The Beautiful Magnolia - Felix Jury

Felix Jury is an award-winning magnolia bred by New Zealand plantsman Mark Jury.

It truly is the most spectacular Spring small flowering tree.

And once planted will bloom at a young age.

In maturity, Felix Jury magnolia will treat you seasonally with hundreds of flowers on the compact tree.

You can depend on this beauty to perform year after year with very little care from you.

So if we bullet point information here's what you get:

*The flowers are highly fragrant and measure up to 30 centimetres in diameter.

*The foliage is an attractive lighter green colour.

*The flower is a gorgeous hot pink colour.

*You'll only need to prune it in early training.

*Felix Jury magnolia will grow in most climates.

*It's an ideal small tree for the garden as it only grows 4.5 metres high by 2.5 metres wide.

*Deciduous.

*Hardiness: Hardy.

*Planting season: Winter.

*Planting location: Full sun.

*Planting position: Moist

*Feeding: Slow-release fertilizer in Spring.

Felix Jury Magnolia is an excellent landscape tree because of its form and large colourful flowers.

At Mia Bella Homestead my tree often had second flowers appear once the leaves appeared.

Many people visiting the garden commented on its serene beauty.

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#magnolias #felixmagnolia #floweringtrees #gardentrees

A peek at Mia Bella Passions Garden

Life has been so very busy,

and my next crafty DIY just has not been created.

So instead of a craft tutorial,

(I'll save that for the next post).

I'm just going to show you a snippet of my back of the house garden.

I adore this time of the year.

New growth over spring and now into early summer.

Lush greens.

New annuals heading up for display.

And the rhododendron in full bloom.

This back garden is my favourite place to be.

Enjoy your peek. 

The Beautiful CAMELLIA SASANQUA....❥

Camellia Sasanqua is a hardy shrub/small tree that offers a beautiful autumn colour in the home garden.

The blooms range in colour from red, pure white, white with a pink tinge and many many shades of pink.

The flowers can be single with yellow stamens or multi-petaled doubles.

There are also sweet delicate miniatures.

Some are even scented!

Evergreen leaves are glossy green which is very attractive even when the tree is not in flower.

Camellias like a well-drained humus acid rich soil.

They will grow in full sun or part shade.

All they require for best blooms are regular watering, Spring fertilising and a light trim after flowering.

Once established Camellia Sasanqua is hardy, tolerating light frost in the winter and short droughts in the summer.

This amazing plant can be grown in pots, espaliered, and clipped to form a hedge.

 Or left to be a feature in small tree state in the garden.


#camlelia #smallshrubs #smalltrees 

Fancy That Yellow Chrysanthemum...

 

Over summer I had the complete 'white pot craze' happening...

And yellow was the flower colour craze!

In the plant rescue stand at the garden store, I found two half-dead chrysanthemum plants for $1.50 each.

Knowing darn well it's really had to kill a 'mum' I bought them thinking they would be perfect for my white pots on the back deck.  
And they grew... and they grew in their part shade position.

Healthy plants - no yellow flowers!

Lesson learnt - the pot must be placed in the FULL SUN ALL DAY to achieve the promised prolific flowering!

But by then summer was over and autumn had arrived. 

The myriad of white pots were all emptied of their plants,

 and the pots were put into storage for winter.

So these very healthy green foliage 'mums' were put into the garden bed.

In FULL SUN might I add.

Then look at what happened.

Flowers!

so many flowers!

Dainty yellow flowers.

And a month later we still have masses of flowers!

So really it's a lesson to read the plant label properly.

Full sun means just that!

Laugh out loud!

So in case, you have a space in your garden for an amazing pop of yellow then plant:

'Fancy That Yellow' Chrysanthemum.
From Zealandia's Living Colours range.

It's a new breed of free flowering chrysanthemum that is suitable for a low, ground covering in garden beds, pots, hanging baskets and bowls.

Just remember that FULL SUN is the secret to success with this gorgeous mini daisy Chrysanthemum.

It's fabulous for picking.
Plus the butterflies will love it too.

And the flowers last such a long time in a vase.

or teacup.

Which is what I used as a vessel to display the posy of blooms.

The teacup is Vintage Colcough.

Plant Name: Fancy That Yellow by Zealandia Living Colours

#chrysanthemum #yellow #floweringgardenplants 

#yellowflowers

Beautiful Impatients Tamarinda...❥

What can I say but - "I AM IN LOVE"!

In love with these beautiful Impatients.

The flower is stunning, with pops of the most refreshing mauve pink colour.

The dark green leaves are veined in a pinky red.

And what is even more perfect is, 

that this Impatients variety thrives in a part shade position.

That means it is ideal for my covered patio, which gets afternoon sun.

The plants' full title is Impatiens Tamarinda by Iconia.

The label describes this plant as a garden jewel and I would have to agree!

The flowers are jewel-like and actually remind me of the colours found in pink agate stone.

 The buds unfold just like a tiny rose.

 So to grow Impatients Tamarinda successfully:

 *You need to plant them in a part shade position. 

*Soil must be well drained.

*Give the plant frequent watering in the hot, dry summer months.

*Protect from frost in the winter as these plants are very frost tender.

*Liquid feed in summer.

*The plants can also grow in hanging baskets, patio pots as well as garden beds and borders.

Success with the above tips means you will be rewarded with:

*Lush green foliage.

*Beautiful curvy star-shaped flowers.

*Flowering continuously throughout the summer season.

Impatients Tamarinda  - to add colour to your garden beds, hanging baskets,

and deck plant pots.

I'M IN LOVE  - are you?

#Impatients #colourfulplantsforgardensandpots #flowers #flowering plants #summerplants #plantsforpots

#summerpotplants #potplants

Petunia Love...

 A new release Petunia.

 Petunia Night Sky has the darkest blue-purple flowers that are speckled with white spots that resemble a stellar night sky!

As soon as I walked through Mitre 10's Garden Centre doors - it grabbed me...

For the flowers are spectacular!

I am planting mine in a large white plastic pot.

($15 each from KMart!)

I'm going to plant two pots the same.

I'm also adding cascade lobelias in a mix of blues, pinks and whites as companion plants.

The lobelias will drape down the sides of the pot.

Petunia Night Sky has a mounding, trailing habit which means it is also good for garden beds and hanging planters.

The height it grows to is 25 to 40cm high.

It requires full sun, regular watering and fertilizing for the best flowering results.

Newly planted, and I can't wait for the fabulous show of flowers to come.

#gardenplants #petunia #flowers #plantsforpots

The Earth Laughs... ❥

Sharing a new quote with y'all today...

 ❥

The flower in this photograph is a Geranium.

It is called 'Hot Pink Cranesbill'.

I love this flower as each year it seeds and renews...

all by it's little sweet self!

So it is a wonderful burst of colour in the Spring and Summer garden beds.

Copy and save to your computer to use as a screensaver if you like.  :)

#nzbloggers #flower #garden #pink  #raindrops #quotes

'Baby Tears' Planter...❥

Baby Tears (aka Irish Moss or Soleirolia soleirlii)

is the sweetest little plant.

Originating from Italy, it is one of my favourites.

Little tiny leaves cascade down the evergreen stems

which give this plant the name of baby tears.

Perfect as a ground-cover due to it's spreading nature,

Baby tears grow in semi shade or full shade garden beds.

It looks lush and green all year round if kept moist.

(It's not fond of dry or frost!)

And it's super SIMPLE to propagate.

Just take a clump and plant it where you want it to grow.

How easy is that?

And it is a superb weed suppressant.

Baby Tears is also fabulous to grow in pots indoors or out.

As well as in hanging baskets.

I like to plant mine in a plastic pot that I then place in an urn that's indoors.
Coconut fibre around the internal edge keeps the plastic pot hidden.

Even in the early stages of growth, it is pretty.

Eventually it will cascade over the edge of the planter.

And when it is too big...

Root cuttings will be taken and a new plant started.
❥

And if you are wondering about that hint of gold in the background of the first planter photograph,
yes - it's a new CUSHION...

The gold leaf image and cream cushion fit in with the decor PERFECTLY.
One can never have too many cushions, can they?

#babytears #planter #indoorplant #shadeplants

Robin Egg Blue Outdoor Furniture Upcycle...

The outdoor furniture upcycle was on the 'to do' list for a long time...

And finally it happened!

It is Autumn now, but the little side patio was looking oh so sad.

Plus this wee spot is a perfect coffee hideaway even in winter.  

(Coastal lifestyle means no snow here!)

The old rusty 'past the use by date' table and two chairs were scrubbed down with a wire brush.
Then washed and left to dry.
The paint I used is called 'Rust-oleum'.
A paint and primer in one easy to use sprayer.
This paint is available in New Zealand at Bunnings.
The colour I used is called 'Robins Egg' in matt.

 I'm loving this can design in spray paint. 
Trigger mechanism that's easy to use.
Fab coverage.  
(It took one and a half cans to cover the table and two chairs, so that means extra is available for patch ups in the Spring).

 I painted some old pots white,
 and potted some vibrant shocking pink cyclamen.

What I'd like to make are some round cushions for on the chair seats  - that's next on the list!

 Another cyclamen potted in another painted pot...

 In a white bucket on the step...
shocking pink cosmos.

And sweet pink snapdragons.

 I am totally crushing on the Robin Egg colour!!!

 In the larger pots stock, impatiens, cosmos and snapdragons were planted.

What a amazing transformation of a table set I had all but given up on...

I love you spray paint!

 And the addition of cream and white pots of pink and white flowers just adds to a relaxing beautiful space.
I'm hoping the cosmos has time to seed down before winter arrives.

And the rain overnight left sweet water droplets on my newly planted flowers.

A reminder to stop and enjoy the little things...

#upcycling #pink #duckeggblue #patio
#outdoorliving