When we built the solarium, some of the established landscape had to be removed in order to install the AC, water line, and sink/trench drains. I decided to just remove the rest of the plants, enlarge the area, and mulch it all with cypress mulch. I don't plan to grow anything here that is in the ground. All the plants will be potted. I think I will make it an herb garden and put a lot of my Plumeria there. The majority of my plumeria are now residing on the patio, so that will be a short move. I'll also have two large, 24" pots filled with White Butterfly Ginger there, forming sort of a screen adjacent to the AC/heat pump condenser. I will have some flowering plants as well.

Fall, 2015


04/2016

Lovely

Here is what it looks like today. I still have two dozen more plumeria to move into this area and haven't even started with flowering plants. Maybe I will be done by June.

That is a LOT of plants

Now I see why that back surgery got you so frustrated...all those potted gems a peeking in the windows saying "come out and play"

So great you don't have to trudge across the open air to access the solarium. it is a nice spare design with your house style.

I have put another couple of dozen plants in the mulched area. I not only ran out of space but also ran out of large, 18-24" diameter pots. I have six more to pot up and they'll go out in the landscape that borders my uphill area. I grouped these plumeria (sort of) according to variety. This area has a timed irrigation system, so hopefully, the plants won't require a lot of (hose) watering.

I snuck in my Vanilla Orchid with trellis and there is a huge Tillandsia recurvata sitting atop the trellis.

Can't wait to see them all in bloom

How are you lifting the pots with your new surgery?
Plumeria are fragrant - correct? It will smell heavenly back there

There are a few varieties that are not fragrant, for example the Pudica, but typically all of mine will be fragrant. Fragrances can be citrus, fruity, gardenia, floral, rose, coconut, spicy, and cinnamon and I have a unique plant (one of a kind) that smells of honeysuckle and rose with a hint of pear. I also have numerous White Butterfly Ginger in two large pots in the Plumeria Patch, and with those in bloom, as well as the various varieties of plumeria, the fragrances should be wonderful.

I use a dolly to move heavy pots, wear my back brace, and try to be extra, extra careful. I am getting stronger by the week and am doing well. I even mowed the lawn yesterday (with brace on) and did fine. That's the first time to use my self-propelled, push mower this spring. My wife keeps a watch over me and just shakes her head when I do something she thinks I should not be doing. She'll comment (naturally ) when I do something she thinks is just plain stupid. She makes several "comments" daily.

She should save her words... Just whack you with a broom. She probably is a sweet gentle lady. I would be whackin and crackin'...it is the only universal language.

I keep seeing plumeria and ginger mentioned on the threads. I will have to read about those...zone ...deer...the works...I like fragrance. Old habits die hard wth the daphne, fringe, and edgeworthia as my main " perfumers "

I have deer and they never seem to bother either my ginger, plumeria, or garlic. I guess they don't like much of anything I grow. There are hundreds of potted plants at ground level for them to munch on and I don't think I have ever seen any damage to anything. Now if you want to attract deer, plant sweet potatoes and melons. They can't resist those leaves.

Ginger would be a perennial for you, dying back in the fall and returning each spring. Like me, you would have to bring plumeria inside in the fall.

Unlike you ..I don't have a big beautiful solarium!

I will look at the ginger tho. I look for things to die back...it may sound crazy but a bare landscape
Makes spring more fun
Makes it easier to blow leaves in autumn
Makes it easier to rake and mulch in spring
Limits snow and ice damage and clean up
Let's me locate and view the things I've planted 'Like they are brand new'
Allows me to order what I don't need or have room for because the better half "can see that there is nothin " in the ground and I fool myself into thinking there is a great deal of free space!

Oh yes, give me things that not only sleep but retreat come winter.

I had a grand total of six plumeria in my solarium over the fall/winter months. That's only because they were in bloom. I had 75+ plants in the garage or bagged up and stored in a closet. I'm not very high-tech, Rosie.

I have a screened porch.... No garage. My closets...well...those are full of shoes that need winter protection!

I do haul in some things hurricane threats ...yard stuff...but I don't have anything living in pots except one rose and one peony...both placed a few years ago waiting to be put in the ground. They seemed to like those pots so I let those be, No winter issues. Not sure I would want to start up a new responsibility...I am in the stage that says "simplify" "simplify "

You are correct, Rosie. You don't want a plumeria addiction, not the way you prefer to grow. Stick to hardy plants, those that grow well (outside) in your area.

I know that if I see a certain flower mentioned over and over on various threads it is better for me not to look.

Although Inhave it set in my head that I am going to establish an old fashioned walkway through the memory garden and I am currently exploring the ins and outs of iris. The folks in that forum are very helpful and come the fall I will go back for more advice.

I love all things fragrant too

Ken, I didn't realize you had back issues and surgery. Be so careful.