Monday, September 17, 2012

Stretching the Limits

When I was at the Spring Fling this May I got to tour many gardens. In almost every one of these Southern gardens I toured there was a clump of hardy begonias established. My luck would hold because when my traveling companions and I stopped at a nursery in Tennessee they happened to have some of this begonia potted up waiting for my purchase. Begonia grandis 'Alba'. I felt so lucky to have found the alba since all I saw in the gardens were the pink flowered begonias.
I brought this baby home and promptly divided the huge clump into three pieces and spread them around the garden hoping that one place or the other would be to their liking. Then the drought set in. Oh brother was I worried. I watered and watered. Prayed then gave up.
Much to my happiness I believe that a couple of the pieces I planted are going to take...IF, and that is a big IF the winter doesn't do them in. My garden is situated in the upper part of the new zone 6. So I will be counting the days through winter that go below the norm for these plants.
Of course since I am a gardener I am ever hopeful that they will survive. I am hedging my bets with some pieces I have put into water to winter over inside. The cuttings are already blooming. I might have to put these outside someplace and cut a few more to winter over.
 I am wondering what kind of luck I might have. I haven't seen them growing any further north than Evansivlle, IN which is 60 miles south of my garden. Of course I haven't been in every garden between here and there. Darn the luck. Have any of you in zone 6 or colder had any luck growing these plants?

New Blogger, Old Blogger

     All I can say it is difficult to deal with change. This new Blogger format is not as user friendly in my opinion. I guess I will get us...