Purple Petunias

Petunia

Petunia hybrid

(peh-TEWN-ya)

Bermuda Beach Petunia Hybrid

Petunia Hybrid

Petunia 'Supertunia Bermuda Beach'

(peh-TEWN-ya)

To celebrate our 2,000^th post here on Digital Flower Pictures.com here is a brightly colored Petunia. These days due to the colorful, low maintenance habits of Petunias they have once again gotten on the “okay to plant list”. The Proven Winners selection of ‘Bermuda Beach’ is a low spreading type of Petunia that keep blooming all season. Now we have already seen a couple of slugs out this year and they are the absolute nemesis of Petunias. So that will have to watched carefully and if the slug population explodes like it can some years that will require a lessening of the use of Petunias this year.

I can’t believe this blog has gone on for as long as it has. Thanks to all the interesting people joining and commenting. Sometimes I just want to stop posting because of the time involved but it hasn’t happened yet. This site keeps me wanting to take my camera out everyday and that is a pretty amazing boost to get out there shooting. I hope you have enjoyed the flowers and other pictures that have been posted and maybe, like me, have learned something along the way.

Pink Petunias

Pink Petunias

Petunia hybrid

(peh-TEWN-ya)

These Petunias seemed very happy this summer. Blooming with abandon and happy faces. Towards the end of the season the petunias got a little too much rain and fizzled but during the summer they were producing waves of color in the container garden.

We are back at work after a lovely holiday. Just some cleanup and installation of 100 tulip bulbs. Time to put some of these gardens away for the season.

Citrus Petunia

Petunia
Petunia 'Supertunia Citrus'
(peh-TEWN-ya)
Synonyms: Cascadias Sunray, Dancas110

Golden Pseuderanthemum

Golden Pseuderanthemum
Pseuderanthemum reticulatum ‘Eldorado’
(soo-der-RANTH-ee-mum) (reh-tick-yoo-LAY-tum)
Synonym: Yellow-Vein Eranthemum, Golden Net-Bush

This is a flower that I saw for sale around here for the first time this year. It’s cute and dainty but the name is a mouthful. It is considered an evergreen shrub but certainly not in Connecticut’s climate. Although recent temperatures sure have made it feel like the tropics around here. The flowers of Pseuderanthemum are nice with their random pink spotting at the base and the foliage also adds some interest. The foliage emerges as kind of a chartreuse color and then gets darker. The gold veining is striking and unusual. I will have to try some in the future.

Since it is Sunday come join us at Today’s Flowers .

Also here is Sunday’s bonus flower picture.


Petunia
Petunia hybrid
(peh-TEWN-ya)

The Petunias seem to be holding up despite the heat and this group of purples was spotted in a hanging basket.

Our Butterflies “hatched” and are now flying around in their little enclosure. We put some flowers and sugar water in there for food. The whole thing started when we visited the Key West butterfly conservatory and Karen bought a kit that allows you to raise your own butterflies (after sending away for the caterpillars). When she got it I just assumed it was going to be one of those things that you don’t finish but she did it and we now have 4 Butterflies, which I am on the record for releasing.

White Petunias

Petunia
Petunia hybrid
(peh-TEWN-ya)

This flower is quite similar to the Supertunia I posted recently except that the flower is about half the normal size. They came in untagged so the mystery remains. The plant is spreading out well in a container and it is weird that the flowers are so small. Not small enough to be Million Bells (Calibrachoa) but not large enough to be regular Petunias either. They have been mixing with some very deep pink Supertunias and seem to fit in well.

We are starting to get into the summer doldrums out in the garden. The roses are still going pretty strong bit most everything else seems to be taking a breath right now. The Rhododendron maximums are blooming better than I remember over the last 25 years. They look nice even though their flowers can’t compete with the hybrids (spring blooming) in the collection. After flowering they need to be pruned and headed back. They seem to like to get a lot taller than the other species.

Christmas Orchid

Christmas Orchid
Angraecum sesquipidale
(an-GRY-kum)
Synonyms: Christmas Star Orchid, Comet Orchid, Star of Bethlehem Orchid, Rocket Orchid

This isn’t the best flower picture I have ever taken but I thought people might like to see this rare and unusual beauty. It’s discovery shook up the botanical world at the time because of the lack of a known pollinator. This orchid is native to the lowlands of Madagascar where it attaches itself to trees at the edge of the forest.


Angraecum has about 200 species of plants associated with it. That makes it one of the largest groups of African Orchids. It is easy to cultivate (if you can find it) but needs a lot of space because of its size. It blooms on December and late winter, hence the Christmas Orchid common name. The plants prefer a little shade and no direct sun. It needs good draining medium that is kept evenly moist. Generally conditions similar to Cattleya.

For more flower pictures from around the world check out:
Today’s Flowers . The links open at 1400 GMT.

Since it is Sunday here is today’s bonus flower.


Supertunia Petunia
Petunia hybrid 'Kakegawa S30'

Any of the Supertunias are usually a good bet. They grow well and seem to be able to shake off any bad weather. This one has a bit of green near the center but you really can’t see that unless looking up close.

Last night I went to see British Blues/rock guitarist legend Robin Trower. Even at 60 something he was pretty amazing. The last time I had seen him was in 1976 at the Palladium in NYC. It wasn’t as loud this time thankfully. Of interest to me at this concert was the warm up band the Matt Schofield Trio. He is a great guitarist and the trio had a organ player that doubled as the bass player (he was pretty amazing). Its nice to have a local concert venue that gets good acts. The concert was about 15 minutes from my house.

Rose Morn Petunia

Opera Supreme Rose Morn Petunia
Petunia grandiflora ‘Opera Supreme Rose Morn’
(peh-TEWN-ya)

These flowers look suspiciously like ‘Pink Morn’ petunias but I am not sure. We are just going by what the tag said here. No matter what the name these Petunias are eye catching and have a pleasing color scheme. Their trailing habit and floriferous nature are nice additions to the garden or containers.

Petunias have come a long way since being discovered in South America around 1750. It took many years (untl the early 20th century) before the modern Petunia that we know emerged from the breeding programs. First they were bred to get larger flowers than the initial two species then work began on getting double flowered and more colorful types. The work still continues today and I don’t think the modern plants resemble the old ones very much.

After 4 days of rain I am sick of it now. Our spring hasn’t been a pleasant one and I am ready for some sunshine and happy days.

Striped Red Petunias

Striped Red Petunias
Petunia 'Ultra Blue Star'
(peh-TEWN-ya)

These Petunias are from the 2009 season. I have to admit that Petunias have a special place in my heart and all the breeding that has been going on with them has made that love even stronger. I am not sure what type these are but they might be ‘Ultra Star Crimson’. Growing Petunias is easy if they have the right conditions. Many sources say they grow well in partial shade but to me full sun is better. They also like water but need to be in well draining soil. Modern types do not need deadheading but I have found a slight cut back (light shearing) is beneficial and helps for the fall season. I can’t wait to start growing some this year.

Since it is Sunday and that means Todays Flowers here is a bonus flower. Today’s Flowers for flower pictures from around the world.


Mandevilla Vine
Mandevilla splendens ‘Sun Parasol’
(man-de-VILL-uh) (SPLEN-denz)
Synonyms: Dipladenia, Mandevilla boliviensis

It is a little unusual to find this vine in white but it is a nice change. I would like to grow on of these with that really dark red Mandevilla they have now. This flower was photogenic as I took four pictures of the flower and they all basically came out well. White flowers always kind of stump me for exposure. I often blow out the whites but here I am right on the edge. Both of the flowers in this post were taken with the D70s and 60mm/2.8 Micro-Nikkor (Nikon) lens.

Petunias

Petunias
Petunia ‘Surfinia Sky Blue'
(peh-TEWN-ya)

Decorative Dahlia 'Seattle'

Decorative Dahlia
Dahlia 'Seattle'
(DAHL-ya)

The Dahlias are starting to bloom and ‘Seattle’ has made a nice impression. Any Dahlia that has white tips on the flower is all right with me and this one has blended nicely with the dark red/white tip ‘Mystery Day’. ‘Seattle’ seems to have some variations to the flowers including some that go all yellow after a time. Some other of its flowers seem to be more yellow than others. This year, for the Dahlia garden, I bought the tubers and potted them in the greenhouse instead of buying the plants already finished. This will also be the last year that I do that. While it is nice to be able to pick the varieties, as opposed to just taking what the nursery has to offer, it is too difficult to keep them looking good in the greenhouse until planting. Pinching them is an art and the timing has to be just right. Most commercial growers use growth regulators and I really didn’t want to get into that.

‘Seattle’ has a medium sized flower on slightly shorter plants (about 36 inches tall). It was introduced in 1993.

See more flowers from all over the world at Today’s Flowers .

Today’s Bonus Flower


Double Petunia
Petunia x hybrida ‘Tumbelina Cherry Ripple’

This Petunia caught my eye at the nursery. It was quite unusual and it turns out to be the first double trailing petunia introduced. Although it is usually used in containers and vertical applications I think it would look nice as a bedding plant too.

Pink Morn Petunia

Opera Supreme Pink Morn Petunia
Petunia grandiflora ‘Opera Supreme Pink Morn’
(peh-TEWN-ya)

After last year’s epic battle with slugs I swore we wouldn’t use any Petunias this year. This cultivar caught my eye at the nursery and it looked so cheerful and colorful that I had to have some. Normally, as a professional, I can resist impulse buys but also know that sometimes impulse buying can really liven up the garden. We will see how these do and what the slug population is this year. There was one other type of Petunia that caught my eye and there will probably be a post about them soon.

The label included with ‘Pink Morn’ says grows in part shade but in my experience they do much better in this climate with full sun. It also said it didn’t need to have the spent flowers removed, which most Petunias these days are like. In the old days they had to be deadheaded to be effective bloomers and it seems that habit has been bred out of them. I did read that these Petunias are specially bred for vertical growing, like hanging baskets, but can be effective for bedding too (whew). I lucked out on that. Have a nice weekend.

Striped Purple Petunias and Skywatch

Striped Purple Petunias
Petunia 'Ultra Blue Star'
(peh-TEWN-ya)

These striped Petunias really stood out across the garden I visited yesterday. Purple has been a difficult color for me to capture with the camera lately. This shot is getting a little better and at least the purple didn’t turn into a mushy blue. My plan was to underexpose a little and bring up the levels in Photoshop. One thing here was I didn’t account for the whites being so bright. Hopefully some purple flowers will present themselves this weekend so I can further test my ‘purple’ system.

The ‘Ultra’ series of Petunias has been around awhile. I love the colors that they come in (18 different). They are graceful and perform well enough to survive the onslaught of new breeding and introductions. They belong to the Grandiflora group of Petunias, which is the group with the largest flowers. I am not sure why 'Ultra Blue Star’ is actually purple.

Since it is Friday here is a Skywatch picture. Like several of this week’s photos it was taken at the Huntington Library in California.

Mexican Blue Palm
Brahea armata
(BRAH-yuh) (arm-AH-tuh)
Synonyms: Blue Hesper Palm, Gray Goddess


This was one cool looking palm tree. The variations of silver and gray on the leaves were interesting. It is a native of Baja California.

Visit Sky Watch Friday for more skies around the world.
SkyWatch Friday Home Page

Purple Petunias

Purple Petunias
(peh-TEWN-ya)

At least some of the Petunias are doing well this season. This unknown variety has been able to fight off the slugs and all the rain. Each time we get a heavy rainstorm the Petunia flowers turn to mush. They are brave to keep coming back and usually right when they start to look good, kapow, they get hit with another big rain.

Here is what is left of a Tree Fern. There were a few new shoots coming out but it was sad to see this seven footer almost completely brown.


Ruby got sprayed by a skunk last night. Boy does she stink.

Lobster Petunia

Petunia ‘Potunia Lobster’
(peh-TEWN-ya)

One of the reasons this site was started was to share different plants that we grow with other gardeners. Posting the successful ones is the easiest since sometimes there are factors that lead to a plant not doing well that isn’t their fault. Keeping an open mind and trying a plant a couple of times can be difficult but I usually try to give them another chance.

This year we planted a lot of Petunias. By a lot I mean a couple of hundred 4 and 6 inch pots. Not all of them did well because of all of the rain and the increase in the slug population. We did try a new type (to us) called Potunias. I was a little skeptical about the name but found that this breed of Petunias has its own website, here
.

We tried a couple of the colors of Potunias and ‘Lobster’ has outperformed them all. It truly has been an outstanding annual. It has a mounding and very tidy habit. It has also been the one variety that fought off the rain. The color is a beautiful pink that can really glow when the light hits it. It always seems to be full of flowers when whenever I look at it.

It is Saturday and I am going to have to be in the home office all day. The air conditioner is getting installed today. Originally to save money and energy I was going to try and make it through the season without A/C but after the last couple of days I am going to use it sparingly. Catching up with a lot of paperwork is not my idea of a fun Saturday so being comfortable will make it a bit easier.

Pink Elf Hydrangea and Bubblegum Petunias

Dwarf Hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Pia'
(hy-DRAIN-juh) (mak-roh-FIL-uh)
Synonym: 'Pink Elf’
Today’s Flowers

After seeing this Hydrangea at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden and posting about it here I decided to try a couple in the new garden we installed last year. It made it through the winter and is now in full bloom. There are a couple of things I like about ‘Pia’ including its small stature and flower color. The garden is full of blue Hydrangea so it a nice contrast to have a few pink ones. They are planted in front of some blue ‘Endless Summer’ Hydrangeas and they look good together.


Hybrid Petunia
Petunia 'Supertunia Vista Bubblegum'
(peh-TEWN-ya)

A lot of our Petunias got either too wet or eaten by the slugs this year. However, this variety has been outstanding. It has just been a carpet of color and is vigorously spreading. I wished I had just used these instead of some of the other types of Petunias. Proven Winners introduced this Petunia in 2005 and I have the feeling it is going to be around a long time. The other Supertunias have been doing okay but not like ‘Bubblegum’.

For more flower pictures from around the world check out:
Today’s Flowers . The links open at 1400 GMT.

Petunias

Petunias
(peh-TEWN-ya)

Petunias have been doing very well this year. There seems to be more colors and types every time I turn around. The breeding has done this genus well as they are more carefree and free flowering then ever.