Vines

One Little Firecracker

| Flower Roberts

This sweet baby came up in the gravel near where I had a pot full of Ipomoea lobata last year.

I couldn’t just leave it there struggling to survive, so I carefully put it in a small pot with a stick.

In no time at all its little top was waving in the breeze looking for some support.

I planted it in the big pot where its mama plant was last year.

I love how the tiny blooms emerge red.

As the raceme of blooms elongate the older flowers fade to yellow.

That is why it has another name, Spanish Flag vine.

I consider this vine a gift. I did not have time to buy seeds for my trellises this year.

I am grateful one little seed showed up to fill the void.

My garden is a blessing.

FLOW

Training a Vine

| Flower Roberts

It takes lots of time to train a good vine.

It grabs what it touches and begins to climb and twine.

It must to be untangled when it grows in a knot.

A vine must be tended carefully and constantly as it grows.

This is this years’ new vine, Exotic Love Vine/ Ipomoea lobata.

Exotic Love Vine/ Ipomoea lobata

Its blooms are of lovely form and multiple colors.

The leaves have a fleur-de-lis shape.

I am pleased with this unusual annual.

FLOW

My Crazy Clematis

| Flower Roberts

I always wanted a purple clematis because my Gran had one growing up the side of her porch. I loved how it highlighted the side entrance and provided some shade. She had superb taste in everything… furniture, food or flowers.

I purchased a bare-root Jackman Clematis decades ago. I still have its package. That’s how I remember what I have and when I got it. It is also why my office is messy.

The Jackman clematis is supposed to bloom in summer, mine is covered with blooms now.

Jackman clematis

Another anomaly is that its blooms have differing numbers of petals. There are many five-petal blooms, but about as many four-petal and six-petal flowers. This breaks some botany rules.

I have looked at many photos of Jackman clematis on the internet. The variation shows up in some photos. I do not know why this plant is a shape-shifter.

All I know is that it is lovely and reminds me of my Gran and her beautiful home.

FLOW

Flow Grows Kudzu’s Cousin

| Flower Roberts

I have learned my lesson. I will never order seeds off of the internet that are not from a known company.

Remember that my first set of seeds was supposed to be Flying Saucer Morning Glories.

Those bloomed weedy purple instead of blue and white. I had to do my first killing of the season.

Now my Lablab purpureus has formed seed pods that are NOT purple.

My neighbor accused me of growing Kudzu. https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/five-facts-kudzu-in-florida/

Anything that looks like Kudzu and grows like Kudzu does not belong in my garden.

It is not really Kudzu, but it is misbehaving by grabbing everything around it.

I have been removing the seed pods so it will not self-sow, but I have gotten behind.

It may be time for my second murder of the season.

POOR FLOW

Two Tiny Vines

| Flower Roberts

I love my vines. I have tried many types. These two are keepers.

Red Cypress Vine/Ipomoea pennata stays small and is easy to train to any trellis.

It resows itself. Its feathery leaves are lovely.

The red blooms are gorgeous in any light.

Red Cypress Vine/ Ipomoea pennata

My other favorite is Love in a Puff/ Cardiospermum halicacabum.

Love in a Puff/ Cardiospermum halicacabum

Its flowers are tiny white with yellow centers.

I love the puffy seed pods which contain three seeds.

Each black seed has a white heart on it.

I have heard this vine can be a pest below Zone 6, but it behaves itself here in North Carolina.

These two get along well together on our lamp post.

Flow

The Statues are Snitches

| Flower Roberts

It only takes one glance at them to know how I am doing.

The statues, Lily and Moss, are an accurate indicator of my well-being.

They are concrete canaries in the coal mine.

If the creeping fig gets ahead , it means I am behind.

Ficus pumila, creeping fig

It’s a cute little vine, but don’t turn your back on it.

SLOW FLOW

Not a Flying Saucer

| Flower Roberts

I should have known better than to order seeds on the internet,

but I had my heart set on Flying Saucers entwining on my new circles trellis.

The seeds came in a plain sealed envelope. There was a little paper about morning glories included.

These seeds have been carefully planted and pampered.

I was excited to see the first buds. I was looking forward to those giant blue and white blooms mixing with the red blooms of the Red Cypress vine. But instead of Lovely blue blooms, purple appeared.

REAL Flying Saucer morning glories

The purple bloom came over like a lead balloon. Maybe a stray wild seed got mixed in?

NOT Flying Saucer morning glories

More and more purple flowers have appeared. Just that small common variety that grows by the side of the road.

I fear the Flower has imported an expensive weed!

Now that I’m thinking about it, the Lablab purpureus I ordered does look a little like Kudzu.

Lablab purpureus… I HOPE

POOR FLOW

Climbing Okra Seeds

| Flower Roberts

I am missing several addresses from my Luffa acutangula seeds request list.

John Presteridge? Kevin Kellher? Alley the Homeschooler?

Curtis Wilkinson. Did your vines ever flower? Do you need seeds?

Susan Evans, did your old seeds germinate or should I send more?

Nadine Brissey, how did your vines do?

If you want to privately share address, send to b12alley@yahoo.com.

I will be posting on turning these giant pods into sponges later. Stay tuned.

FLOWER’s BOWER

Fig on his Face

| Flower Roberts

You told me this would happen. (Peggy Joan, Eliza, Robyn)

I wrote a post on how much I loved my cute, little creeping fig climbing up the carport wall.( Look at it now)

IMG_2543

You warned me that it would get sneaky and slither everywhere.

I looked away for a moment. (Okay, maybe a couple months.)

IMG_2546

I looked back and poor little Moss had fig on his face.

I guess it will cover little Lily next.

IMG_2545

Then make its way around the truck tires.

You tried to warn me that this cute, little vine was a creeper.

The heart wants what the heart wants. Even if it is bad for the statuary. (My bad.)

Creeping fig. Another ivy, only cuter.

Sigh!

Flow