| Image | Plant | Status | Notes | Events |
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Dahlia 'Golden Heart' |
Have Cutting garden Dahlias Feature plant Heirloom and Heritage Landscaping Plant Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
I'm 95% sure this formerly misidentified dahlia is Golden Heart, from Old House Gardens. 1955 origins, New Hampshire. It's also known as Aka 'Mary Poppins', semi-cactus, 6-7", 4-5' I grew it for the first time this year. It bloomed in mid-July (given an early start, it's a blooming machine!) It is still blooming profusely in mid-October and looks like fire in the October setting sun. More info about it: TYPE semi-cactus SUB TYPE cactus, semi-cactus, 4-5" ZONES 3a-7b. (10bWC) HEIGHT 4-5' SOURCE Oregon, America LIGHT full sun |
October 21, 2023: Bloomed (Received this tuber in trade from either Marcella or Laura. 90% sure this is a vintage variety, Golden Heart dahlia, 1955 from Old House Gardens as Joanie is growing this variety too. It is robust, a tall, big, vigorous plant that pumps out the blooms late summer to late October. The photo was taken October 21st. I'll look up another photo taken earlier in the season. Definitely a keeper. Will grow again!) November 18, 2023: Maintenance performed (Dug out the dahlia clump from the backyard birdbath area. It's a robust tuber, and am preparing for winter storage.) |
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Crinkle Leaf Plant (Adromischus cristatus) |
Have Cactus, Xeriscape Houseplants and Tropicals Perennials Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
Grew well in 2023 as a new plant. Is overwintering well and making babies. Looking forward to potting up more this spring in 2024. | February 3, 2023: Obtained plant (To replace the one the squirrels attacked & destroyed.) July 17, 2023: Maintenance performed (Moved to the greenhouse from the garden window. Doing well. Flourishing. Did well in the garden window indoors during the winter.) |
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Joyweed (Alternanthera brasiliana 'Purple Prince') |
Have Annuals Foliage for Bouquets New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Perennial grown as an annual. Needs plenty of water. Lovely, dark purple foliage. Great accent for Osteospermum and other green leafed annuals. One new plant was lush and full in a 12-14" pot by season's end. |
October 1, 2022: Cuttings stuck (Put in the new greenhouse. Will see if it will carry over to a new season. Lovely foliage plant.) October 12, 2022: Cuttings stuck (Made a second set of cuttings. Placed in greenhouse.) |
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Anemone coronaria 'Mistral Bianco Centro Nero' |
Have Cool Weather Sowing Bulbs, corms, tubers (spring, summer) Container Garden Cottage Garden Cutting garden Feature plant Market Flower or Vegge New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Received these Italian Anemones as a bonus from C & J Farms LLC, in early February. My first Anemones potting up for home, possible cut flower sales in spring. | March 2, 2024: Seeds sown (Put in the bubbler the night before. Planting out in 3 gallon pots.) April 1, 2024: Seeds germinated (First round corms germinated. Remainders germinated two weeks later, April 15-18) |
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Grecian Windflower (Anemone coronaria 'Saint Brigid Mix') |
Have Cool Weather Sowing Bulbs, corms, tubers (spring, summer) Container Garden Cottage Garden Landscaping Plant New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Bought 100 of these at Costco and am putting them in water with a bubbler to increase in size before planting. Note limited Zone range, however they can be grown in pots and then put in a greenhouse to overwinter in Michigan, to offer zone 7 protection. | February 27, 2024: Obtained plant (Purchased at Costco, 100 corms on Tuesday. On Thursday, soaking overnight with a bubbler to plant the next day in pots and grow on for spring.) March 2, 2024: Seeds sown (Put in the bubbler the night before. Planting out in 3 gallon pots.) |
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Snapdragon Vine (Antirrhinum antirrhiniflorum) |
Have Container Garden Tender Perennial (Michigan) Vines & Creeping Shrubs |
Grew this at CSS Project Grow in 2023. Vining, delicate form. Pretty plant. Would like something a little more robust. Obtained in seed swap seed. Note is tender perennial. |
February 26, 2023: Seeds sown (Sown in humidity dome. Placed in greenhouse. Tender perennial.) March 29, 2023: Seeds germinated (Growing in the greenhouse) April 17, 2023: Potted up (Potted up from Dixie cups. In May, it's taking off to be a more robust plant.) June 6, 2023: Transplanted (At CSS Project Grow near the front gate. ) |
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Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) |
Have Cutting garden Houseplants and Tropicals Landscaping Plant New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Pollinators, Natives, Wildflowers |
Tender perennial, grown as an annual, received from Kirk Jones. New to me in 2023. Makes an excellent cut flower, bouquet flower with orange-red flowers accented with yellow hoods. BIG PLUS: a very long blooming season, early summer to fall. In the tropics, it is an evergreen subshrub. Excellent pollinator: butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, and other beneficial insects. |
June 3, 2023: Obtained plant (Received from Kirk Jones, former PG director who used to run a cut flower business. He recommends this plant for cut flower bouquets.) June 8, 2023: Transplanted (Planted in north flower bed by the Pennsylvania Sedge and wildflowers.) |
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Mexican Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica 'Silky Deep Red') |
Have Cottage Garden New plants and seeds Perennials Tender Perennial (Michigan) Pollinators, Natives, Wildflowers |
Seeds from seed swap, Silky red and yellow. Perennial grown as annual. Hardy only to Zone 9a. Full Sun; Plant Height: 24 - 36 inches, Plant Spread: 18 - 24 inches Flowers: Showy, Fragrant Flower Color: Yellow, Red-Orange Flower Time: Late summer or early fall Attracts pollinators including Hummingbirds Leaves are poisonous Plant your butterfly weed plants approximately 12 to 18 inches apart in well-drained garden soil. Although they can be grown in most soil types, these plants enjoy sandy soil with a neutral to slightly acidic pH (6.0 to 7.0). For the first year after planting, give 1 inch of extra water each week. Once established, the plants are drought-tolerant and may only need monthly watering or none extra in temperate zones. |
March 31, 2022: Seeds sown (WS in jug alongside Winecup (Callirhoe involucrata). ) |
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Austrocylindropuntia (Austrocylindropuntia cylindrica 'Cristata') |
Have Cactus, Xeriscape Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
January 3, 2023: Obtained plant (Obtained in SoCal. Raising the plant in Michigan.) July 31, 2023: Maintenance performed (Moved to the greenhouse from the garden window. Doing well. Did well enough in the garden window indoors during the winter.) |
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Begonia Jurassic™ Silver Point |
Have Container Garden Feature plant Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Shade Garden |
May 17, 2023: Obtained plant (Purchased at the Holland Farmers Market, opening day. Two musicians, hard structure roofs to protect vendors from rain. Nice setup! Holland is a lovely place to visit, and we lucked out missing the crowds and still enjoying the late tulips.) |
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Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica) |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Vines & Creeping Shrubs |
Receiving seeds from a seed swap. Notes: Calliandra californica Shrub Height – 6 to 13 feet (2 to 4 meters) Exposure – full sun, part sun Soil – well-drained Foliage – deciduous or evergreen, depending on the climate Flowering – April to August Soak the seeds in warm water (same temperature you'd get a baby's bottle) for a day. Plant the seeds in soil mix and keep it moist but not too wet to avoid mold. Sprouting should occur after 10-20 days. Native to tropical climates, this plant needs sun and moisture to develop well. Growing calliandra: Choose a mostly sheltered spot, preferably endowed with a lot of light. Calliandra presents high needs in terms of moisture since it comes from tropical climates. To compensate the dryness of the air, you can rest the pot on a bed of gravel or clay pebbles that are doused with water: evaporation will rise and weave through the leaves. Watering is required frequently in summer, especially if the weather is warm. Slowly reduce the amount of water you provide in fall, matching the waning days and temperatures. Avoid heat sources such as radiators. Source: https://www.nature-and-garden.... |
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Swallowtail Plant (Christia obcordata) |
Want (Love to have)Houseplants and Tropicals Tender Perennial (Michigan) Want to Have |
Incredible plant, needs high humidity. Does go dormant. | |
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String of Pickles (Crassothonna capensis 'Ruby Necklace') |
Have Ground Cover and Creeping, Trailing Plants New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
Crassothonna capensis 'Ruby Necklace' Ruby Necklace, aka String of Pickels. NOTE: Moderate stress (direct sun, drought, or cool temperatures of about 50F) will turn the succulent leaves to magenta . There is also fine,white fuzz that grows in the crevices of stems and leaves. (Look close, not mealybugs) Flowers are yellow. Stem cuttings to propagate. It is a tender succulents, so bring indoors to grow as it needs good sunlight, drainage, and infrequent water. Water enough for water to run out the bottom of the pot, then wait for the soil to fully dry before watering again. Avoid wet feet. |
July 7, 2022: Obtained plant (Purchased plant at Frank's in Maryland. Pictures to be added shortly.) July 21, 2022: Potted up (Placed in sunny spot in backyard garden.) September 28, 2022: Maintenance performed (Repotted to single pot, now a large trailing plant, and moved to greenhouse. Plan to move indoors in November.) |
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Rosary Vine (Crassula 'Baby's Necklace') |
Have Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
January 2023: Plant is thriving in winter quarters indoors and growing tall. Will break some off and do some starts in small pots soon. | September 29, 2022: Obtained plant (Ordered from Mountain Crest Gardens. Plant arrived well packaged, though fragile. 1 piece broke off, using as cutting. Potted up, watered and placed in greenhouse. ) October 11, 2022: Winterized (Soaked in mild soap solution and used BT (Mosquito Bits) to prepare plant for overwintering. Moved indoors from greenhouse. ) |
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Finger Jade (Crassula ovata 'Gollum') |
Have Cactus, Xeriscape Perennials Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
Had this plant several years. Overwintering in kitchen garden window. | |
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Variegated String of Buttons (Crassula perforata 'Variegata') |
Have Container Garden Houseplants and Tropicals New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) Sedums and Succulents |
April 4, 2023: Obtained plant (Purchased at Lowe's. Put in a container with a couple other plants and will endeavor to keep it going, also protected from rain this year.) | |
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Dahlias (Dahlia) |
Have Dahlias Perennials Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Planted Collarettes and Pompon Dahlia seeds from Happy Green Shop in Ireland. Almost all germinated! Good germination rate. Started with Dixie Cups. Transplanted to Red Solo cups. Raised in the little greenhouse and did fine in the spring. Pictured yellow flower collarette is from seedling that made 4 tubers and worked well as a low growing landscape dahlia. May blend well with City Lights in 2024. |
March 3, 2022: Seeds sown (WS in jug. WS in jug. Ark of Taste says: Seeds are sown from February to July and transplanted after 3 weeks, full sun. When the plants reach a height of 30 cm, soil should be added to the base of the plants to encourage the development of tuberous roots. After about twelve weeks, dahlias will bloom for 4-6 weeks. ) May 27, 2022: Plant Ended (Removed, Died, Discarded, etc) (Winter Sowing dahlias did not sprout from seed. Needs heat: Cocoxochitl Chingonxs from Truelove Seeds via Pennsylvania. No sprouts. Too bad. I will try growing again next spring. ) February 4, 2023: Seeds sown (Planted seeds from Happy Green Shop from Ireland. Also planted more 2 year old seeds, Cocoxochitl Chingonxs from Truelove Seeds via Pennsylvania, 2022 sowed indoors using heat mats. ) February 9, 2023: Seeds germinated (Sprouted! Heat mats and humid domes, using Dixie cups worked great. Out of 36 Dixie cups (mix of Diva, Pompon and these seeds) all but 5 sprouted. Good rate of germination.) March 21, 2023: Potted up (Moved to greenhouse to give the seedlings more room. Setting up heater to keep above 40 degrees at night and closer to 55 - 60 during the day.) June 2, 2023: Transplanted (Transplanted Planted several of these in the front yard flower bed in front of the front porch. Several have buds on them.) November 25, 2023: Maintenance performed (Dug up a small dahlia clump in the front yard on a frigid day. There were four or so small tubers attached to the plant still with it's sprouting Dixie cup attached. Preparing it for winter storage in the garage this year, watching the temps with a Govee temperature sensor.) |
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Dahlia 'Alpen Cherub' |
Have Dahlias New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Ordered from Flower A Farm on February 11, 2023. Prolific bloomer at CSS Project Grow. |
April 7, 2023: Seeds sown (Received by mail yesterday, well wrapped, "Flower a Farm", robust large tuber with a sprout. Excellent condition. Planted tuber in a pot to get it started growing, perhaps to make cuttings.) May 31, 2023: Transplanted (Planted sprouted plant at PG Johnson in second full row -- row two. There is also a cutting that "took" that I'll plant in the same row.) June 9, 2023: Transplanted (Successfully grown cutting of Alpen Cherub, planted at Johnson.) July 11, 2023: Bloomed (It looks like I planted one of these at CSS Project Grow. It bloomed this week.) November 14, 2023: Maintenance performed (Dug up a small dahlia clumps at CSS. Preparing it for winter storage in the garage this year, watching the temps with a Govee temperature sensor.) |
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Dahlia 'Arabian Night' |
Have Bulbs, corms, tubers (fall) Cutting garden Dahlias New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
Received tubers in a trade from a neighbor. Best guess on name of plant. | August 6, 2023: Bloomed (Planted near bird bath in back area. Tall plant.) August 30, 2023 - August 29, 2023: Bloomed (Also bloomed in the front near the birdbath, shorter plant as it gets more sun, 3 feet tall.) October 30, 2023: Obtained plant (Received from neighbor in a trade. ) November 18, 2023: Maintenance performed (Maintenance performed (Dug out the dahlia clump from the backyard birdbath area. It's a healthy tuber clump. I am preparing it for winter storage.)) |
| Dahlia 'Bloomquist Banquet' |
Prev Bulbs, corms, tubers (spring, summer) Cutting garden Dahlias New plants and seeds Tender Perennial (Michigan) |
New to me in 2023. Bloomquist Banquet is a rare tuber arriving Triple Wren Farm. It is part of their Legacy Collection. The 4" collarette with true red ray petals has ruffled true red collar petals that fade into sweet creamy-white tips. Hybridized by Paul Bloomquist of Lynden, Washington. 40" tall. Did not survive growing out in April, May. |
April 30, 2023: Potted up (Now potted & growing in the basement. Looking for first sprouts.) |
