Eustoma - common name: Lisianthus

My father is wonderful at growing plants from seed and under lights. One year he brought me a plant I had never heard of: Lisianthus (pronounced lizzie-ANN-thus).

What a beauty!! It looks like a rose and lasts for weeks as a cut flower.

The true name of Lisianthus is Eustoma, and it is a genus of the Gentianaceae family. It is commonly found on the American Prairie and in the Southern United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and northern South America.
Here it is grown and planted as an annual, growing 18-24" tall. Often, there are many blooms on a single stem. I do stake them because they will bend in bad storms.

Lisianthus come in a variety of colours. This year I have a mauve-blue, white and bi-colour.

Lisianthus can be challenging to grow. As I said, my Dad grows them from seed but they must be started very early, not just several weeks before planting. The seeds are tiny and therefore hard to see. But he has been successful year after year and they are now a staple in mine and his garden.

They enjoy being planted in rich fertile soil. They like moist soil but dislike being over-watered. They tolerate drought very well.

Other common names include Prairie Rose, Texas Bluebell and Prairie Gentian.

If you feel that trying to grow them from seed would be too frustrating and time-consuming, look for some started plants at your local nursery next spring. They truly are a satisfying, beautiful annual to have in your garden and in vases within your home.

Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Cake and Jamaican Jerk Burgers with Citrus Coleslaw are featured on my food blog. Please visit Astrid's Home.

Patty's Garden

It's fun to virtually "meet" fellow bloggers on the Internet although you never figure that you'll actually REALLY meet a fellow blogger in person.
Well, I did!
Patty King is a local Burlington garden blogger who came to one of the tours I hosted in June. She took photos of my garden and featured it in her post http://gardeningpomona.blogspot.ca/2013/07/a-visit-to-astrids-garden.html
She invited me to visit her garden as well and I was able to do that last week.

Patty's huge garden is in a very lovely area of Burlington. Her property is deep, backing onto the Roseland Creek.
Many of Patty's plantings are native to the area. She adores her 3 huge black walnut trees (even though many gardeners I have spoken to do not share that enthusiasm :) and has a very interesting variety of shrubs and perennials.

Along the driveway…..Lavender angustifolia 'Munstead'

Near the front door……..Japanese Maple - Acer palmatum dis. 'Inaba Shidare'

Patty says she likes the blooms of Hydrangea 'Invincibelle Spirit' but is disappointed that it "flops"

Boltonia asteroides 'Nana'

The view through to what Patty calls her "second backyard"

This plant used to be called Cimicifuga but is now called Actea racemosa (Asian black bugbane)

This is Pagoda Dogwood Cornus alternifolia - the second shot is a close-up of the berries

Mountain Maple Acer spicatum and its delicate little keys

Looking way up into the branches of one of the Black Walnuts

The view back towards the house includes the black walnut trees, Hemlock and a flowering raspberry

The beautiful mauve flower of the Flowering Raspberry Rubus odoratus

Echinacea purpurea

The European Honeysuckle bush Lonicera periclymenum and its lovely red berries

Roseland Creek at the very back of the property

Gorgeous dark burgundy Coreopsis 'Mercury Rising'

Echinacea purpurea 'Alba'

Butterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa

Thanks again, Patty, for taking me on a tour of your great garden!

Patty writes 2 blogs - Gardening Pomona and Women and the Garden, in which she relates the history of the garden and the roles women played in it.

Please check out my other blog Astrid's Home - this week I'm featuring Makeup and Beauty products.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day July 2013

Lisianthus

Some lovely plants are in bloom today although my garden is in a transitory state at the moment - much of the lush gorgeous June blooms have faded but the next set of deep summer blooms have yet to appear.

Having said that, please take a look at some the pretty ones that are showing off today:

The Oak Leaf Hydrangea at the front door is in full bloom

Climbing rose 'New Dawn' is producing abundant blooms

New red shrub rose is blooming nicely in light shade

The white shrub rose by the deck has its lovely apricot buds and white blossoms

Chinese Astilbe has deep fuchsia flowers that appear "fuzzy"

A number of snowball hydrangeas are in bloom

The daylilies are scrumptious!! All kinds of gorgeous hues and colours.

Most of my hostas, small and large, are in bloom. One is fabulously fragrant.

This delightful dainty Clematis is still clambouring all through the pussywillow branches

The first Rudbeckias opened today - good timing!

Daisies are everywhere

 I know it's a weed but Harebell looks great in most of the borders where it's self seeded itself.

'The Fairy' never disappoints and this year it's just gone wild.

A few lilies have made an appearance but are floppy and needed staking.

Last but not least, the white Lisianthus (Prairie Rose) from the local Farmer's Market are in bloom. Soon the deep purple/blue ones will be as well.

Garden Blogger's Bloom Day is a Meme created by May Dreams Garden

Gardeners post images of what's blooming in their garden on the 15th day of every month. All are welcome to participate.

Also, please check out my recipe blog Astrid's Home - the latest post is Devilled Eggs