Chinese hibiscus-Hibiscus rosa sinensis photo

Chinese hibiscus - Hibiscus rosa sinensis flowers are gorgeous tropical plants but they are not so easy to grow in temperate regions.
I took this photo of this lovely pink hibiscus, at the garden center. Even they have problems with offering proper conditions for these evergreen hibiscus shrubs.
Each of these exotic hybrids perform well in different conditions, some prefer more sun and some, more shade.
These beautiful ornamental plants bloom all year by us indoors, being protected by extreme summer heat and cold winter temperatures. They require much light though, they do well in a South facing windows or in the morning sunlight.

Hybiscus flowers are edible in salads and have medical uses in herbal medicine. In India, the flowers are used to shine shoes, where its other name,shoe flower, comes from.

See some more hibiscus photos at this earlier post.

PINK SATURDAY

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Beautiful moss rose - my summer favorite Portulaca

Welcome to Macro Flowers Saturday 60!

I wish you all (and myself) a cool weekend!
Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora), this tiny but amazingly beautiful flower is one of my summer favorites.

As a child, I was obsessed with this flower and I still am, I think. Each time my mother or grandmother rushed me to the nearby grocery, I came back with moss roses and planted them in our patio border.
I think I already shared this with you but a few days ago I passed by this brand new, double petaled moss rose border and I just had to take some more photos of them.

Moss-rose is grown as ornamental plant throughout temperate climates. The whole plant is not more than 10 cm tall, with thick, flashy, about 1 cm long tiny leaves and with flowers in all colors of the rainbow, except blue. It is a self seeding annual spreading itself very easily.

Moss rose grows in sandy soil in full sun exposure. This delicate flower closes its petals at sunset and on cloudy days and opens again in the Sun's company.

Though moss-rose requires almost no human attention, with its pretty face it gets too much of it; a few plants are already missing from this newly planted border, as you can see in the first photo. I swear, I was not the one who took them.
What a pity that some big children can't leave them be!


This Macro Flowers Saturday list is closed for new entries but, please do visit the list of participants.

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Pretty nasturtiums-nasturtium pictures and info

Nasturtiums are flowering everywhere, with bright yellow, scarlet and red flowers.
Planted as a trailing ground cover, in a colorful hanging basket or just as a compact bush in a container, nasturtiums are a cheerful patch of color.
I often see nasturtiums creeping on the ground in the cemetery and even in neglected backyards. That let's me conclude that they grow best left alone, as many other beautiful flowering plants, like the columbine.

Nasturtium care:

• Nasturtiums are care free;
• poor soil is what they prefer, they grow even in clay, if it is dry, like in our cemetery;
• no fertilizer, no mulch or compost;
• full sun is what they like but will tolerate partial shade;
• most important, keep the soil dry!

Propagation:

• Nasturtiums are self seeding.
• Sow nasturtium seeds 1.5cm (1/2 in) deep and 25-30 cm (10-12 in) apart, in spring. You can sow them in soil where nothing else grows, as long as it's a sunny position;
• Keep the soil moderately moist during germination.
• It takes about 10 days the young plants to come up.

Nasturtium benefits:

• Nasturtium flowers make for good color in the garden or even in a vase;
• Leaves flowers and seeds of nasturtiums are edible and used in salads for their papery taste;
• Their peppery leaves are believed to ward off insects, making nasturtiums excellent companion plants for cabbage family plants (cabbage, broccoli, collards, cauliflower, kale.) In particular, the caterpillar of the Large White (Cabbage White) Butterfly is attracted to nasturtium.

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Golden poppy pictures-California poppy

Golden poppy or California poppy (Eschscholzia californica), is native to western North America but found in many parts of the world.
In its native areas it blooms starting from early spring but by us in east Europe it just started to bloom at end May.
Its showy, golden-orange flowers and bluish-green, finely divided leaves are much appreciated in gardens.
Golden poppies open their petals in the morning and close them in the evening or on cloudy days.
For its sedative properties, California poppy is used for medicinal purposes in different forms: as diffusion, tincture and powder for treating insomnia, anxiety and nervous tension. Its sedative properties are more gentle as that of its sister, the red poppy.

Copa de oro (on its other name), this lovely drought-tolerant plant grows best in full sun.
It is easy to grow in gardens; it needs poor, sandy soil and it is self-seeding.
As its name shows, California poppy is the official state flower of California.

Tina's new meme, PicsStory, has flowers for this week's theme, head over and join the fun!

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White lilies-true lilium pictures

Welcome to Macro Flowers Saturday 59!

White lilies are blooming in the gardens. They are one of the few flowers that tolerate the summer heat.
Our roses are still a beautiful patch of color from the distance but on a closer look, they are all burned by the sun. I tried to take some new rose photos and I couldn't find one in a decent shape.

I took a walk yesterday to see what is going on in the neighbors' gardens.
White true lilies (Lilium), tiger lilies (or fire lilies), as well as the common orange day-lilies are among the June flowering beauties, taking relatively well the hot weather.
Larkspur flowers are still blooming, clematis vine started to bloom and it is full of flower buds.


What's flowering in June in your garden?

Have a beautiful weekend!

Join Macro Flowers Saturday!

• Newcomers, please use the yellow code in the sidebar or a button, to link back to this blog.
  If you are new to memes, it is a good idea to read the info on Macro Flowers Saturday page (from the main menu).
• Any entry with some other backlink than this blog's home page will be deleted. You can come back any time after you correct the link.
• Please don't link to my individual posts, you are misleading new participants.

This list is closed. Click here to see the list

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Larkspur-Consolida ambigua flowers-pictures

Larkspur-Consolida ambigua, this old cottage garden flower is the modest sister of the fancy Delphinium flower. The name larkspur is commonly used for both Consolida and Delphinium.

Larkspur blooms in early summer, the flowers emerging on loose spikes in several colors: pink, white, red and navy-blue.Larkspur plants grow about 45-60 cm (18-24 in.) tall, they make a beautiful display planted in small groups or as a contrasting background to smaller flowers.

Growing Larkspur

• Larkspur can be grown in most areas, except tropical regions.
• They prefer full sun but not hot weather and they must be protected from strong wind.
• It needs well drained, moist soil.
• Water regularly but do not over-water.
• Planted in groups, spaced about 15 cm ( 6 in.) apart, they will hold each other up, otherwise they will need staking.

Deadheading will force the plant to produce side branches with new flowers.

Propagation

• Unlike the perennial delphinium, larkspur consolida is a self-seeding annual plant but you can help.
• Collect the seeds after they dry on the plant.
• Sow the seeds in autumn for flowering the following spring, where they are to grow. The seedlings can tolerate extreme cold in winter but they don't like to be moved.

A few larkspur flower spikes are also a lovely addition to a colorful flower bouquet, in your home.

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Flowering Diablo Ninebark Shrubs-Physocarpus opulifolius photos

Welcome to Macro Flowers Saturday #58!

I have an interesting spirea flower to share today. I've never seen such a hairy spirea flower before. With its many, very long stamens, the flowers look like some delicate brush.
Though I tried to identify it, I couldn't find out what kind of spirea this is.

I just found out that this is a Diablo Ninebark Shrubs - Physocarpus opulifolius.


I've found this flowering spirea shrub on the roadside, squeezed between some others shrubs.
It was about 1.8m tall but its spread was not visible.

If someone knows its name, please share it with us, here on Macro Flowers Saturday.

Have a beautiful weekend!

Update:
So, this is not a spirea but a Diablo Ninebark Shrubs (Physocarpus opulifolius). What a name!?
Stan's wife was able to identify it and I checked, it's true. Thank you Stan and Mrs. Stan.

Join Macro Flowers Saturday!

• Newcomers, please use the yellow code in the sidebar or a button, to link back to this blog.
  If you are new to memes, it is a good idea to read the info on Macro Flowers Saturday page (from the main menu).
• Any entry with some other backlink than this blog's home page will be deleted. You can come back any time after you correct the link.
• Please don't link all over to my individual posts, you are misleading new participants.

This list is closed. Click here to see the list

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Charming hollyhock flowers-pictures

Hollyhocks, the most beautiful flowers of all mellows (Malvaceae) are blooming. These humble old garden favorites stand tall an proud in wind and rain, producing delicate, sophisticated flowers directly on their hairy stems.

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea) are charming accent plants with a majestic look, given by the heights of their stem and the great variety of warm flower colors; all shades of reds and pinks, purples and whites.

They are a beautiful addition to any garden, also planted in groups, along fences or border backgrounds, with a long flowering period that lasts till autumn.

People admire them from old times, not just for their decorative aspect, but also for being totally maintenance-free.
Unlike her other beautiful sisters, like hibiscus, hollyhocks grow in all soil conditions, on roadsides, even in wasteland and, reaching an amazing height of 2-2.5 m.

Hollyhock flowers are used medicinally for chest complaints, having emollient and diuretic properties, with similar action to Marshmallows.
The flowers can also be used for coloring purposes.

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Purple-lavender petunia flowers-photos

This is my new petunia or more exactly, this is how it looked like on the day I bought it, two weeks ago. It was all covered with its beautiful white-lavender, trumpet shaped flowers.

The first 3-4 days I kept this young petunia plant in the shadow, placing it on a north-west side exposure, after a few days. The later was a big mistake.
In the extreme heat of these last weeks, half of the flowers wilted until next morning, though it was getting only an hour or two of late afternoon sun.

Petunias should bloom throughout the summer, so I'm deadheading it diligently hoping that it will restart branching and opening its new buds.
If the weatherman is righ, some rain will cool down the temperature very soon.

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Pale pink roses-rose close-up photos

Welcome to Macro Flowers Saturday #57!

How time flies! Last month we were sharing spring flower photos and now it's summer already!

June roses are the most beautiful, so fresh looking, no dead heads on the rose bushes yet.
This pale pink rose looks like made of porcelain.

The buds are of a darker pink color but when they unfold, there is just a pale tint of pink.I love this poem but I couldn't find the author's name. Read it and enjoy!

The rose bud

It is only a tiny rosebud-
A flower of God's design;
But I cannot unfold the petals
With these clumsy hands of mine.
The secret of unfolding flowers
Is not known to such as I -
The flower God opens so gently
In my hands would fade and die.
If I cannot unfold a rosebud,
This flower of God's design,
How can I have wisdom
To unfold this life of mine?
So I'll trust in Him for His leading
Each moment of every day,
And I'll look to Him for His guidance
Each step of the pilgrim way.
For the pathway that lies before me
My heavenly Father knows -
I'll trust Him to unfold the moments
Just as he unfolds the rose.
AMEN.

~Author unknown~

Join Macro Flowers Saturday!

Newcomers, please use the yellow code in the sidebar or a button, to link back to this blog.
Veterans know that, though not all of them. Any entry with some other backlink than this blog's home page will be deleted. You can come back any time after you correct the link.
Please don't link all over to my individual posts, you are misleading new participants.

This list is closed. Click here to see the list

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Wild strawberries-Fragaria vesca flowers-fruits pictures

We have a few wild strawberries or woodland strawberries - Fragaria vesca, in the backyard.
At the beginning of May I took these photos of the flowering plant and now, after three weeks, the tasty wild strawberries are ripe. The fruits have a strong flavor, but these here will not be picked, we just admire them.
They don't produce runners but they self seed, we hope to have more of them in a few years.

Woodland Strawberry or European Strawberry was widely cultivated until it was replaced by the garden strawberry in the 18th century.

Wild strawberry grows along trails and roadsides, woodland edges and clearings in full sun or part shade. It is still collected and grown for domestic use.

The cultivated variety is the alpine strawberry, with a longer flowering period and larger fruit as the common wild strawberry.

Plants without runners are often used as border plants and those with runners can form a beautiful ground cover.

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Variegated Yellow Archangel photos-Lamiastrum argentatum

Variegated Yellow Archangel-Lamiastrum argentatum is a very hardy wildflower, distributed all over temperate regions.
Variegated False Lamium, on one of its many names, its a perfect copy of the Yellow Archangel, except its leaves.
It spreads easily and grows in any soil and light conditions, from full sun to full shade. For this reason is often used as ground cover under trees and in places where nothing else grows.
It is also a popular ornamental in borders and hanging baskets where it is easier to control its invasive nature.

It flowers from April to June. The flowers are soft yellow, similar to yellow dead nettle, growing in circular clusters around the stem between leaves.
Its oval shaped leaves are toothed and hairy, with silvery-grey patches.

For many gardeners this plant is a nuisance, it is very persistent when it escapes and competes with other garden plants.

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