Bignonia radicans

Bignonia radicans is a beautiful, deciduous ornamental garden vine. It is a vigorously growing woody vine that climbs by aerial rootlets which will cling to just about any supportive surface. It grows primarily for its attractive flowers and its ability to rapidly cover structures with attractive evergreen foliage. Its a fast growing, heavy flowering beautiful plant. It grows up to 30 feet tall.
Bignonia flowers are incredibly beautiful and bloom in clusters. The blooms are red or orange, trumpet shaped with yellow throats.
Once established this plant doesn't need to be watered or fertilized beyond what nature provides. This plant can withstand long periods of drought even in growing season and keeps blooming.

How to grow Bignonia radicans:

Growing this plant is a simple process using seeds or a soft wood stem cuttings.

By seeds:
 
1) Plant the seeds in a fast draining soil filled with a mixture of peat, coarse sand and petite.
2) Bury each seed one to two inches below the surface of the growing medium and keep the soil moist.
3) The seeds germinate and emerge from the soil within three weeks of planting.
4) After the plants become firmly established transplant them in a sunny location in the garden.

By soft wood stem cuttings:

1) Cuttings with three joints can be detached from the well established plant by using a sharp knife.
2) Insert them in a propagating pot or case where they should form roots in 6-10 weeks.
3) Once they have formed sufficient amount of roots, they can be potted individually in small containers and eventually transplanted in the desired location outdoors.  







   

White Spider Lily

Spider lilies are ornamental garden plants grown for their famous flowers. Their elegant white flowers make the spider lily plants a joy to grow in the gardens. They are very exotic looking plants.
They are hardy, low maintenance, long lived and beautiful ground covering plants. Their leaves are dark green, long and strappy and held slightly upright.They can be planted in a semi shaded position under light canopy of trees or palms. They are spectacular house plants.
The flowers have long, slender, white petals that radiate from a round center, giving the whole bloom a spider like look. The flowers are delightfully fragrant, with up to 8 flowers blooming on each flower stalk at a time. The biggest flush of flowers occurs at the start of the rainy season. Flowers open in the evening emitting their perfume overnight.
Spider lilies require very little care and they are the easiest growing flowering plants. These plants once grown take root very fast. They grow in full sun and tolerate a range of soil conditions.

How to grow spider lilies:
 
Spider lilies are usually grown from bulbs.

From bulbs:

1) Mix a Two inch layer of compost in to top 8 inches of soil in a well drained but moist garden bed.
2) Plant the spider lily bulbs with the tip of each bulb 4 inches beneath the soil surface. Space the bulbs 8 inches apart in all directions.
3) Water the soil immediately so it settles around the bulb.
4) Cover the bed with a two inch layer of soil. Water the bulbs about once weekly so that water doesn't dry out completely.




























 
































   

Allamanda

Allamanda are popular ornamental garden plants. They are fast growing, luxuriant, colorful, evergreen, climbing shrubs. They are grown for their large, showy colorful flowers. This plant has leathery evergreen leaves arranged in whorls along the stem and bright beautiful flowers. It can be trained to cover fences and arbors. It is a good container plant.

Allamandas have glossy deep green leaves that provide the perfect foil for the flamboyant flowers. The dramatic trumpet shaped flowers feature a widely flared throat and five large overlapping petals, usually golden yellow or pink or lavender or red in color. The clusters of trumpet shaped blossoms appear on and off most of the year.

This plant likes a fertile soil and regular watering. Pruning encourages growth, new flowering  and shape the plant to the desired shape.  

How to grow Allamandas:

Allamandas are usually propagated by stem cuttings.

By stem cuttings:

1) With a clean sharp knife  cut six inch stem cutting from fresh new growth which has at least three or four fully formed leaves at the tip. Remove all the leaves and buds from the lower half.
2) Fill a pot with equal parts of moist clay, petite and peat moss.
3) Plant it in the prepared starting pot and water enough to evenly moisten the surface soil and place it in a warm, bright area.
4) The cutting will root within 2-4 weeks.
5) Transplant the rooted cutting in a permanent place in the garden and water it everyday.
6) Feed the young plant a water soluble fertilizer throughout the growing season.  

Jasmine

Jasmine is a sweet smelling  ornamental garden plant renowned for its beauty and distinctive fragrance. They are bushy shrubs or climbing vines grown for their shining leaves and beautiful clusters of fragrant flowers.
Jasmine is a very popular flower around the world because of its unique fragrance.These flowers are white and have 6 to many petals.They are often strong and sweet scented. The buds of jasmine plant have a stronger smell than the flowers of the plant.When the sun has gone down the scent of the jasmine flower is strongest and is incredibly sweet.They have an exotic, sweet fragrance that permeates the air on warm summer evenings. The plants bloom all summer.

This plant likes a spot that will provide cool conditions with plenty of light and air. They grow well in moist, well drained sandy loam clayey garden soil with moderate level of fertility. They prefer full sun to partial shade and warm site. Adding a leaf mold to the soil makes a better growth of the plant.

How to grow Jasmine plant:

Jasmine can be propagated by hardwood cuttings or layering or cultivars

By hard wood cuttings:

1) With a sharp knife cut healthy 6 inch stems from the tips of jasmine branches.
2) Prepare a pot with soil and compost mixture and push the stem cuttings into the soil.
3) Place the pot in a sunny spot and water it well. Roots will generally develop in 4-5 weeks.
4) Transplant the rooted cutting into a permanent spot in the garden.

By tip layering:

1) Scrap off a ring half to one inch wide, about 4-5 inches back from the tip of the stem.
2) Bend the tip of the stem to the ground, bury and cover the wounded portion with 2-3 inches of soil.
3) Keep the soil even to encourage root development.
4) Cut free the rooted tips and plant them in a permanent place in the garden.

By cultivars:

1) Buy the jasmine cultivar that is right for your garden. Jasmine plants are available in pots at the nurseries.
2) Find a suitable spot in order for your jasmine to thrive. Prepare the soil with 2 inch layer of compost.
3) Dig a hole and fill it with water and let it drain.
4) Slide the jasmine plant gently and set it inside the hole. Lightly pat soil around the base
 of the plant to hold it in place.
5) Water the soil around the base to help the plant to settle. Add more soil to keep the plant erect.

Mussaenda

Mussaenda is a beautiful ornamental garden shrub. The appeal of mussaenda lies in its extraordinary inflorescence, the flowering part of the plant. The flower itself is a tiny simple yellow star but parts surrounding the flower are stunning, extraordinary pendent bunches of soft beautiful colored sepals with each up to 10 cms long. The bloom colors can be pink, white, creamy white, red or yellow. The leaves are mid green with soft velvety feel.
Mussaenda bushes are ever green. Once established these shrubs look absolutely spectacular. They are certainly worthy including in the garden, as they are very hardy and will flower profusely for years. A good prune will help promote the plant growth and  result in a much better flowering.

How to grow Mussaendas:
These plants require very warm temperature for propagation. They survive in organically enriched fertile soil.
They are propagated by stem cuttings or you can purchase them in your local nursery.

By stem cuttings:
These plants can be propagated from cuttings about 4-6 inches long taken from the tip of strong healthy shoots. Early morning is the best time to take cuttings.
1) With sharp knife cut the terminal parts of stem and remove the flowers, flower buds and leaves  from the lower one third of the cuttings.
2) Fill pots with sterile, damp, well draining garden soil.
3) Make a holes in the soil with a stick and insert the cuttings into the holes. Tamp down the soil to hold the cuttings upright and water them.
4) Cuttings rapidly put forth roots. Transplant the rooted cuttings in a permanent location.

Select and purchase a small mussaenda bush that will fit completely into the landscape when mature.
1) Find a planting site for the mussaenda where it will get direct sunlight at least 6 hours each day.
2)Add organic matter such as compost or leaf mold to the soil.
3) Dig a planting hole twice the diameter of the mussaenda root ball and place the mussaenda roots in the hole and back fill with the soil that was removed from the hole.
4) Water it generously to settle the soil around the roots. Add more back fill soil on top.
5) Water the bush as often necessary to keep the soil moist.
6) Sprinkle slow release balanced fertilizer granules around the bush 6-8 weeks after planting, when it begins to grow new leaves.   

Artabotrys odaratissimus

Artabotrys is an ornamental woody bush climber, commonly grown in the gardens for  its exotic fragrant flowers. It grows 8 - 20 feet tall. It has dark green, glossy leaves and the flowers are beautiful. The flowers are greenish/yellow and very often hidden by the leaves.

The color of the flower is changed over the course of the flowering from delicate green to dark yellow. Flower has a wonderful smell. It smells most in the evening and remains an intoxicating presence all the way until dawn. This plant flowers year round. People like these flowers for their unusual fragrance.

These woody shrubs can climb on trellis.fence or on top of special structures. If left by themselves this climber will grow on top of itself forming a mound. This bush is evergreen and can be cut regularly, to keep in shape.

How to grow Artabotrys:
This plant can be propagated by stem cuttings and air layering.

By stem cuttings:

1) Early morning is the best time to take stem cuttings. Keep the cutting cool and moist until  they are stuck.
2) With a sharp knife cut 4-6 inches long terminal parts of stem and remove leaves from lower one-third to one-half of the cutting.
3) Fill a pot with sterile low fertility well-draining medium( peat and sand mixture).
4) Insert the cutting one third to one half their length into the medium and water it.
5) Cutting rapidly put forth roots and begin to grow.
6) Transplant the rooted cuttings into larger pot or in a permanent location.

By air-layering:
Air layering is a propagation method for woody plants that allows you to root branches while still attached to parent plant. It is useful for plants that are hard to propagate by cuttings.
1) Choose the branch you want to root. It should be at least 16 cms and leafless.
2) Make an upwards-slanted cut about half way to two thirds through the branch.
3) Take a small piece of plastic and insert it into the cut.
4)Take some damp moss and wrap it around the cut.
5) Holding the moss in place with one hand, wrap a plastic sheet around it.
6) Tie the plastic sheet tightly below and above the ball of moss.
7) After a couple of months roots grow through the moss. When you can see well-developed roots, cut the branch below the moss ball.
8) Remove the plastic  and pot the new plant up using good quality potting mix.
9) Transplant the new plant in a permanent location after 2 months.

Gardenia jasminoides

Gardenia are beautiful evergreen shrubs, grown as popular ornamental  plants in warm regions. They are admired for their glossy green foliage and fragrant blossoms  They grow from 2-8 feet tall and wide. They grow into a round shape with dark green foliage.
Gardenia blossoms are large, creamy white and intensely fragrant. They contrast beautifully with shiny, leathery. dark green leaves. Gardenia is primarily valued for  its highly scented blossoms.
No plant expresses the grace than Gardenia.
Gardenia do well in large pots. Plant a gardenia near a window where you can enjoy the flowers fragrance. It prefers partial shade, well drained soil with plenty of organic matter.

How to propagate Gardenia: 

1) Select a site with full sun to light shade and moist rich well drained soil.
2) Dig a hole  only as deep as the root ball and 2-3 times as wide.
3) Carefully remove the plant that you have purchased in your local nursery from the container  and set it in the hole.
3) Fill the hole with soil mixed with a small amount of compost, then water it well to settle the soil.
4) Let the water drain, then fill the remainder of the hole with soil and water thoroughly

From cuttings:

1) Propagating Gardenia from cuttings start with getting the gardenia cuttings.
2) The cuttings should be at least 5 inches long and taken from the tip of the branch,
3) Take all the leaves  off the cutting except for the top two sets.
4) Prepare a pot to root the gardenia cutting in. Fill the pot with potting soil  and sand. Dampen the soil and sand mixture.
5) Stick you finger in the soil and sand mixture to create a hole. Place the gardenia cutting in the hole  and then back fill the hole.
6) Place the pot in bright but indirect light.
7) Keep the soil damp until the cuttings root. The cuttings will root in 4-8 weeks.

Anyone can propagate gardenia with a little care and some basic supplies. Once you understand what a gardenia needs to survive, growing them is very rewarding. Prune gardenia to encourage  the flowers to bloom nicely.