First Few Roses

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Joseph's Coat

A nearby wholesale nursery, J.Berry, was open for public

during this weekend Hwy 80 sale.

I got this double-knockout roses from them yesterday.

@ Burke's Garden, 2010.

The Flower of Hoja Santa

It's the second bloom of this Hoja Santa plant in the year. See the previous posting on this HERE.

Photos © Burke's Garden, 2009.

Reference from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoja_santa

Hoja santa (Piper auritum) is an aromatic herb with a heart-shaped, velvety leaf which grows in tropic Mesoamerica. The name hoja santa means "sacred leaf" in Spanish.^[2] A Mexican legend says that Virgin Mary dried diapers of the infant Jesus on the bush of this plant, hence the name.^[3] It is also known as yerba santa,^[4][5] hierba santa,^[4] Mexican pepperleaf,^[5] root beer plant,^[2] and sacred pepper.^[1]

Description

The leaves can reach up to 30 centimeters (12 in) or more in size. The complex flavor of hoja santa is not so easily described; it has been compared to eucalyptus,^[6][7] licorice,^[2][8] sassafras,^[4][9] anise,^[5][10] nutmeg,^[5] mint,^[11][12] tarragon,^[6] and black pepper.^[5] The flavor is stronger in the young stems and veins.

It is native to the Americas, from northern South America to Mexico, and has escaped cultivation in Florida.^[13]

Usage

It is often used in Mexican cuisine for tamales, the fish or meat wrapped in fragrant leaves for cooking, and as an essential ingredient in Mole Verde, the green sauce originated in the Oaxaca region of Mexico.^[4] It is also chopped to flavor soups and eggs.^[14] In Central Mexico, it is used to flavor chocolate drinks.^[5] In southeastern Mexico, a green liquor called Verdín is made from hoja santa.^[15] American cheesemaker Paula Lambert created "Hoja santa cheese", the goat's milk cheese wrapped with the hoja santa leaves and impregnated with its flavor.^[9][11] While typically used fresh, it is also used in dried form, although drying removes much of the flavor and makes the leaf too brittle to be used as a wrapper.^[16]

Foliage Appeal in The Green House

Fern (second year) and Aeroplane plant

(first year, Bruce Miller).

Kimberly Queen Fern (first year),

surprisingly survives in our garden for 3 months now.

We tried Boston Fern which has similar look

but they didn't like it here and died

in a matter of weeks.

More about this in another posting.

Schefflera plant, purchased from WalMart,

has been growing well and now is safe in the green house.

Coleus and purple fountain grass

have been dug up from the yard

and transferred to safety.

I am trying to save these Polka Dot plants

for next year, too. Other plants that

I've dug to safety are sweet potato vines,

petunia and chamomile seedlings.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Mums Development 5

Chrysanthemums by the end of October.

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Ajania pacifica is finally blooming.

Irises

Royal Summer Iris purchased from Bruce Miller has been planted with all other iris purchases 2 weeks ago.

Iris bulbs, purchased from store, that have been planted in August / September this year are sprouting. Iris bulbs need to be fully grown before the first frost hit in order to make flower in spring.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Kwanzan Cherry Blossom

October 14, 2009.

Kwanzan Cherry tree had one bloom in fall.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Angel's Trumpets at Their Peak

October 7 - 14, 2009.

Coleus and Oak Tree Garden

Remember the Oak Garden SOS in September? Here's the garden 6 weeks later.

Four o'clock that were started from seeds are growing

along with lime green coleus,

but the cold weather has started settling in and

I am afraid that their days are numbered.

Coleus, oxalis, and elephant's ear.

Polka Dot plants.

Coleus in tractor tire.

Here Comes the Fog

Less than an hour later after the sun went down, the fog settles in.

Angel's Trumpet is loaded.

Its sweet fragrance fills the air at the end of the day.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Here Comes the Sun, for a Little While

A hole in the clouds lets the sun peek out for a short while that evening. Enough to set the mood for picture taking after a week long of cloudy days.

Angel's Trumpets are madly blooming,

touched by sunlight.

Trailing weed on cotton wood tree

catch the filtered sunlight.

Chinaberry tree is spotted by sun

that exposes the berries it's bearing.

Red seeds of castor bean in the circle garden

under the big tree catch the light.

Lantana and yellow chrysanthemum in the circle garden.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Between Pink, Shocking Pink, and Fuschia

This week's blooms that reflect one or more of the above colors.

Gaura, Siskiyou Pink

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Geranium

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Lantana

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Mandevillia

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Purslane

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Raspberry Ice Bougenvillea

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Ajania to Join the Fall Overture

Seemingly fall is here. Temperature this morning was 58˚F and it stayed cool all day even with unobstructed sun all day. Mums have been blooming and this particular variegated version, Ajania pacifica or Silver and Gold, is also joining the club to welcome the new fresh season with its flower buds appearing on the bushes near the green house.

Left picture: Purple fountain grass and Ajania pacifica on its feet.

Bottom picture: Flower buds on Ajania pacifica. Purchased from Bruce Miller last fall.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.

Banana Trees

This banana tree has been planted for 3 years.

It grows big and tall, taller than the average

height of banana trees around the area.

It never bear any fruit so far.

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Blood Leaf banana foliage covered with dew.

It's this year's purchase and planted in a pot.

It has grown too and has an offspring at the base.

© Burke's Garden, 2009.