lost your blog address and couldn't for the life of me remember it. Was able to find you again after you commented. Yay!!!

As always I absolutely love your flowers, you have such a beautiful garden. The Giant Milkweed is gorgeous, sure hope you can propagate them.

Hope you're having a blessed weekend.
Sandra
xoxox

Kit said...

Oh how lovely!! Your flowers are incredible. Great to see you are doing well. 💕 KK

Red Rose Alley said...

So many wonderful blooms around your neck of the woods, Lorraine. And that purple one is gorgeous! The small blanket you made is charming. That will be comfy and cozy on cold nights. I like the colors you chose. The heart sachet is such a special gift for your friend.

~Sheri

Melanie said...

I love seeing all your beautiful flowers because they're so different than what we have here. That giant milkweed is incredible! I've never seen a flower like that.

You are so talented with your needlework and making that blanket. Your friend will love your needlework heart. That was so sweet and kind of you to make that for her. Hope you have a good week!

Mother Em said...

Hubby tried the milkweed years ago and, my, my how invasive. Is the Giant Milkweed you have invasive? He was forever pulling up the "weed." He's now struggling with an elderberry tree/bush he planted last year. Those runners get 20 feet out underground into the walkway, garden. Another lesson learned and too old to be dealing with the "weeds." Other than that, you have a beautiful garden.

Henny Penny said...

You grow the most beautiful flowers I've ever seen...and you are so knowledgable about all of them. The lap blanket is so pretty!

Sallysmom said...

Lorraine, do you know what Glenda's last name is. She was the lady who had the Living & Gardening in the Ozarks? You can email me privately if you would like.

Junkchiccottage said...

Good morning and Happy Memorial Day. Lorraine your flowers are always so beautiful. Love your lap blanket too. Just checking in to see how you are doing. Have a great weekend. xoxo

L. D. said...

Your tropical flowers are all so amazing. I enjoy seeing them and the butterflies are wonderful too.

Anne Payne said...

Oh Rainey, that heart is stunning!!! Such a sweet and thoughtful gift. I do pray for those who have lost their loved ones. It's so hard. The nine year milestone just passed for us in losing our sweet Amy. It's been difficult.

{{hugs}}