When I See the Before Picture

I really feel like all the work paid off.

While moving pictures from my old computer, I came across this one from July 14, 2008 - less than 2 years ago:

I was killing off plants to redo the area.

Yesterday you saw the same spot:
I had forgotten how different this area looked less than two years ago!

Remember this albino foliage when I brought my containers out?

Here it is today
all nice and green. I cut the two canna sprouts down and they are almost ready to leaf out.

I am thoroughly disappointed with that Elephant Ear collection I bought from Breck's.
Here is the enticing ad pic:

Here is the reality. This is Hilo Beauty.
It's says it's a robust grower reaching 24-36 inches tall and spreads 3 - 5 feet. Oh, by the way, Hilo Beauty is the plant in the front, not the one with all that lovely green foliage--that's a dahlia.

Just like Hilo Beauty, this Black Magic Elephant Ear has been growing for over a month:

Can't see it? Well, get your magnifying glass out and hold it over that tiny purple blob near the right edge.
Here is Black Magic's picture in the ad:



I think it's ridiculous to receive something this tiny without being told that is what they were sending.

The ad for the collection as a whole reads:

"Breathtaking in stature. Exotic Elephant Ears are beloved for foliage that is so astonishingly immense, you can practically hide among them."

Hmmmm....maybe if you're a slug.

Or have a decade to wait.

I am not feeling any warm fuzzies toward Breck's right now.

On a more positive note, I am liking the color formation of this canna leaf.

Pretty interesting coloration, in my humble opinion. I can't wait to see the flower. Every year it looks a bit different. I bought this one at a bargain price at a chain store and have been thoroughly enchanted with it ever since.

Now I See Why the Box is So Large

I got this box of my elephant ear bulbs last Friday, just as I was heading out for the weekend.
Judging by the size of the box, I thought, Wow, these must be some big bulbs!
I stuck it in the garage and left it until tonight.


I was surprised to find these long skinny boxes inside.
Usually the bulbs are packaged in plastic bags.

I was even more surprised when I pulled plants out of each box!

I am not sure how I feel about these. I wanted a huge black elephant ears plant. I expected to be getting a bulb as big as a giant onion. This puny little thing needs to grow like mad to get anywhere near what I had in mind. At the moment, I am thinking that $30 for this puny collection is too much. I've been had.

What do you think?

These Spring-like Temps Have me Ordering for the Garden

For the past two years I have been wanting a black (really it's dark purple) elephant ear plant. I could not find one any place in my town. So when I got Breck's offer today, I immediately ordered this collection:

I will get one each of the following varieties:

Hilo Beauty - heart-shaped leaves in a unique camouflaged pattern

Black Magic - mysterious dark purple foliage up to 2 feet in length

Persian Palm - serrated leaves up to 42 inches long pointing outward

As an added bonus, they include a free Polly Elephant Ears. They are small; just 18inches or so high. I already have one of these in a combination planter I bought last year and keep inside. I did not know what it was until today.

Elephant ears go quite nicely with my other tropicals -- cannas and calla lilies.

If I spent $50, I got $25 off, so I also ordered another Rembrandt Dahlia collection.
It was basically free - just tax and shipping.
I really enjoyed the splotchy paint-like splatters on the ones I got two years ago.

So now I am gung-ho on planting the deck containters. It's still two months away for me, but it will go by fast. I probably won't be buying any annuals again this year because I won't have room for any.

Anybody else ordering flower bulbs, corms, etc?