Friday, November 6, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 7042 / Comments: / Article rating: 5.0 Cajun Hibiscus Bold 'n Sassy While it may appear that all I grow is brugmansia, I did start collecting exotic hibiscus last fall. I cuurently have about 60 named cultivars and will soon be experimenting with the hybridization of those as well. I have a bunch of hibiscus seedlings growing now from seeds I purchased earlier this summer. I expect the first seedlings to start blooming by spring. When I first thought about hybridizing hibiscus I was under the impression that they could be pollinated in the summer. I was ... Categories:Hibiscus Tags:bold n sassycajun hibiscushibiscus Read more
Thursday, November 5, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 7480 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating Another orange Angel Trumpet that caught my eye While I was out taking a moonlit stroll through my Angel Trumpets last night, I came across some additional orange blooms that really caught my eye. They are from a cross of brugmansia Cassie's Curls x an unknown father. I have a bunch of seedlings from this cross growing and so far they have yielded quite a diverse group of blooms.The unique coloration and fat blooms were unlike any blooms I have seen on cultivars growing here in the states. I'll be watching this one for the next few ... Categories:BrugmansiaSeedlings Tags:Angel TrumpetbloomsBrugmansiabrugsCassie's Curlsseedling Read more
Thursday, November 5, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 8040 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating A mixed marriage involving two Angel Trumpet legends Today's featured Angel Trumpet blooms are the outcome of the mixed marriage of the America brugmansia Butterfly, and the German brugmansia Joli. Butterfly is a classic American hybrid and Joli is a European one.When you look at the results you can see quality traits from both parents in the blooms. So far all the blooms have been resilient, six pointers, with a nice fragrance. The blooms have lasted nearly a week and what was surprising was that the tendrils held up equally as well. ... Categories:BrugmansiaSeedlings Tags:Angel TrumpetbloomsBrugmansiabrugsButterflyjoliseedling Read more
Thursday, November 5, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 6583 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating I have a pod!!!! I just found my first Angel Trumpet seed pod of the fall season! One disadvantage of hybridizing brugmansia in Florida is that it is nearly impossible to get crosses to take and set pods when the temps are in the 90's. A couple of weeks ago we had a mini cold snap that lasted for a couple of days. The first night it was cool out I went outside and pollinated about 30 blooms. A couple of days later the temps were back up in the 90's and breaking records. Because of that i did not expect ... Categories:Hybridizing Tags:Angel TrumpetBrugmansiaseed pod Read more
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 6697 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating Unexpected results from this Angel Trumpet cross Last year I made a bunch of crosses involving Brugmansia Axel Rose in hopes that its variegation would be passed on either by genes or by a sport on a new seedling. The last thing I expected was to find a seedling with blooms as bright as these. Pictured below are blooms from a cross between brugmansia Mountain Treasure and Axel Rose. The actual color was what I would call a cantaloupe orange and is much more intense than what is shown in this picture. The blooms are also quite large ... Categories:BrugmansiaSeedlings Tags:Angel Trumpetaxel rosebloomsBrugmansiabrugsmountain TreasureSeedlings Read more
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 5794 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating Tonight's sentry I found this cute little fellow keeping watch over my Angel Trumpets tonight.How could any bug resist these eyes?! Categories:Creatures Tags:Angel TrumpetBrugmansiatree frog Read more
Sunday, November 1, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 6462 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating What a difference a day makes.... Yesterday I posted a photo of an unknown double white Angel Trumpet. I checked it out tonight and it looked like a completely different bloom. Here it is now -I wonder if it will get even darker when the plant matures? This one will be a watcher for sure!And what a difference a couple of hours makes with this one. I shot a picture of this shredded bloom for my Halloween post this afternoon and went I checked on it tonight, it was pink! Categories:BrugmansiaSeedlings Tags:Angel TrumpetBrugmansiabrugsSeedlings Read more
Sunday, November 1, 2009 / Author: Sommer Gardens / Number of views: 5895 / Comments: / Article rating: No rating Halloween Angel Trumpet blooms Seeing how today is Halloween, I figured it would only be appropriate to post a few pictures of blooms fit for Halloween.and another....and the scariest of all - Categories:BrugmansiaSeedlings Tags:Angel TrumpetbloomsBrugmansiabrugsSeedlings Read more