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Although this could very well be a picture of me finding a new treasure at a favorite nursery, it's actually an illustration by David Catrow for a children's book called Plantzilla.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Begonias for Foliage Follow Up

Each month on the day after Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, the incomparable Pam Penick of Digging hosts foliage follow up to remind us of the important role that foliage plays in our gardens.  This month, I'm featuring a few of my begonias with beautiful foliage. 

This is the newest in the collection.  Alison and I both grabbed one of these beauties at Flower World on a recent visit.  We also grabbed breakfast at the Maltby CafĂ© and I'm still full!  (BTW Alison, one of those sweet rolls is still in the refrigerator, we've only made it through one!)

Begonia luxurians before the wind came up and knocked a brugmansia on top of it.
 
Rex begonia 'Fire Flush'


Rex begonia 'Iron Cross'

Providing festive color in the garden in the summer, these also make happy house plants in the winter. After a mild winter, if the gardener forgets to bring them inside, they've re emerged from their pots but not until very late in the season.  It's so hard to get good garden help and the firm currently employed here, Me, Myself and I, are a lazy lot prone to taking afternoon naps in the summer and ignoring uninteresting tasks in the garden.


How can one not love foliage like this? 
 
Flowers are fleeting but foliage is forever.  May your garden be full of whatever brings you joy!

37 comments:

  1. Bravo Peter!!! gorgeous begonias. they have a special place in my heart. Such gorgeous plants with beautiful foliage.

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    1. They are such a great (and numerous) group of plants! There's a begonia for just about every application and taste!

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  2. I've only got the one (okay two) Begonia you gave me earlier this year (B. luxurians). But I can see another one or two in my future...

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  3. The range of shapes, colors and climate adaptation of Begonias is remarkable!
    I read in Wikipedia that the genus is more then 1400 strong.

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    1. Wow! That's a lot of begonias! I knew that there were a lot but wasn't aware of how many!

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  4. I only have a few of these Begonias and have wintered them over a few times. Yours are stunning and make me think I really need to find some more interesting varieties than the ones I have.

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    1. Here, many of the greenhouses mark these down as many use them as summer annuals so it's a great time to pick them up at a great price.

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  5. I'm down to just a couple this year. Being such a lame begonia grower, I decided not to torment any this summer. I do miss luxurians tho. My Gene Daniels is enormous, with leaves almost as big as a tetrapanax. Who knows what it could do if I paid more attention to it? That's a nice bunch, Peter!

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    1. Ooh, your Gene Daniels sounds amazing! Mine has grown well this year but is nowhere near as large as yours, maybe because mine is still in the gallon pot it came in. Maybe I should pot it up.

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  6. Beautiful one and all! I so miss the begonias in my former shady garden. I must create more shade here!

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    1. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence isn't it? I have a lot of shade and miss all the sunny areas I used to have before all these trees and shrubs that someone insisted on planting got so big.

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  7. You have some beautiful foliage there, I especially like your first photo. I ought to think more about the foliage begonias as opposed to the floral variety.

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    1. The flowering ones are so spectacular! I love tuberous begonias as well!

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  8. Your Begonia luxurians looks so lovely! I'm not sure what's wrong with mine, but it looks terrible. Maybe it needs some fertilizer? Or is getting too much sun in its western exposure?

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    1. They can take some sun in our area but do like water. I usually throw some osmocote in the pot once a year and call it good.

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  9. In my humble opinion, all of your beautiful begonias seem to need a good trim. And the only proper way to dispose of those bits is to send them to Austin!

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    1. You have impeccable taste so I'm off with the scissors...

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  10. It looks like your begonias are thriving despite a "lazy" gardener. August is meant to be lazy, by the way. It's official.

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    1. Well they are pretty easy only requiring some water from time to time. I'm glad you've sanctioned August laziness! Unfortunately, the afternoon naps will come to an end next week when I start putting my classroom back together for another school year.

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  11. Those are really wonderful. The cane begonias do okay here, but the Rex and such need more humidity than we can provide in summer. So, something you can grow easily but we can't, without beachfront property or a glasshouse. You got real rain? Grrrrr!

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    1. The heavy rain was a real surprise as we were supposed to just have scattered showers. Didn't know about the humidity requirements of the rexes and friends. I suppose that every climate has it's pros and cons garden wise. Except the bay area where they can grow everything.

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  12. You make me want to grow begonias, Peter! Unbelievable...great photos

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    1. There's always room for a begonia or two! Thanks Tamara.

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  13. Shazam! Wow, that's some awesome foliage you've got there, Peter. But I think we're employing the same garden-maintenance firm, who aren't as industrious as they always promise in early spring.

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    1. Thanks Pam! That firm that we use tends to slow down quite a bit this time of year. I was feeling all smug the other day because I'd planted the last of the pot ghetto in the ground but then I went to a big regional plant sale and have more work to do. Yikes. I don't even want to think of the arrival of the bulb orders I just placed. Fortunately, they won't come until October and planting bulbs for spring is always such a fun task!

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  14. Peter, here in the Bay Area we think PNW's can grow anything ! ..I've been collecting Begonias since I was in high school--sounds like I might have a huge collection,right ? (been a few years/decades since I was in HS) but I lose some every winter.

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    1. You could have amassed quite a collection in the ten years since you've been out of high school! Sorry to hear that you lose a few each winter. I was blown away by the gardens in the bay area and your ability to grow agaves, leucadendrons, some tender grevilleas, tree ferns, aeoniums, those incredible palms - all the things that we baby/ bring inside in the winter and still have fond memories of the gardens there. It seemed like a gardeners paradise.

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  15. I'm seeing a very crowded future in our house and I am blaming you.

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    1. What wonderful company you'll have! Happy to take the blame for all the begonias you can fit in your house!

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  16. I love plants with foliage just as much as some of my flowering plants. I've been missing your posts! For some reason they are not showing up by email anymore. Anyway, glad you're still blogging and I will make a point to stop by more often.

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    1. Funny, yours haven't been showing up in mine either. I thought you must be busy with the chickens, garden, gorgeous granddaughter, etc. Looking forward to catching up on your posts!

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  17. Are you trying any of the hardy(ish) species or hybrids? There should be quite a few that will survive in your area.

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  18. I have a few of the big leafed begonias. I love most any begonia. The leaves are often more important than the flowers. Either way you look at them they are fabulous.

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  19. I love begonias as well Peter!
    Your Rex is beautiful, good purchase!

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Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! I love to hear your thoughts.